Maine's Question 1

[Holmes]

"Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?"

The group opposed to this referendum is No on 1/Protect Maine Equality. Their campaign manager is Maine's own Jesse Connolly.

The group fighting to pass this referendum is Stand for Marriage Maine. Their campaign manager is California's Schubert Flint.

No on 1/Protect Maine Equality Website

Yes on 1/Stand For Marriage Maine Website

No on 1 ads:
Together
Sam Putnam
Bill Whitten
Clearing Up Distortions
(Radio Ad) Haven
Proud
All Families
Book
Mom

Yes on 1 ads:
Consequences
(Radio Ad) Consequences
Everything To Do With Schools
Safe Schools
Give Me A Break

Polling

Sept. 14-16    
Research 2000/Daily Kos (LV)    
Yes: 48%     No: 46%     Undecided: 6%

Sept. 23-27    
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (GQR) (RV)   
Yes: 41%     No: 50%     Undecided: 9%

Sept. 30 - Oct. 7
Pan Atlantic SMS Group (LV)
Yes: 42.9%     No: 51.8%     Undecided: 5.2%

Endorsements:

No on 1:
Bangor Daily News
Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram

Yes on 1:

Campaign finance reports

No on 1 - $2.7million raised, $400k CoH

Yes on 1 - $1.1million raised, $400k in debt, $66k CoH

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Well, this isn't technically 2010, and it isn't a congressional or gubernatorial race, but I think this is the most appropriate board to post it? I'll use this thread to dump all the news stories I find on this Question.

The question before the voters is "Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?"

Why didn't the legislature veto this referendumb from appearing on the ballot?

Once a law expands the public's rights, there is no "people's veto."

That's why this is a republic - not a pure democracy.

[Dan the Roman]

Well, this isn't technically 2010, and it isn't a congressional or gubernatorial race, but I think this is the most appropriate board to post it? I'll use this thread to dump all the news stories I find on this Question.

The question before the voters is "Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?"

Why didn't the legislature veto this referendumb from appearing on the ballot?

Once a law expands the public's rights, there is no "people's veto."

That's why this is a republic - not a pure democracy.

That is not the Maine Constitution, or the US one for that matter. There is no "expanding rights" clause that makes certain things irreversible. People are free to do stupid things, like ban alcohol if they feel like it.

[Holmes]

Yeah. They're free to challenge any law passed by the legislature if they can gather enough signatures. There were two last year, and it seems like there's gonna be five, I think, this November. Washington and Maryland have the same deal going on.

Here's a story I like

Couples criticize church role in gay unions

Two lifelong Catholic couples who are parishioners at St. Raphael's Church in Kittery, Maine, are saying they find legal, moral and ethical problems with efforts of the Portland diocese to repeal the state's same-sex marriage law. Yet they say when they have brought their concerns to the church's hierarchy, they have been ignored.

Jack and Rose Dougherty and Armand and Ann LaSelva, all of Eliot, say they are not involved in the efforts of gay marriage proponents such as Equality Maine, but are merely Catholics who are deeply concerned about the overt political tone taken by their church in recent months.

Their issues range from what they say are essentially dictates from the pulpit, to the fact that diocesan staff are on loan to pro-repeal organization Stand for Marriage of Maine, to legally questionable contributions to Stand for Marriage by the diocese.

And, they say, these efforts are testing their resolve to remain church-going Catholics.

:o

[Хahar]

Move to Gubernatorial/Statewide Elections.

[Holmes]

If Soulty wants to move this there, I wouldn't mind.

First ad begins airing today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjXRy9PiOAQ

I would've liked it if it says to vote no on 1, but it wasn't done by the campaign, so what can you do?

[Holmes]

Heh, I really love this post:

http://www.dirigoblue.com/diary/220/so-traditional-it-wasnt-added-to-maine-law-until-1997

Dur...

[Morgan Brykein]

Because everybody knows that the democratically elected legislature doesn't represent the "will of the people."

[SenatorShadowLands]

If history holds true, which is likely considering 2009 is shaping up to be a good GOP year and this will fire up conservatives in Maine, then this ends gay "marriage" in Maine. Vote yes on 1.

[Demented Voter]

Somebody obviously doesn't understand what history is!

[Meeker]

If history holds true, which is likely considering 2009 is shaping up to be a good GOP year and this will fire up conservatives in Maine, then this ends gay "marriage" in Maine. Vote yes on 1.

Level of GOP support ≠ Level of support for marriage inequality. Repeat that as many times as necessary until you understand it.

And, as Al said, you obviously don't understand what history is.

