Six Months Of Civil Unions In NJ 'Failure' Group Says

Posted: August 16, 2007 - 11:00 am ET

(Trenton, New Jersey) New Jersey marks the six-month anniversary of the civil unions law this Sunday and the state's largest LGBT civil rights organization says it has been a failure, something the average person in the state seems to agree with according to a new poll.

Last October the state Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples must have the rights as opposite-sex married couples but left it to the legislature to decide whether that should be done through marriage or civil unions.

Lawmakers chose civil unions, and gay and lesbian couples married in areas where same-sex marriage is legal, were regarded as in a civil union in New Jersey.

The law went into effect in February.

Since then, despite the law mandating equality for people in civil unions with those in opposite-sex marriages, there has been mounting evidence there remains a deep divide between the way the two groups are treated.

In June a commission to examine the effectiveness of the civil union law, created when the legislature passed the bill, was told the law is a failure.

Nearly one in eight couples who have had civil unions have been turned down for company health benefits for their partners according to Garden State Equality.

When completed the commission will deliver its report to the Legislature. It is generally expected the report will call for the legalization of same-sex marriage in New Jersey.

That likelihood is supported by a majority in the Garden State according to a Zogby Poll released this week.

Sixty-three percent of those surveyed said they would not be upset if the legislature upgraded the term civil union to marriage. Only 31 percent were opposed.

In addition, 61 percent said they expected the state to enact marriage equality within just a couple of years. Only 29 percent of the voters polled said they thought lawmakers would reject the idea.

Moreover, 72 said a positive vote for marriage equality would not endanger lawmakers up for reelection. A slim 21 percent said it would.

"Regardless of whether any public official supports marriage equality or wants to maintain the state’s failed civil unions law," said Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, "no official in New Jersey can credibly say that marriage for gay couples is a divisive issue in the state. Even voters who oppose marriage equality are ready to accept an upgrade of the state’s civil unions law to real marriage equality."

Well, perhaps now gays can get behind universal health care and just solve the real root of the whole friggin' problem. NOBODY should have to worry about getting "spousal" benifits and having a huge chunk of their pay taken away to pay for health care that SHOULD BE FREAKIN" UNIVERSAL.

And yes, there would still be room for "private" health insurance and health care for THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD IT.

I'm sorry, it gets my back up to hear gays gripe about not being able to get benifits for their partners, when I know straight married couples who have three (or more) jobs per household and CAN'T AFFORD health insurance... either by paying premiums or the payroll deductions that come with company benifits. I've had to turn down company benifits at my last three jobs because I CAN'T afford the payroll deductions and still be able to pay for such luxury items as oh, say, RENT.

Quit quibbling over this crap.. it's a fucking joke, the whole health insurance/benifit thing is a joke!


Ahem... thanks for letting me rant.

Now, back to our regularly-scheduled programing...

as somebody who has to pay INCOME TAX on the money spent on health insurance, I think it's anything but a joke.

That wasn't my point, Tristan. My point is, the whole system is messed up and screws EVERYBODY over at this point. There's now, what, at least 40 million Americans with no health coverage whatsoever (And I are one. And I pay taxes too.)

Let the voters decide. If a state actually votes "gay marriage" into fruition. I'm sitting out on my deck and wait for the comet though. Okay not really....But I'd really like to see it. I'm leery of the question that's in the media and the 803 number. Why didn't they ask "Would you vote for legalization of gay marriage". That would have been curious. Anybody got a link to the actual study? Or was it a one question poll?

It's not an issue of "paying taxes"

it's an issue of PAYING INCOME TAXES on EXPENDITURES

I PAY to have health insurance - a hefty amount - and then PAY income taxes on that amount.

I agree that everybody should have health care - however, until that happens, people who are employed in positons that offer health care benefits should be treated equally.

I want to vote on the rights of blacks, Jews and other minority groups in America.

I wonder how many states would pass legislation that restricted blacks from certain aspects of equality.

I agree that everyone is screwed over by the current system. But it is fact that gay people are screwed over more than straight people. Straight people have an extra way to get health insurance, and that extra way should be applied to gay people as well.

So maybe you do have a tough time getting health care. But can you look at the person who has an even tougher time and blame him for complaining about it?

Universal health care is probably a good solution to our health care problems. However, as long as universal health care doesn't exist, then gay people deserve equal treatment to straight people, and it is absolutely a valid complaint to make.

Well if you want to go that route, why don't we ask the American Indians what they think about the new settlers now? That might solve the whole durn issue as it relates to the bit of land between Mexico and Canada.