Key GOP New York Senator: Obama 'Passing The Ball' On Gay Marriage

New York legislator James Alesi, the first Republican in the state Senate to come out in favor of the Marriage Equality Act, has a message for Barack Obama.

Obama's viewpoint on states' rights regarding marriage equality -- which he expounded at an LGBT fundraiser in New York City on Thursday, the night before the gay marriage bill passed -- is all well and good, Alesi told HuffPost, but not nearly enough.

Alesi's decision to support gay marriage came two years after he reluctantly voted against it in 2009, when the measure was defeated by a 38 to 24 margin in the state Senate. His flip to the marriage equality side provided a big boost to the marriage bill's fortunes and made it easier for three more Senate Republicans to follow in his footsteps.

Since his June 13 announcement, Alesi has become a vocal and enthusiastic supporter of marriage equality, even offering to talk with Republican legislators in other states. His stance goes much further than that of President Obama.

"You just cannot have equality in one state and not in another," Alesi said. Obama's current position, he argued, was "passing the ball."

"I understand that constitutionally the president is right, because it's a states' rights issue, otherwise New York wouldn't have been able to pass this," he said. "But there's nothing wrong with the most powerful person in the world espousing a viewpoint."

Obama has said that while he opposes same-sex marriage, he believes it is an issue best left up to the states to decide. His administration has argued that the Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing gay and lesbian unions, is unconstitutional.

The fact that Obama, who may or may not have been a marriage equality supporter in the 1990s, is now the country's most high-profile opponent of gay marriage, should defuse the highly partisan nature of the debate thus far, Alesi thinks.

"Why are we making this a Republican issue?" he asked.

That doesn't mean, however, that Alesi intends to let members of his own party off the hook on the matter. Alesi describes himself as a "moderate Republican," and said, "I do believe that the Republican Party has to be much broader in its views if it's going to be a big tent party."

Comments

[IMeMine]

02:47 PM on 07/24/2011

Unfortunately, New York senator Alesi folded like a limp noodle to the political pressure of the Republican party. Specifically, Alesi denied human rights to deserving Americans. Mr Alesi, you should be ashamed. And -- your state's citizens should DENY your re-election.

[ManuOB1]

07:00 AM on 06/29/2011

Obama still uses the dynamics of community organizing to empower people to cooperate and collaborate to get things done. The NY gay marriage law is strong precisely because POTUS did not make it about him but gave New Yorkers space to get a bill passed.

[jeffp26]

04:59 PM on 06/28/2011

Obama is not passing the ball.

He's not even in the game.

[sean62965]

04:34 PM on 06/28/2011

That pic looks like a realtor on the side of a bus.

[Manny Colfax]

04:05 PM on 06/28/2011

Alesi is facing a very touch reelection and needed something to help his campaign - this guy trespasses on someones property and sues them for getting hurt - game over.

Perhaps you and Weiner can go into business together - do something that isn't tax payer supported.

[kimcrdr]

02:20 PM on 06/28/2011

passing the ball..exactly what B. H. O. does best isn't it?

[its miller time]

02:00 PM on 06/28/2011

Exactly how will Obama changing his personal believes pass legislation anywhere?

His believe is not impeding anyone else's ability to evolve and change theirs.

Just like the Republican "Alesi's decision to support gay marriage came two years after he reluctantly voted against it in 2009"

So two years back he "reluctantly" voted against", what does that mean. His personal believe and his opinion has changed, two years back he voted against his Constituents over Party pressure...what?

No one has the right to put a time limit on when someone's personal believes must change or
he will be considered a fake.

President Obama has always been straight forward about his personal believe and opinion.

It is evolving, what is wrong with that?

[SteveDenver]

01:59 AM on 06/29/2011

The only thing wrong with Obama's "evolving" opinion is that five years ago he voiced unequivocally support for "equal rights for gays and lesbians, including marriage" to a roomful of activists and supporters in Chicago. At a huge rally in Denver in 2007, he told over 100,000 attendees "gays and lesbians deserve the right to serve their country and have their families recognized by the government."

