Gay Marriage: Justice Rolling Downhill

Vermont's legislature will pass a law allowing same-sex marriage, likely with veto-proof majorities, and become the first state to actually legalize gay marriage through the legislative process instead of the courts. California passed a gay marriage law through both chambers but Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed it twice. Media elites who like to cover for Arnold often forget that.

But perhaps more important to the marriage equality movement is Chuck Schumer's endorsement, suggesting that even national Democrats are defying their fears and coming around to the just position on this contentious issue.

Schumer's office confirmed the meeting and also the senior senator's change of heart, issuing the following statement from the Brooklyn Democrat (who is traveling upstate today):

"It’s time. Equality is something that has always been a hallmark of America and no group should be deprived of it. New York, which has always been at the forefront on issues of equality, is appropriately poised to take a lead on this issue."

It's hard to overstate the significance of this in the eyes of gay marriage advocates.

With the ascent of Kirsten Gillibrand to fill Hillary Clinton's vacant US Senate seat, Schumer was the last remaining statewide elected official who backed civil unions over full marriage equality.

(Recall that one of the first issues Gillibrand "evolved" on was marriage, although her office has insisted she always personally supported it).

Far into the future, successive generations are going to look at this debate and wonder what all the fuss was about over stopping two people who loved one another to commit their lives to being together.