Ban divorce? Ballot effort gets OK to gather signatures (in California)

[question everything]

Ban divorce? Ballot effort gets OK to gather signatures
October 23, 2009 | 6:10 pm
LA Times

California Secretary of State Debra Bowen today authorized the backer of an initiative that would ban divorce to begin collecting signatures to put the proposed constitutional amendment before voters.

John Marcotte now has until March 22, 2010, to collect 694,354 signatures of registered voters in order to get the measure on the ballot next year. The proposal would change the California Constitution to "eliminate the ability of married couples to get divorced in California."

Couples could still get their marriages annulled under the proposal.

Here is the official text of the initiative:

ELIMINATES THE LAW ALLOWING MARRIED COUPLES TO DIVORCE. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Changes the California Constitution to eliminate the ability of married couples to get divorced in California. Preserves the ability of married couples to seek an annulment. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Savings to the state of up to hundreds of millions of dollars annually for support of the court system due to the elimination of divorce proceedings.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/10/ban-divorce-ballot-effort-gets-ok-to-gather-signatures.html

[Kerrytravelers]

1. Sancity of Marriage.

[LiberalFighter]

23. Insanity of Marriage

[Aviation Pro]

2. How about banning bars while they're at it....

...afterall it's the alcohol that causes these stupid decisions to begin with.

:sarcasm:

[no_hypocrisy]

3. California where gays can't marry and straights can't divorce.

That figures.

[babylonsister]

4. snort!

Who knew that liberal bastion was so messed up?!

[madeline_con]

6. You beat me to it. It's insane.

:crazy:

[yodermon]

18. To be fair...

Gays can't divorce either.

[David Zephyr]

5. I'm voting for it here in California because I want to "Save Heterosexual Marriages".

Absolutely.

From everything I hear, heterosexuals are so insecure about their relationships that Prop 8 just wasn't enough.

Stopping the two old gray-haired lesbians on the corner from marrying will just not be enough to "save marriage" as we've been told.

No sir. We need to outlaw divorce to truly "save marriage".

Absolutely.

Bring the ballot measure on.

And by God, the Catholic Church and the Mormons better really put their money where their mouth is this time and fund the living shit out of this measure.

After all, we need to "save marriage".

[BrklynLiberal]

7. It will NEVER get past the Divorce Lawyer lobby in CA......

[question everything]

19. Or Hollywood

as it is, too many movies are being made outside of California.

[MrModerate]

8. This can't possibly pass (it probably can't get the 600K signatures) . . .

Are they just hoping to bring more wingnuts to the polls if an overturn of Prop 8 makes it onto the ballot?

[struggle4progress]

10. No, Marcotte actually hopes to make a progressive political point through sarcasm. It's idiotic:

if one is going to spend time and money for political purposes, one might as well work for something one actually wants to accomplish, instead of hoping that a sarcastic farce will somehow suddenly bring people to their senses

[alittlelark]

12. I'd sign it if I saw it.

The prop 8 supporters should be at my door w/it soon!:sarcasm:

[Kablooie]

9. Can you get an annullment after 32 years?

[starroute]

14. You might have to prove the marriage was never consumated

At least I think that's the way Catholics do it.

[Kablooie]

16. What if the last consummation was 30 years ago? Isn't there a statute of limitations or something?

[question everything]

20. Even if the marriage produced several kids

I have often wondered how the kids feel about it but, apparently, at least Ted Kennedy's appear to have survived.

[alittlelark]

11. The Prop 8 supporters need to throw BIG $$$$$ at this!!!!

Protect Marriage!!!!

[sandnsea]

13. This is the way to fight back!

DUers need to get out there and get the signatures.

[JDPriestly]

15. First, they need to end spousal and child abuse and make adultery

a crime, then . . . . . they will have a big mess on their hands. People do not get divorced because it is legal. This would discourage a lot of people from getting married in the first place.

[Cassandra]

17. From whom are non-Catholics...

supposed to get an annulment?

[Bluenorthwest]

21. Obama and Timmy Kaine need to support this initiative

or they are raving hypocrites. Same goes for every addle brained fool who ever cited their Christian faith as a reason for opposing marriage equality. I expect them to organize around this, invite Gospel Superstars and hold rallies against divorce. The Mormons and Catholics and all the rest of the Church groups need to work hard for this, Rick Warren needs to explain why this is a law that is supported by the teachings of the faith he shoves at gay people.
If they want to make law based on religion for me, let them all live with it as well. May it gather signatures and pass into law. Go California! Defend that Sacrament!

[Shallah Kali]

22. Wonder how banning shellfish would fly in Maine if the jerks succede in overturning marriage quality

since the bible forbids it twice - http://godhatesshrimp.com/