hurrah! "Senate Scuttles Amendment Banning Same-Sex Marriage "

[winterbadger]

from the Post

The Senate voted today to block a White House-backed constitutional amendment to bar same-sex marriages, dooming its prospects for approval by Congress this year but ensuring it an emotionally-charged role during campaigns this fall.

The vote was 48-50 against bringing up the amendment -- 12 short of the 60 votes needed to limit debate and 19 short of the two-thirds majority that it would take to amend the Constitution.

Republicans had hoped to win at least a simple majority in favor of proceeding with the amendment but were thwarted when six of their own colleagues joined all but three Democrats in voting to scuttle the measure without a vote on its substance. Several senators had said there would have been even more "no" votes if the showdown had occurred on substance rather than procedure.

The vote by the Republican-controlled Senate amounted to an embarrassing defeat for President Bush and conservative leaders who had pushed hard for approval of the amendment as a way of protecting traditional marriage. But Senate GOP leaders vowed to continue pushing for the amendment, hoping it will galvanize conservatives in the November election and help elect more supporters of the amendment.

Comments

[archivebear.livejournal.com]

WOOT!

[kathygnome.livejournal.com]

I knew they wouldn't get two thirds, but they didn't get a majority. I'm so happy :-)

[robbysmom.livejournal.com]

Since the Senate should have soem actual problems to solve, insterad of grandstanding for non-issues to change the topic pof the direction of the nation's foreign policy (and the effects on the homeland), I will credit McCain for pointing out with his vote that the Ammendment goes again the principles of even Republicanism! Here
's to folks who beleive in principle-- like maybe that the Constitution should not be about the limiting or restricting of rights!