New York Marriage Equality Opponent Admits Vote Was ‘Democratic’

In a setback to conservatives hoping to overturn New York’s same-sex marriage law, Sen. Greg Ball (R) — who opposed marriage equality in June — is defending the process through which the vote came about:

BALL: Rarely has democracy been as active or alive as it was the day of that vote. While some, like this group, would have liked to [have] seen dysfunctional Albany bottle up any vote or debate, democracy won the day over Albany’s old dysfunctional politics. The votes were there, the vote was held, and the bill passed. This group apparently would have liked to see old Albany rear it’s ugly head, where a small minority controlled by the extreme and petty interest, could have killed democratic action. Democracy won.

Capitol Tonight suggests that Ball’s statement is meant to defend the actions of the Republican majority, but it also directly contradicting the misleading rhetoric of the National Organization for Marriage and other opponents calling to “Let The People Vote.” Because New York does not have a referendum process, NOM would have to win enough seats in both the Senate and Assembly for the legislature to reverse its equality vote with a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Given a majority of New Yorkers supported the measure and most feel it was a positive development, attempts to overturn it seem unlikely to pan out. Regardless, Ball seems to think democracy has already triumphed.