links for 2008-11-06

As the vote counting continued this morning, opponents of Prop. 8 filed a lawsuit directly with the state Supreme Court – whose May 15 ruling legalized same-sex marriage – asking the justices to overturn the measure.

The suit argued that Prop. 8 would change the California Constitution in such fundamental ways – taking important rights away from a minority group – that it amounted to a constitutional revision, which requires approval by the Legislature before being submitted to the voters. The case was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Lamda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

The same groups asked the court before the election to remove Prop. 8 from the ballot on those grounds. The justices refused, but left the door open for a post-election challenge.
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If the California Supreme Court overturns the second vote of the California people might there be an insurrection against the court?

Despite the Democratic tide, California Republicans appear to have staved off major losses in Congress in the Golden State.

GOP incumbents beat strong challengers across the state. The only vulnerable Democrat, freshman Rep. Jerry McNerney, cruised to victory.

One race remains too close to call: the Tom McClintock-Charlie Brown showdown, where the GOPer McClintock leads by less than 500 votes. Provisional and some vote-by-mail ballots remain to be counted in the only seat Democrats could still pick up.
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McClintock will hold up.

Civil rights groups moved quickly today to challenge Proposition 8, asking the California Supreme Court to strike down the latest attempt to ban same-sex marriage across the state.

While refusing to concede that the ballot measure has passed, gay marriage supporters nevertheless filed a petition with the state's high court in the event the current vote holds and Proposition 8 amends the California constitution to once again outlaw marriage for gay and lesbian couples.
The legal challenge maintains that Proposition 8 is invalid and takes away a "fundamental right'' from "just one group — lesbian and gay Californians.'' The petition argues that the state constitution cannot be amended if it violates other constitutional rights.
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If the California Supreme Court throws out a vote of the California people Flap would be surprised.

A group of prominent conservatives will meet tomorrow at the Virginia weekend home of Brent Bozell to discuss the future of the movement and the GOP.
In addition to Mueller and Bozell, other conservatives attending the private session will be: Leonard Leo, executive vice preident of the conservative Federalist Society, and a leading figure in the movement on judicial and Catholic issues; Grover Norquist, the anti-tax crusader who heads Americans for Tax Reform; and Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Center and one of the most high-profile social conservatives.

The meeting is just the first of a handful of other sessions among Republicans to diagnose what went wrong and how to reestablish a party that has now been routed in two consecutive election cycles.
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Rebuilding the conservative base and Congressional leadership will be the hot topics.

Russia will deploy missiles near NATO member Poland in response to U.S. missile defense plans, President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday in his first state of the nation speech.

Medvedev also singled out the United States for criticism, casting Russia's war with Georgia in August and the global financial turmoil as consequences of aggressive, selfish U.S. policies.

He said he hoped the next U.S. administration would act to improve relations. In a separate telegram, he congratulated Barack Obama on his election victory and said he was hoping for "constructive dialogue" with the incoming U.S. president.
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Russia is testing Obama already….

In an election otherwise full of liberal triumphs, the gay rights movement suffered a stunning defeat as California voters approved a ban on same-sex marriages that overrides a recent court decision legalizing them.

The constitutional amendment _ widely seen as the most momentous of the nation's 153 ballot measures _ will limit marriage to heterosexual couples, the first time such a vote has taken place in a state where gay unions are legal.

Gay-rights activists had a rough election elsewhere as well. Ban-gay-marriage amendments were approved in Arizona and Florida, and Arkansas voters approved a measure banning unmarried couples from serving as adoptive or foster parents. Supporters made clear that gays and lesbians were their main target.
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Yes on 8 ran a spectacularly good campaign.

Rob Collins, chief of staff to Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) says on the record that his boss is making calls to request support for an election to the position of House Minority Whip — the job held by Rep. Roy Blunt.
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Boehner should go as well……

Cantor will probably get what he wants.

# 56 percent of voters opposed the Bailout. A smart Republican comments, "McCain should have made that his issue."
# Bush voters broke 81-18 for McCain. The 2008 nominee effectively lost 1 in 5 Bush voters.
# 16 percent of Hillary voters backed McCain. The PUMAs exist, but not in numbers large enough to have made a difference, it seems.
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McCain lost the race when he suspended his campaign and then did not oppose the financial bailout. Mac had an opportunity and blew it.

Voters approve Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriages. With more than 95% of the vote counted, the measure leads 52.1% to 47.9%.
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Now, the No on 8 folks go to court to throw the election out.

A few readers have asked whether I think Sarah Palin will run for the Senate in the future. I think that would be a mistake, for several reasons, not the least of which is that, if successful, the decision would take an unique and popular outside-the-beltway executive and put her inside the Beltway as one of 100 legislators voting on every bill that comes down the pike.

Tens of thousands of ballots are left to be counted in Ventura County.
Tracy Saucedo, Ventura County assistant registrar of voters and manager of the elections division, said late absentee and provisional ballots are still being counted and it is unknown how many were cast.
By Thursday at 5 p.m. the county elections office must report to the California Secretary of State exactly how many ballots are in and how many must still be counted.
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Tony Strickland is now losing his California State Senate race by a little over 100 votes. His strength is in Ventura County and if there are sufficient uncounted votes for him he could win this race.

In the 19th Senate District, Republican Tony Strickland went up against Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson, but with all the precincts counted but not late absentee and provisional ballots, Jackson holds a slim lead 153,106 votes to Strickland's 152,998.
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108 vote difference. Wow!