( - promoted by Pam Spaulding)
Tuesday night's loss in Maine for marriage equality was very disappointing, losing by about 5 percentage points, but the ENDA-like non-discrimination ordinance won in Kalamazoo by an amazing 30 percentage points. The Kalamazoo ordinance covers housing and public accommodations, in addition to the workplace, so its win indicates the high receptivity of non-discrimination as an issue. That should give some comfort to our Blue Dog Democrats on ENDA. At the same time, however, the loss of New Jersey and Virginia governorships to the Republicans may raise the specter of a U.S. shift to the right, which will complicate matters. I'm sorry to say that we have little time to mourn the loss of marriage equality in Maine, because there is a Senate hearing on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act this morning at 10 am. Join me this morning (Nov. 5) from 10am - 1pm for a Liveblog of the Senate ENDA hearing at http://bilerico.com. You'll see lots of interesting info about the Committee members and the witnesses. Autumn will be there with us! Notables will be tweeting live from the hearing room! But even as we watch the Senate hearing, we must ask where our legislators are on ENDA. Where, for example, is Indiana's Democratic Senator Evan Bayh on ENDA? We don't know, since he has kept his position to himself. He's one of 6 Senators* likely to vote for ENDA, but who hasn't publicly stated his support. (Meanwhile, one of those 6, Sen. Paul Kirk of MA, has signed on as co-sponsor as of this morning.) The leadership won't bring it to a vote unless they know they have 60 votes to overcome the Republican filibuster. Please call and ask him to step up to the plate. Contact info and more after the jump. |
