



Rep. Karen Clark, a lesbian in a committed relationship, speaking.

Clark speaking eloquently for the repeal of DOMA, but no so much for why this particular amendment should not be passed, since, as its sponsor said, passing the amendment will 'change nothing' in Minnesota.

Rep. Hosch (D) up. Voted in 2005 for similar bill. Regretted it ever since.

Motion to refer back to committee now being voted on

Rep Tim Kelly (R) voted no, but opposes motion to refer back.



(They're waiting for the Sgt. At Arms to bring in the missing members)

Kelly says he thinks the House will vote the amendment down. Suggests the motion to refer back be withdrawn. Hmmm....

Sponsor of the motion to refer back seems really undecided on whether to accept the offer.

Nope. She rejects offer.

And here it comes.

61-71 motion to refer back fails. Well, that would seem to sink any chance of defeating the amendment itself, but who knows?

I like how they can ask questions of each other. That doesn't seem to happen in the US Congress.

"What is the criteria for putting an amendment on the ballot?"

Addressed to bill sponsor.

"Let the people decide."

I think the bigots are going to be sorely disappointed.

Ha. The bill's sponsor ducks and weaves. Won't say whether he would vote to put a marriage equality amendment on the ballot.

Fuck them. Let Minnesota vote. http://www.dailykos.com/...

This is kinda fun. They're really going at each other. Politely, of course. But really nasty.

Oooh, Oooh. Food fight!

"The easy thing is to believe you are just 'letting the people vote'."

Rep Terry Morrow (D) now up. Great-grandfather was a slave. Grandparents had interracial marriage -- never traveled to NC because of interracial marriage forbidding law.

Need five R votes against. AIUI, there are two who will vote against.

Rep with crippled hand speaking. Wants to share story.

"For me it's about discrimination." "If you look different, you get treated different. You get discriminated against. I've been there."

Sharing stories of discrimination. "Hated recess, scared of being bullied and discriminated against. Another kid stopped the bullying. Discriminatory actions have no place in society."

Making the civil vs. religious argument. Undoubtedly will fail on deaf ears. "Does not want to allow discrimination into the constitution."

"Think with your hearts, and with your consciences, and vote no."

Rep Horstein (D).

Same pattern as most other of these debates. Those against marriage equality just sit back and don't say anything, seemingly embarassed. But then they go and vote to discriminate, and win.

Clarification: Horstein didn't say that. That's just my observation. Only D's have spoken so far.

Off to dinner. I've invited some others to continue the live blog. Don't know if that will work but it should.

I'm back.

Rep Green (D).

Has any proponent spoken?

Rep Gauthier (D)

"The pain and the agony I have witnessed in this chamber will be all over Minnesota. It does nothing for our state."

Rep Hortman (D).

Reasons to vote no: Our Creator has made us all equal.



-- Civil institution of marriage. We are not a church.





3rd reason: Love. We all move this state. Not good for state. It will divide us. Let us not divide this state that we all love so much. Love for the kids. Campaign says to kids -- there's us, and there's them.

Rep. Liebling (D)

"Not going to repeat..." Yeah!

This is going to go down just like the NY State Senate debate in '09. Not a single voice except for crazy Diaz raised in opposition to marriage equality, and yet it will silently be passed.

"I believe that this will not pass... but the harm will already be done."

Rep Lesch (D)

Gladiator?

Heh. From a Pioneer Press article:

"Lawmakers on both sides have repeatedly stated that passing a balanced state budget before Monday's deadline is their most important issue"

WTF is this guy talking about.

Rep Melin (D)

"I've never been discriminated against." As a woman? That's impressive.

Rep Davnie (D)

"The center of my life is my family."

"Denies this body the right to have this debate in the future."

That's a bogus argument. Obviously, the MN legislature can have the debate to repeal the amendment in the future.

Rep. Loeffler (D)

Unless and until some other Republican besides the two known to be opposed speaks out in opposition this is all just theatre.

"Most importantly, I am human... This proposed amendment makes me feel less than human." -- letter from constituent

Rep Laine (D)

Rep Mullery (D)

"Doesn't fit in with any theory of constitutions I've ever seen,"

"MN Constitution established to secure our liberties for posterity. How does this fit with the purpose of our constitution?"

"Enormous psychological affect on the kids of Minnesota."

Reference to pastor Dean. "We know he'll keep saying these divisive things."

I imagine most of the R's would still be happy to vote against allowing gay dances.

"They actually listened to the debate... They decided they couldn't vote for discrimination."

Rep Knuth (D)

"Imagine this tension, fueled by millions of dollars, spread to every corner of Minnesota, for 18 months."

Rep Lillie (D)

"It doesn't feel Minnesotan to me"

Rep Hamilton (R)

Will we hear another R in opposition?

It sure sounds like there's a possibility here.

Oops. No. He wants it to come to a vote. Sigh.

Well, bring it on. November, 2012 is going to be a defining moment.

"I still struggle." Hmmm. Is he not going to commit after this long speech?

Yup. Nothing one way or another. Strange.

Rep Kahn (D)

"In Canada. Everyone has health insurance." What a concept!

Rep Moran (D)

"It weighs heavy." "Its about the policies we create that oppress and suppress others."

Off the rec list before the vote. Oh well

Motion to keep going past midnight! Did it succeed or fail? I think it succeeded...

Rep Kriesel (R)

I think this is one of the R no votes. If not, it's another no vote.

"This amendment doesn't represent what I went to fight for."

"You were good enough to give your life for this country, but you were not good enough to marry the one you love. I cannot do that."

Rep Gottwait (R-asshole) sponsor of the bill.

I assume the vote is imminent.

Liar. "Same number of people on both sides of this issue." Not according to the polling.

This guy is truly a slimeball.

Here we go.

Looks like it will fail to me from the lights, but who knows?

And it's over: Yes: 70 No: 62

GAME ON

Unbelievable. It wasn't even close. Likely not a single R besides the two voted against.