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Image via Wikipedia The Obama administration has condemned a traditional marriage amendment proposal in Minnesota in a statement issued Tuesday. The amendment, passed by the state legislature on Saturday in a 70-62 vote, would allow Minnesotans the opportunity to vote during the 2012 election to enshrine traditional marriage in the state constitution. When the gay news source Washington Blade asked for comment on the amendment, White House spokesman Shin Inouye issued a statement. It read: “The President has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same sex couples or to take such rights away. While he believes this is an issue best addressed by the states, he also believes that committed gay couples should have the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country.” Obama’s disapproval of the amendment was matched by Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton , who symbolically “vetoed” the marriage amendment Wednesday. D

Image via Wikipedia A constitutional amendment that would enshrine the definition of marriage as the union of a man and a woman in Minnesota is one step closer to getting on the ballot. The House Rules Committee narrowly approved the measure Wednesday in a 13 – 12 vote.  The vote took place along party lines, with Republicans in favor, and Democrats against. However, one Republican, Rep. Tim Kelly (R-Red Wing), joined Democrats to oppose the amendment. Although same-sex “marriage” is already illegal under Minnesota statutes, proponents of the constitutional amendment believe that it is necessary to prevent either the judiciary or the legislature from changing the definition of marriage. Minnesota Public Radio   reports  that Rep. Steve Gottwalt (R-St. Cloud), the amendment’s House sponsor, told the committee that the amendment was not about taking away rights, but about anchoring more firmly existing law defining marriage. “This is current state law. The desire is simply to