The Observation Deck

Good news.

Here's the full text of the Iowa Supreme Court decision (PDF):

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/assets ... 209243.PDF

They did a nice job of tying previous related decisions together. Iowa has a pretty progressive history - "Iowa was also the first state in the nation to admit a woman to the practice of law, doing so in 1869."

Also, it's interesting to note that Iowa is now more progressive than California.

The Prop 8 people are at it again...

http://eqfed.org/campaign/marriagepetition

Diane Rehm had a good show about this this morning.

Please Click Here (DR Show Page)

Please Click Here For The Audio Stream (WMP ;-()

Now I am not trying to make any generalizations here but it is interesting how the "pro-marriage" person sounds so misinformed and to be blunt, just plain silly.

Regardless of what side of the issue you are on you would be doing yourself a disservice to not listen.

Frank Rich's column in the NYT was excellent today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/opinion/19Rich.html?_r=1

It was entitled the Bigots' Last Hurrah.

[quote]Iowa and Vermont were the tipping point because they struck down the right’s two major arguments against marriage equality. The unanimous ruling of the seven-member Iowa Supreme Court proved that the issue is not merely a bicoastal fad. The decision, written by Mark Cady, a Republican appointee, was particularly articulate in explaining that a state’s legalization of same-sex marriage has no effect on marriage as practiced by religions. “The only difference,â€

Over 300 same-sex marriage licenses were issued today in Iowa, 83 were in Polk County (Des Moines):

http://data.desmoinesregister.com/sames ... ge-map.php