squirelawrence

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/08/12/california.same.sex.ruling/index.html?hpt=T1

Ah, well - the California district court judge did more or less what I expected, although I was hoping - he lifted his stay of his judgment that Prop 8 is unconstitutional, but he delayed dissolving the stay until next Wednesday. Which means that unless the Ninth Circuit institutes its own stay, same-sex couples will be allowed to marry in California starting then.

However, I'd be REALLY surprised if a panel of the Ninth Circuit didn't impose its own stay pending appeal. It's possible - the joy of being an Article III judge, with the joy of lifetime tenure, is that unless you're trying to be promoted to the Supremes, you really don't have to give much of a damn about what other people think of your job performance - but I'd still be surprised.

Still, progress - slow, incremental progress, but progress.

Or five?  Or possibly six, depending on how you count these things.  Maine's governor signed the legislature's bill legalizing  same-sex marriage today.  http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/06/maine.same.sex.marriage/index.html

The counting gets a little abstract depending on how you count New Hampshire, which permits civil unions but not marriage, and Vermont, which has apparently passed a law legalizing same sex marriages which won't take effect until September.   

I'm actually starting to wonder if Congress will override the Washington City Council bill recognizing same-sex marriage.  I'd been betting that it almost certainly would, but I'm beginning to wonder if it has a chance.  That would amuse me to no end.