California voters support same-sex marriage

[topaz]

California voters agree by a slim majority that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry, according to a Field Poll released today.

File this one under: "UP AGAINST THE WALL, MOTHERFUCKERS"

I almost wish this poll didn't have this result so early in the process.  It worries me that it will draw people to a false sense of security about the results of the referendum in the fall.  If the results were still slightly against same-sex marriage, it would drive people to work harder to kill the measure.  Still, it's an amazing and hopeful sign.

Comments

[lhn.livejournal.com]

Though the article notes that another poll gives 54% in favor of the initiative. That the result is sufficiently in doubt as to be a statistical tie still puts California ahead of, I think, every other state that's let the issue get to the ballot. (Corrections welcome.)

The initiative's getting onto the ballot and then being defeated is probably the best possible result, politically, since it reduces the sense of same-sex marriage being a judicial imposition against the will of the people.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

If you mean the Los Angeles Times/KTLA poll that was all over the news last week, that one has a margin of error of 4%. At the time, some commentators were pointing out that support for referenda typically sags as you get closer to election time so proponents always want to start out with well over 50%. I can't judge if they're correct about that or not.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

For a contrary opinion to that of the LA Times pundits, see: Naked Media Bias: LA Times and CA marriage poll (http://www.stoptheaclu.com/archives/2008/05/23/naked-media-bias-la-times-and-ca-marriage-poll/).

[bethr.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Well for the first time I am not ashamed to say I am a temporary resident of California.

[feste-sylvain.livejournal.com]

The other part of the poll which parallels Massachusetts (and probably the whole country, to greater and lesser degrees) is the fact that older voters tend to oppose gay marriage, and younger voters tend to support it.

This is a problem which, given the chance, will vanish with time.

Of course, this poll underscores the need to get the younger voters out to the polls in great numbers on Election Day.

[vasilatos]

One very important point is that the referendum is not retroactive, so when it comes up for vote, there will be a LOT of already (and undeniably, legally) married gay couples. If the state doesn't fall apart with gay marriage in place, it will be that much harder to overturn it.

[stephe.livejournal.com]

Item one:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/5/28/133418/464/552/524230

Item two:

http://www.comics.com/wash/candorville/archive/candorville-20080526.html

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well, given that gay marriage turned Massachusetts into a pit of despair that slid under the ocean six months ago, it's bound to happen in California, too.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

They don't call California "the Massachusetts of the West" for nothing.