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Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


4.02.2009

 

Buzz about anti-gay marriage robo calls to Vermont lawmakers

Bit of a buzz in a tense Statehouse this morning. It's about last night's calls seemingly across the state urging people to call their House members and urge them to support Gov. Jim Douglas in opposing the same-sex marriage bill coming up for its first vote today.

The automated calls specifically named the legislator that the recipients should phone. The calls came throughout the evening, according to lawmakers. One came to my house, too.

House Judiciary Chairman William Lippert, D-Hinesburg, said he got a call to call himself. He also received calls and e-mails from constituents who were responding to the robo phone message. Three urged him to stick with the governor's position and vote against the bill that would legalize civil marriage between two men or two women.

Lippert said the vast majority of the calls and e-mails he received urged him to stick with his position supporting the marriage equality legislation.

"I kind of think it may have achieved some backfire effect," Lippert said.

The automated voice said the call was on behalf of the National Organization for Marriage -- apparently based outside Vermont.

At the Statehouse today, the other side in this debate arrived early and now occupy most every public seat in the House chamber. Folks sporting yellow stickers that say from "legal rights to equal rights" are reading, doing crosswords and patiently waiting for a debate that won't start for many hours.

Outside one entrance to the Statehouse, a bundle of red and heart-shaped balloons greeted lawmakers as they arrived. Inside, security is high, with extra officials and a canine unit.

-- Nancy Remsen

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Comments:
Economic issues matter and marriage is an economic issue. Studies show that married people are slightly healthier (less costs) and wealthier (pay more taxes) than their single counterparts and this is true for gay people too. Therefore, it is in the state's best economic interest to grant marriage equality. It also casts a layer of doubt, hypocrisy, and ignorance on the intention's of the 'religious right' (AKA America's spiritual elite, the 'I'm going to heaven, you're going to hell' people).
 
We've recorded a response to the NOM ad:

http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2009/03/audio-our-nominally-better-ad.html
 
Money comes into the state to fund TV commercials targeting Douglas and asking people to call him so turnabout is fair game. Both sides have the right to take money from whomever they please.
 
Yeah, I got a call.

Honestly, don't they know that auto-dial is universally reviled?

Seriously. Sheesh.
 
Floyd Nease said it best:

If you like the robocalls then vote for a statewide referendum -- because a referendum will bring every Vermonter 12 months of these robocalls.
 
Well must have been a different call then the one I received, the one that I received said nothing about "Organization for Marriage "
Mine was a basic recorded non anti anything, a yes or no type call.
Just because it has an "out of state number" doesn't mean anything I think, I get calls about Vermont things often with out of state numbers, got one not long agao about voting in the Burlington Mayor's race. Funny that was not made into a big event..
 
I got a robocall this morning asking me to call Speaker Shap to urge him to 'side with the Governor'. I didn't catch the name of the organization.

But I called Shap and Peter (my reps in the statehouse) right away, asking them to support equality for ALL Vermonters.

I also complained that Governor Douglas is directly damaging my sruggling small business by pre-vetoing this bill.

I make wedding videos and I have had a marked decrease in bookings this year, I may even have to close my company. I am hoping that the passage of S.115 will lead to an increase in income for my small business, something that Gov Douglas is against.
 
Don;t count on it.
 
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