[Holmes]

Lots of things happening recently. It's officially on the ballot now.

No on 1 press release:

Statement from NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality on the Certification of Petitions to Block Maine’s Marriage Equality Law, Official Order for November 3rd Referendum

Portland, Maine (Wednesday, September 2, 2009)---NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality issued the following statement from campaign manager Jesse Connolly in response to the certification today by the Maine Secretary of State of petitions submitted by opponents to overturn Maine’s marriage equality law.  Governor John Baldacci also signed an order officially setting November 3rd as the date for the statewide referendum.

 “There's no surprise here.  Everyone knew marriage equality would be challenged by a referendum and that's why our allies began having conversations with Mainers three years ago.  We now have nearly 80,000 Mainers who have pledged their support for equality.

“This was a quarter-of-a-million dollar signature effort by a Michigan firm, and it highlights the stark differences in our campaigns.  Their's is a cynical, pay-for-every signature approach that doesn't reflect the homegrown values of our state.

“By contrast, we have put our trust in the common sense and fair mindedness of our friends, neighbors and co-workers.  And that's why we believe voters will reject Question 1 because here in Maine, we believe everyone should be allowed to live their lives and be treated equally under the law.”

Maine Ethics Comission's Letter to NOM

In his letter, Mr. Wayne sites section 1004-A(3), the provision of the Maine Election Law, which states;  "It is illegal for a PAC to knowingly accept a contribution made by one person in the name of another person."
 
"That is exactly what we feel happened in the very first campaign report filed by SFMMP on July 15, 2009," said Fred Karger, who filed the formal complaint and request for investigation with the Commission last week.  "The four organizational donors (National Organization for Marriage ($160,000), Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland ($100,000), Knights of Columbus -- Washington, DC ($50,000) and James Dobson's Focus on the Family ($31,000), gave 99.999% of the money raised to Stand for Marriage Maine PAC.  They circumvented Maine’s campaign reporting law to avoid disclosure of the true contributors.

These four organizations = 99.999% of their first quarter donations.

Speaking of donations, I couldn't find a yes on 1 donation page, but this is no on 1's ActBlue page: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/22505

Volunteer Vacation in Maine

How It Works

During the month leading up to the election, the campaign will be hosting a team of highly motivated volunteers to serve as full-time, volunteer campaign staff.  In Maine voters begin casting their ballots in October, so we’re planning the Volunteer Vacation to run during the entire month of October.

Your Role

Volunteer Vacation is designed for folks who want to volunteer full-time to help identify supporters, recruit other volunteers, and run the Get-Out-the-Vote operation necessary to win the election.

First No on 1 ad. Looks like they're getting people who spoke at the public hearing. I hope they also get that 90 year old war vet and the head of Maine's NAACP. The ad I linked previously was not made by No on 1 but it's still on the air.

I think that's it. I don't think 2009 will be a GOP and Democratic year, no candidate is on the ballot. It'll all come down to GOTV and who gets more people to the polls. The No on 1 campaign has identified 80,000 supporters that they can get to the polls, and they're focusing hard on getting early votes in during October. I give them the edge.

[SenatorShadowLands]

If history holds true, which is likely considering 2009 is shaping up to be a good GOP year and this will fire up conservatives in Maine, then this ends gay "marriage" in Maine. Vote yes on 1.

Level of GOP support ≠ Level of support for marriage inequality. Repeat that as many times as necessary until you understand it.

And, as Al said, you obviously don't understand what history is.

You're absolutely right, GOP support and support FOR marriage are inequal, support FOR marriage is almost always greater than GOP support because minority voters vote how they feel on the issue rather than falling for left wing race baiting. McCain lost in Florida and California but marriage won and marriage won BIGGER than McCain did in Arizona.

I don't understand history? When the PEOPLE get a say in marriage they have ALWAYS supported marriage, that's history and its on marriage's side. The one exception being the poorrly worded Arizona Amendment from 2006 which only failed by 4 points even with the poor wording and passed in 2008 re-worded. But hey, you keep holding out hope that middle America will one day embrace your leftist agenda.

[Holmes]

We're not talking about a middle America state like Iowa or Kansas, we're talking about Maine in an election that'll be all about identifying supporters and GOTV.

[SenatorShadowLands]

We're not talking about a middle America state like Iowa or Kansas, we're talking about Maine in an election that'll be all about identifying supporters and GOTV.

ME-2 is largely rural, friendlier to Conservatives and is more like upstate New York rather than the coastal ME-1. If The ME-2 middle Americans come out in force and the big city people in ME-1 either don't care or vote in favor of marriage, then its sunk.