Earlier this week New Jersey’s Senate Judiciary Committee approved the marriage equality bill (S1) with an 8 to 4 vote. Shortly thereafter Governor Chris Christie (R) reiterated his earlier promise that he will veto the bill. At a press conference a reporter asked Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester), one of the bill’s champions, “why bother?” Here’s why.

New Jersey’s marriage equality bill is being reintroduced with the strong support of the leaders of the state Senate and Assembly. A news conference with legislative leaders is planned for 1 PM today in Committee Room 1 at the State House in Trenton.

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) declared his support today for the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA, S.598), a bill that would repeal the so-called federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Senator Menendez is the 32nd U.S. Senator so far to co-sponsor the RMA and joins a growing list of senators — currently totaling 13 — who originally voted for DOMA in 1996 as a Senator or Representative.

A majority — 55 percent — of registered voters in New Jersey agree that all the penalties related to possessing a small amount of marijuana should be eliminated, according to a new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. Republicans and conservatives disagree, and a majority still oppose complete legalization of use and sales.

Yesterday’s elections were a mixed bag for Democrats. There were positive results for liberals on three key ballot initiatives they cared most about. While the night was generally good for progressive policies at the ballot box, it was not as good a night for Democrats running for office.

Occupy Wall Street has planned a march tomorrow from Zuccotti Park to the US Court House Building at Foley Square, specifically in protest of the looming foreclosure fraud settlement between state and federal regulators and big banks. The goal of the march is to “expose the looming cash-for-immunity deal,” where banks are poised to get a broad release from prosecution in exchange for a pittance sum for troubled borrowers, a loan modification promise on which the banks historically have not followed through.

The correct term for the struggle same-sex couples are fighting for, the recognition of their intimate unions by the state on the same terms, entirely, of the relationships of opposite-sex couples is “Marriage Equality.” There’s actually no such thing as “Gay Marriage,” which is the preferred term of American homobigots, sometimes accompanied by the disparaging prefix so-called.

Because of threats from the President Obama’s Department of Justice, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee (I) has finally decided not to let the state license its three planned medical marijuana dispensaries.

The New Jersey state Assembly, with a large Democratic majority, gave final approval yesterday to a bill that eliminates collective bargaining rights for public employee health care benefits and imposes the equivalent of a pay cut by increasing health and pension contributions. Unions in New Jersey actually have no collective bargaining guarantee other than health benefits, so this eliminates pretty much their main bargaining chip.

I remember receiving a phone call from a prominent newspaper reporter in Fall 2009 about the emergence of the Tea Party, largely in opposition to President Barack Obama’s health care legislation. “Is the Tea Party going to become a major force in American politics,” the reporter asked. “No,” I responded confidently. “Like other fringe protest parties in the past, it will fizzle quickly. Their message is too negative.”

I have never been so wrong in my life!