Rainbow Law

FYI, the citation (name) of the marriage case before the SC today is Obergefell v. Hodges. The "conventional wisdom" has been that the lesbian and gay couples who want to marry will win. Of course, no one knows for sure - yet - but the prognosticators say it is likely. Prior to yesterday's ruling, some said that lesbian and gay couples would win in Obergefell, and the Government would lose in King v Burwell (the Obamacare case). Since the Government won yesterday in King, I haven't heard them say the opposite will now occur. I am waiting for 10:00 with bated breath...

Good morning! The Supremes will be back on the bench at 10 am today to release opinions. As you know, yesterday they released decisions upholding Obamacare and the Fair Housing Act. In addition to marriage equality, the court still has outstanding decisions in four other important cases: 1. whether the drug protocol used in lethal injections amounts to cruel and unusual punishment; 2. whether a majority party in a state legislature should have the right to draw voting districts in such a way as to almost guarantee their party will continue to hold that seat in future elections (gerrymandering); 3. whether federal mandatory minimum sentences for violent crimes are unconstitutional, and 4. whether the EPA must weigh the cost of compliance before issuing rules regulating power plant emissions. I'll let you know as soon as I hear something!

The Supreme Court could rule on marriage equality tomorrow or Monday. The justices are considering two questions: 1) Does the Constitution require a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex?... 2) If same-sex couples marry in one state, where it’s legal, must other states recognize their marriages? If the Court says yes on question #1, then lesbian and gay couples in all 50 states will be able to marry. If they say no to question #1 but yes to question #2, then marriage equality will be recognized in every state, but states won't be legally required allow lesbian and gay couples to marry. If the justices say no to both questions, then states without marriage equality will be neither required to perform same-sex marriages, nor to recognize marriages performed out of state. Stay tuned.

The future of marriage equality and Obamacare hang in the balance as the Supreme Court's 2014 term draws to a close

All of this support for marriage equality has my head spinning. In 2004, we rode our bicycles 3800 miles from San Francisco to NYC to advocate for marriage equality through California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana (yes, THAT Indiana), Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. I met supporters and lots of haters including the infamous Phelps family who protested our event in Topeka. Throughout the entire ride, then president George W. Bush was calling on Congress to amend the US Constitution to forever ban marriage equality. That was then. This is now. What a difference 11 years makes! Here is the trailer of the documentary made of our ride: