THIS IS AMERICA: LET OUR CONSTITUENTS VOTE
House Joint Resolution (HJR) 9 came on the House floor today for legislative action that would allow Alaska voters to vote on a constitutional amendment to disallow state benefits to partners of "same-sex" (homosexual)couples. Passage of resolution to amend the Alaska Constitution requires a 2/3 vote of both the House and the Senate. HJR9 is sponsored by Re. John Coghill, and I am one of the co-sponsors. Following is my House speech in support of HJR9:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Speaker:
The issue before us today is about one thing and one thing only: the right of Alaskans to vote. Every one of us here has a right to vote on the issue before us today – whether we won our last election with a thousand votes or one vote, a hundred percent or one percent. That’s the way it works for us. And that’s the way it should work for the good people of Alaska who expressed themselves in the April advisory vote.
It's not a secret, Mr. Speaker. I support marriage between one man and one woman, and I believe marriage benefits should be limited to marriage. No one’s ever had to guess where I stand on that issue.
And let no one guess where I stand on another issue. No legislator should vote to block the right of their constituents’ right to vote on the issue of whether marriage benefits should be limited to married people. That would be unconscionable. And voters have a tendency to remember such things, and they should.
In a few minutes we’ll exercise our right to vote on the resolution before us. We have the right to vote "no." We have the right to vote "yes" – which I hope we’ll do. But, however we vote – wisely or foolishly - we’ll be exercising our right to vote. We have that right because our constituents trusted us to have it. Well, Mr. Speaker, we should trust our constituents’ votes, as they have trusted us. That’s why we should vote "yes" on this resolution. It's a matter of fairness.
I for one, couldn’t look my constituents in the eye, during the next election, and tell them that I couldn’t trust them to vote on the question of marriage benefits for only married people. We held an advisory vote, and our constituents gave us very clear direction –and that direction is, let them vote "yes" or "no" on marriage benefits for married people - but let them vote.
Vote yes on this amendment. This is America. This is Alaska. Let our constituents vote!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HJR9 failed to receive the 2/3 vote of the House necessary to pass. The vote was 22 for, 14 against, with 4 absent. 27 "yes" votes were needed to pass HJR9. Rep. Coghill's motion to reconsider our vote on HJR9 was approved - but, from my side of the issue, it will be difficult to find another 5 votes in the House to succeed. I find this situation very disheartening.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Speaker:
The issue before us today is about one thing and one thing only: the right of Alaskans to vote. Every one of us here has a right to vote on the issue before us today – whether we won our last election with a thousand votes or one vote, a hundred percent or one percent. That’s the way it works for us. And that’s the way it should work for the good people of Alaska who expressed themselves in the April advisory vote.
It's not a secret, Mr. Speaker. I support marriage between one man and one woman, and I believe marriage benefits should be limited to marriage. No one’s ever had to guess where I stand on that issue.
And let no one guess where I stand on another issue. No legislator should vote to block the right of their constituents’ right to vote on the issue of whether marriage benefits should be limited to married people. That would be unconscionable. And voters have a tendency to remember such things, and they should.
In a few minutes we’ll exercise our right to vote on the resolution before us. We have the right to vote "no." We have the right to vote "yes" – which I hope we’ll do. But, however we vote – wisely or foolishly - we’ll be exercising our right to vote. We have that right because our constituents trusted us to have it. Well, Mr. Speaker, we should trust our constituents’ votes, as they have trusted us. That’s why we should vote "yes" on this resolution. It's a matter of fairness.
I for one, couldn’t look my constituents in the eye, during the next election, and tell them that I couldn’t trust them to vote on the question of marriage benefits for only married people. We held an advisory vote, and our constituents gave us very clear direction –and that direction is, let them vote "yes" or "no" on marriage benefits for married people - but let them vote.
Vote yes on this amendment. This is America. This is Alaska. Let our constituents vote!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HJR9 failed to receive the 2/3 vote of the House necessary to pass. The vote was 22 for, 14 against, with 4 absent. 27 "yes" votes were needed to pass HJR9. Rep. Coghill's motion to reconsider our vote on HJR9 was approved - but, from my side of the issue, it will be difficult to find another 5 votes in the House to succeed. I find this situation very disheartening.
posted by Blogs by Rep Bob Lynn | 11:29 PM
2 Comments:
I'm SO glad this Res failed! We should be spending our precious time and money on important things, like ENDING CORRUPTION and getting a Gas Pipeline built - NOT on taking away benefits from hardworking families. I know you want to put it to a populous vote - but in my opinion, that's a complete waste of money. We've already spent 1.2 million on this campaign, when only 81 families are even affected by it.
I totally agree. As a business owner I would like to remind you that most of the private sector supports employment benefits for all partners, married and unmarried, and that changing the constitution to impose these kinds of restrictions would impose a permanent disability on Alaskan employers.
Post a Comment
<< Home