VIDEO: Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronsal says No to marriage equality reversal
April 8, 2009
WE LIKE MIKE: Watch Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal's response to Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley on Monday, the first day the Senate met after the unanimous decision by the Iowa Supreme Court to allow same sex couples to marry, on why he will not a support an amendment to reverse the marriage decision. Without the support of Senate Majority Leader Gronstal, efforts to amend the Iowa Constitution can not move forward in the Senate.
Here's the transcript:
One of my daughters was in the workplace one day, and her particular workplace at that moment in time, there were a whole bunch of conservative, older men. And those guys were talking about gay marriage. They were talking about discussions going on across the country. Any my daughter Kate, after listening for about 20 minutes, said to them: You guys dont understand. Youve already lost. My generation doesnt care. I think I learned something from my daughter that day, when she said that. And Ive talked with other people about it and thats what I see, Senator McKinley. I see a bunch of people that merely want to profess their love for each other, and want state law to recognize that. Is that so wrong? I dont think thats so wrong. As a matter of fact, last Friday night, I hugged my wife. You know Ive been married for 37 years. I hugged my wife. I felt like our love was just a little more meaningful last Friday night because thousands of other Iowa citizens could hug each other and have the state recognize their love for each other. No, Senator McKinley, I will not co-sponsor a leadership bill with you.
That's good news for us - especially when you consider that amending the Iowa constitution is not as easy as amending, say, the California constitution (ABC NEWS):
Amending the state's constitution is a difficult and lengthy process. A resolution calling for the change must be approved by two consecutive General Assemblies, and then approved by voters in a statewide election. As a practical matter that means a resolution would have to be approved this year or next, and then approved again by the General Assembly taking office in 2011 after the next election. That means the soonest the issue could go on the ballot is 2012. If it isn't approved this year or next, the earliest voters could weigh in would be 2014.
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