Good news from West Virginia. (h/t Fairness West Virginia)

GOP delegates unsuccessfully tried to force a floor vote on a bipartisan resolution (HJR5) called the "Marriage Protection Amendment." The proposal calls for a statewide referendum on whether to amend West Virginia's constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

This week, Republicans launched a push to make the House vote on measures they say Democrats have allowed to die in the legislative process.  They want to do that by "discharging" bills from committees, bringing them directly to the floor for a vote.

Except for Delegate Tom Louisos, D-Fayette, the House's Democratic majority on Tuesday voted to postpone consideration of the Republican motion to discharge the marriage amendment.

Later, the committee that controls the flow of bills decided to keep that motion off the House's agenda. 

The issue has some life in the WV Senate, but this is definitely good news. 

This was posted as a DailyKOS diary yesterday. Thoughtful people are not buying into the idea that we must capitulate on equality to run a viable candidate in the general election. 

[T]here's also a need to be bold enough that if you win, you have a mandate to actually pass laws that address the problems the state faces (like the lack of civil rights for LGBT people). Some people think Onorato or Wagner strike the right balance, and I respect their opinion. On the other hand, I remember how electability worked out in Bush vs. Kerry in 2004. In hindsight, a clearer contrast like Howard Dean might have been a better choice to go up against Bush.

I'm not against Onorato, Wagner or Williams. I just think we can do better.

Let's ask the gay employees of Allegheny County if we can do better. 

sdf

My list of PA and Pgh politician tweeps continues to grow. I"m up to 87 accounts now.  http://twitter.com/PghLesbian24/politicians-pgh-and-pa

Republicans are jumping on board the social media wagon at a much faster rate than Democrats.  I did add the PA House Democratic Campaign Committee and Dan Keller who is running for the House seat in the 20th district (against Chet/Adam Ravenstahl who has no actual presence except for an allegedly hefty war chest).

But this morning, I learned that US Congressional candidate Mary Beth Buchanan is tweeting.  From her page, I found SIX GOP clubs that are using Twitter.  Three updated within the past 24 hours, 2 within the past month and 1 last tweeted in June 2009.  I also found another GOP State Senator and the Senate Republican Caucus.

The local GOP is actually conducting a full-scale social media training, including Twitter, for committee folks.  They are embracing this technology.  Democrats can't let Bill Peduto and Natalia Rudiak do all the heavy lifting. Complacency is not a good organizing tool. 

Surely all those $3000 fees that ACDC will be collecting this go around can pay for a little training?