Floridians Favor Some Sort of Legal Recognition for Gay Couples, Despite Banning Marriage in the Constitution

It was pretty evident to anyone with basic reading comprehension skills that the part of Amendment 2 that read, "no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized," would ban civil unions in the Florida Constitution. Florida voters passed that...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

January 22, 2009

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It was pretty evident to anyone with basic reading comprehension skills that the part of Amendment 2 that read, "no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized," would ban civil unions in the Florida Constitution. Florida voters passed that Amendment at a rate of 62 percent.

Ironically, according to a new Quinnipiac poll, Floridians favor some sort of substantial legal recognition of gay relationships by 62 percent; 27 percent are for full gay marriage, while 35 percent favor civil unions. Only 31 percent think their should be no legal recognition. Way to go, democracy.

Fifty-five percent of Floridians disapprove of a state law that bans gay couples from adopting.

The poll also found that 72 percent disapprove of cuts to the Bright Futures scholarship program. Seventy-one percent approve a one-dollar cigarette tax hike. Unsurprisingly, smokers were the only demographic that disapproved of the hike.

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