From the "Delayed gratification" file.

Those of you who were able to resist attempting mischief in the Republican caucuses and thereby retained your eligibility for the Democratic caucuses can collect your reward this Sunday, as Washington Democrats begin the process of selecting 130 folks to represent us at the Democratic National Convention.

(It clicks a bunch bigger)

The main driver for caucus attendance is usually a hotly contested nomination race. This year there's no such motivation.  President Obama will be our nominee, and I fully expect our delegation to be unanimous in that regard. The nomination isn't the only question before the caucuses, though.  As the chart above shows, there is the opportunity at every level to move resolutions and platforms that reflect the principles and positions of the Democratic Party.  In that regard, this is where Washington Democrats can join the movement to include a marriage equality plank in the national platform.

I've already endorsed the language proposed by Freedom To Marry, but I'd happily settle for the language in our own 32nd Distict Democrats platform, which supports...

The right of every adult to marry the person of his or her choice without gender restrictions upon that choice, and to enjoy the same civil and legal rights accorded to all marriages.

Whatever the final language may be, it's time for the national platform to make our support for marriage rights explicit. Officials including the National Convention Chair, at least four former Democratic National Convention and a list of elected officials that includes our own Senator Patty Murray agree.

President Obama, I'm sorry to say, doesn't. Maybe I'm not such an Obamabot after all, but I don't think the Party should, as tradition would suggest, yield this plank of our platform to the nominee.  If he finds leading a Party committed to marriage equality uncomfortable, perhaps it's the irritant necessary to spur his evolution on the issue.  

I'll be caucusing Sunday afternoon, and running for delegate to the LD/County level with a pledge to support the nomination and re-election of President Barack Obama and the inclusion of explicit marriage equality language in the county, state and national platforms.  I'll be asking for a similar commitment from those who seek my vote for delegate to any level as the process advances.

Your precinct caucus is at 1:00 this Sunday afternoon.  If you don't know where, use the Washington State Democratic Party's caucus locator.  

Good idea...

...from the folks at Freedom To Marry...



Here's the proposed plank...

The Democratic Party supports the full inclusion of all families in the life of our nation, with equal respect, responsibility, and protection under the law, including the freedom to marry. Government has no business putting barriers in the path of people seeking to care for their family members, particularly in challenging economic times. We support the Respect for Marriage Act and the overturning of the federal so-called “Defense of Marriage Act,” and oppose discriminatory constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny the freedom to marry to loving and committed same-sex couples.

I do, and my Party should.

Chalk up another one...

...for the good guys. The 9th Circuit panel speaks...

"Although the Constitution permits communities to enact most laws they believe to be desirable, it requires that there be at least a legitimate reason for the passage of a law that treats different classes of people differently. There was no such reason that Proposition 8 could have been enacted.”

No, it's not over. It's never over, until the last, well, it's never over.

It's points on our side, though, and worth celebrating. Maybe no parades, but a cheer, anyway.

From the "Hooray for us!" file.

Our little outpost in the upper left corner of the map has been, erm, tapped as TAPPED's State Of The Week.

Hooray for us!

It's time to primary Paul Shin.

If you weren't sure before, the transparent dishonesty of the word salad he's tossed for the Senate Democrats' blog should convince you.

You voted against my daughter's civil rights out of respect for her, Senator? You voted against the civil rights of an entire category of citizens, including citizens in your caucus, in your delegation, and likely, whether you recognize it or not, in your family, in order to "foster unity and compassion"?

Spare me.

We can do better in the 21st.

Marriage equality?

Not just a good idea, it's about to be the law…

7:58 p.m. "Mr. President, 28 yeas, 21 nays." (That's 24 Democrats and 4 Republicans voting yea, and 3 Democrats and 18 Republicans voting nay.) THE BILL PASSES. It now goes on to the state house, where it's assured passage, and then to the governor's desk, where it's assured her signature.

The good guys win again. The fundies are going to drag this to the ballot, but that's a fight we can win, too.

It's not the first time I've been proud to be a native Washingtonian, but it's one of the most satisfying. Hooray for us.