COVERITLIVE.COM

10:01

SignOnLiveChatModerator - Welcome to today's politics chat. John Marelius will be joining us shortly. Today we are discussing Prop. 8 fallout, the state budget and anything else you are interested in talking about.

10:03

John Marelius - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is scheduled to address the Legislature right now about the state budget deficit now estimated at $24 billion. We can chat about that, General Motors, Sonia Sotomayor, Proposition 8 fallout and anything else in national and state politics. So let's get to your questions and comments.

10:06

[Comment From ajaargh]
What do you think the chances are of seeing a constitutional convention here in California?

10:07

John Marelius - There's more and more talk about it. It's an intriguing idea, although I'm not sure at the end of the day it wouldn't be like one more blue-ribbon commission that writes a report and then nothing happens.

10:10

[Comment From Protect Marriage]
There should be a compromise. Extend all marriage benefits to Civil Unions. Gays would have Civil Unions and Religious Rights groups would have the word "marriage." Gays can still say that they are "married", because who is going to stop them?

10:11

John Marelius - That is pretty much President Obama's position. He favors extending all of the rights of marriage except the word marriage.

10:11

[Comment From Sally]
There should be no compromise

10:11

[Comment From Sally]
No "seperate but equal" that just makes different classes of citizens

10:11

SignOnLiveChatModerator -

John, if a constitutional convention is called, what are the chances the voters would approve any rewritten constitution?

10:12

[Comment From Sally]
The Yes on 8 stance is silly, they say gays are trying to "force" their lifestyles on people, yet people who's lifestyle they don't agree with marry all the time

10:14

John Marelius - I think they are pretty slim, which is one of the biggest problems to the whole concept. To fundamentally overhaul the tax system in California -- which is desparately needed -- would involve at least tinkering with a whole host of ballot propositions that the voters have approved, among them Proposition 13 and Proposition 98. There's almost nothing easier in politics than defeating a complicated ballot proposition. So when you have a "no" campaign saying both "protect Proposition 13" and "protect our schools," how much chance would the new constitution have of passing?

10:15

nmgerges - Cheney on gay marriage: ’Freedom for everyone’ http://bit.ly/4S0Bf Blood is thicker than water.

10:16

SignOnLiveChatModerator - John, this question is about the above tweet. What impact will Cheney's position have on the GOP and conservatives on this issue, if any?

10:17

John Marelius - So far, it hasn't had any impact. Cheney's position on the issue is a very personal one because of his daughter. It's not as though he's traveling around the country giving speeches about same-sex marriage. He just responds to the question when it comes up.

10:18

[Comment From ajaargh]
That's what I'd see happening too, unfortunately. It'd be nice to see the proposition system, which seems to have been thoroughly corrupted, go.

10:22

John Marelius - I'm quite sure the voters will never give up the initiative process, but you are right in that it has been coopted by the very same wealthy special interests that it was designed to rein in. One compromise might be to increase the signature requirement for qualifying initiatives. Right now, it's the equivalent of 5% of the number of people who voted in the last election for governor to pass an initiative statute, 8% for a constitutional amendment. That's a pretty low threshhold for anybody willing to spend a few million dollars. There is also an argument to be made that it's way too easy for voters to amend the Constitution. Amending the U.S. Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in Congress and approval of three quarters of the states. The California Constitution can be amended by a simple majority vote.

10:22

[Comment From Protect Marriage]
Sally, you don't understand separate but equal. That deals with institutions (jobs, bus seats, drinking fountains, schools, etc). Does the distinction between paternity and maternity leave (the distinction being the words only) violate separate but equal?

10:23

[Comment From Maude]
I think Republicans are going to see in 2010 at the polls that the radical fanatics like Limbaugh are hurting their party. Calling Sotomayor a racist despite the fact that Alito and others basically gave the same "quote" she did saying their personal experiences are part of who they are and it makes them who they are as a judge. To call her a RACIST over it? It is really offensive to most Americans, and especially the latino community which Republicans need

10:23

[Comment From Maude]
Cheney is a perfect example of a narrow-minded conservative - - they only care about civil rights and discrimination when it effects them personally

10:23

[Comment From al]
why are we so stuck on prop 8 when there is such much other turmoil in this state. Unemployment, kids w/out food, parents w/out jobs

Page 1 Next >