He has devolved.

[its miller time]

04:09 AM on 06/29/2011

All that really matters is what his opinion was during and since the campaign of 2008.
For civil unions, equal rights and open to evolving in respect to Gay Marriage. Him changing his believes and opinion would serve what purpose?

If you dig far enough back in to someone's life you can find what you need to support
your own opinions probably.

He has been the most vocal and pro gay President ever, but for many in the Community it is "all or nothing". For members of the community to denounce the President of the United States for being honest and open about his feelings about Gay marriage is disgraceful. For him to have a different believe is unacceptable to them.

The LGBT community expects him to respect and understand where they are coming from he should be able to expect the same.

"gays and lesbians deserve the right to serve their country and have their families recognized by the government­.", which is what he believes.

You can go back five years in my life and I have flipped on several issues, Dream Act, Illegal Immigration, Gays, frozen yogurt, etc. but no one in my family or friends has
ever criticized my change of believe or opinion.

[dar224]

01:58 PM on 06/28/2011

Obama wasn't above using a "reformed" homosexual/minister/entertainer in his previous election cycle - some Donnie Nobody.
He should worry about offending those of us who have gay/lesbian family members as much as he worries about offending black churches/voters.

[Wood]

02:54 PM on 06/28/2011

He gets called 'socialist' for turning back Bush-Gestapo policies...

You want him to stand on a bench and call for marriage? Seriously?

[JimR]

05:22 PM on 06/28/2011

"Obama wasn't above using a "reformed" homosexual­/minister/­entertaine­r in his previous election cycle - some Donnie Nobody."

The guy played one concert at a fundraiser, did not discuss gay issues, and Obama wasn't even there.

Get over it.

[EmpireCorsos]

01:25 PM on 06/28/2011

didn't he do that on health care, Republicans?

[nuclearmonkeys]

10:32 AM on 06/28/2011

Passing the ball is what Obama does best. It's much easier than fighting the status quo.

[Sherry Nicholson]

10:20 AM on 06/28/2011

It's just super that state Senator Alesi has "seen the light." However, the President certainly has a right to his own opinion. I don't call that passing the ball. At least, Mr. Obama isn't against civil unions!

[brklynivn]

10:19 AM on 06/28/2011

The republicans are in a battle between the religious extremists and the moderates, there needs to be some reckoning within the party before they go after Obama on this one.

[sean62965]

04:29 PM on 06/28/2011

It's all they have. Obama has done some fine things for the gay community. If his view evolves a little more after 2012, I wouldn't be surprised. So, why give them the ammo before the elections.
Look at the smear campaigns they mount now, imagine it they had gay marriage in their arsenal.

[Reality now]

09:18 AM on 06/28/2011

Talk about passing the ball. These guys always claim to want the Federal Government off their backs and claim States Rights as their reasoning. Now this Republican, who did the right thing by voting his belief, wants to use the President as cover from his extremist party.

We were always told to vote for the candidate and not the party. But when it now comes to Republicans, if you are not a blind ideological follower of the Party Dogma you are a RINO and they want no part of you.

Perhaps the Smithsonian should do a display of the now extinct "Moderate Republican".

[rootytoot]

08:19 AM on 06/28/2011

Of course Obama is passing the ball on this, have you ever seen the polling among black voters on gay marriage?

[Mistinguette Grandison]

01:06 PM on 06/28/2011

Not all black people oppose gay marriage.

[sean62965]

04:30 PM on 06/28/2011

Too many do. It seems they forgot what it's like to be a target of others.

[Osmona]

07:14 AM on 06/28/2011

Alesi writes: "I understand that constitutionally the president is right, because it's a states' rights issue, otherwise New York wouldn't have been able to pass this," he said. "But there's nothing wrong with the most powerful person in the world espousing a viewpoint."

Umm, I believe the President GAVE his viewpoint. Now, whether you or Gays like it is another story. People we are going to BLOW our opportunities if we allow this constant bickering/hammering of the President get next to us.