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| Gov. Chris Gregoire (D-WA) |
Like many people across the nation, I am very happy that the state of Washington has passed marriage equality. All of us in this country who are fair-minded people are excited about this and wait anxiously for Governor Chris Gregoire to sign this marriage equality bill. HOWEVER, maybe she should not be so quick to.
It has already been said by the opponents of marriage equality that if the were to pass and the Governor sign it, they would move to repeal the bill via referendum. The number of signatures they would have to acquire is a relatively low 120,577. That’s that bad news (that and the fact that a ballot measure could go either way). The good news is that there is another trick that the governor has up hew sleeve: STALL. The opposition cannot begin getting signatures until after the bill is actually signed by Gregoire. The longer she waits to sign the bill, the less likely it is that the opposition will have all of the necessary signatures by the July 6th deadline. I’m not sure when is the latest she can sign it, but the more she puts it off, the better. So while we eagerly wait for that gubernatorial signature, we certainly should not push her to sign it…just yet.
It has already been said by the opponents of marriage equality that if the were to pass and the Governor sign it, they would move to repeal the bill via referendum. The number of signatures they would have to acquire is a relatively low 120,577. That’s that bad news (that and the fact that a ballot measure could go either way). The good news is that there is another trick that the governor has up hew sleeve: STALL. The opposition cannot begin getting signatures until after the bill is actually signed by Gregoire. The longer she waits to sign the bill, the less likely it is that the opposition will have all of the necessary signatures by the July 6th deadline. I’m not sure when is the latest she can sign it, but the more she puts it off, the better. So while we eagerly wait for that gubernatorial signature, we certainly should not push her to sign it…just yet.
Lastly, even here from literally across the country, I would like to thank Governor Chris Gregoire for her support and her action. Would that there were more leaders on this issue.
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