Vermont: Good Example Of Not Playing Politics. One of the things that struck me about the process in Vermont’s gay marriage debate was the civility and honesty I saw among the lawmakers. I’ll even give Governor Jim Davis credit for not chastising the lawmakers who overrode his veto. Unlike the embarrassing antics of the national GOP, both sides of the Vermont General Assembly, overall, acted well, respectfully, and voted their conscience. (Although, I do think â€I will vote against this bill, and it’s on religious grounds. This comes down to my religion,” should be an unacceptable reason, as we do not make laws based on religion, but on what the constitution demands and on what is in the interests of the people.)
As you know, the override vote was 100-49.Â
Of the 100 “yes” votes, 87 were Democrats, 6 were Republicans, 5 were Progressives, 2 were Independents. Of the “no” votes, 42 were Republicans, 7 were Democrats. One lawmaker was not present. He was a Democrat. He would have voted against the override, but the measure would have passed anyway. The Governor, after the vote, stated, “I prepared myself for this outcome and predicted it. The outcome was not unexpected.” One wonders, had he not announced prior to the original House vote, his intention to veto the bill, would his veto have stood?