I have always liked the alliteration, March Madness, even though I’m not a basketball fan, so I decided to use it for this post in describing what may happen in the PA Senate this month. Earlier, State Senator John Eichelberger introduced SB 707, a bill that would ammend the PA constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman, and now, in March, this bill may be up for a vote by the Judiciary committee. Pure madness- this is just crazy legislation for the Senate to be spending any time on at this point in time.
The state already prohibits same-sex marriage with a DOMA type law passed a number of years ago. With the economy still struggling, so many people out of work, and the budget negotiation process about to begin, why devote any time at all to a bill that does not do anything to help the state move forward, or address the key issues facing the state at this time?
The point of this legislation is not marriage or the prohibition of same-sex marriage. The point of it is the amendment of the PA constitution, and to do so in a way that produces benefit to no one in any way. Patterned loosely on what was done in California, those who are opposed to equality for gays and lesbians see such a move as important in their battle. But as Pennsylvanians, what is important to us? Putting time , energy, and resources into a bill that will produces nothing tangibly positive for the people of the state, or the proliferation of a conceptual argument? It might be different if it looked as if the PA DOMA was threatened, but there are no court cases pending or planned to challenge the PA law. There is no need embed this into the PA constitution.
If you want our Senate to be working to put people back to work if you want our lawmakers to set Pennsylvania up as a leader in clean energy; if you want our elected officials to pass a budget on-time, tell the members of the Judiciary committee to ignore this bill at this time, and look at the priorities of the state.
Here is a list of the members of the Judiciary committee. Take a few moments and compose a short letter, and then send a copy of it to each of them. In it, say something about why you don’t want them to waste time on this bill. You can email it to them, but it is more likely to be actually read if you mail it via snail mail. Take a few more minutes and call their offices, and leave a message, asking them to set this bill aside and turn their attention to more important issues.
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/cteeInfo.cfm?cde=19&body=S