SF: AT LEAST 60 FRIEND-OF-COURT BRIEFS FILED IN PROP 8 CASE

[Omaha Steve]

http://cbs5.com/businesswire/22.0.html?type=bcn&item=PROP-8-baglm

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

Several hundred groups and individuals, ranging from churches to businesses, have weighed in with the California Supreme Court on both sides of whether Proposition 8, the state's ban on same-sex marriage, should be upheld.

The competing views were contained in at least 60 so-called "friend of the court" briefs filed in the court in San Francisco last week.

In one brief, Mountain View-based Google Inc. joined other commercial groups in arguing that Proposition 8 harms businesses and "attempts a type of constitutional change beyond the reach of the initiative power."

On the other side, the Campaign for California Families told the court that overturning Proposition 8 would "wreak havoc on the state's constitutional foundation" by devastating voters' right to pass initiatives.

Proposition 8, passed by voters on Nov. 4, amends the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

The court is considering three lawsuits in which several cities, counties and same-sex couples claim the measure is unconstitutional because it could not be enacted simply as a voter initiative.

The panel could hold a hearing as early as March and then will issue a written ruling within three months.

FULL story at link.

[JDPriestly]

1. So many propositions have been found to violate our Constitution,

that overturning this one would weaken the Constitution is a pretty weak argument.

I may be wrong, but I believe it takes a larger percentage of the votes to impose or increase taxes here in California than it does to amend the Constitution to take away people's rights. There is something seriously askew in the State of California if I am right about that.