Ban divorce? Ballot effort gets OK to gather signatures

California Secretary of State Debra Bowen today authorized the backer of an initiative that would ban divorce to begin collecting signatures to put the proposed constitutional amendment before voters.

John Marcotte now has until March 22, 2010, to collect 694,354 signatures of registered voters in order to get the measure on the ballot next year. The proposal would change the California Constitution to "eliminate the ability of married couples to get divorced in California."

Couples could still get their marriages annulled under the proposal.

Here is the official text of the initiative:

ELIMINATES THE LAW ALLOWING MARRIED COUPLES TO DIVORCE. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Changes the California Constitution to eliminate the ability of married couples to get divorced in California. Preserves the ability of married couples to seek an annulment. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Savings to the state of up to hundreds of millions of dollars annually for support of the court system due to the elimination of divorce proceedings.

--Jessica Garrison

Comments

[Tannim]

May we laugh? May we cry?

Or may we simply sign?

This one needs signatures to get on the ballot folks, because it serves one and only one purpose: to tell the Prop 8 folks that if they are so pro-marriage, then they better support this or be labeled hypocrites and homophobes, and in the process totally destroying their arguments.

So by all means, let's get this on the ballot and make the Prop 8 folks squirm!

[JESSY]

WHAT THE HELL!???!? First they tell men and women that they can't marry someone of the same gender, and now they want to make it so that people can't get a divorce? Where the hell is this damn state going? Why does society all of a sudden want to be able to tell people how to live their damn lives? That is horrible, and I hope, if they DO get enough signatures, those who sign it screw themselves over by not being able to get a divorce later.

[WhyIWantoleaveCA]

This is totally ridiculous. Instead of trying to save money in court by banning divorce, why don't they ban moronic court proceedings caused by people who want to sue drive through fast food places because they spill hot coffee on their own laps while driving, or the criminals in prisions who want to sue their victims, or how about the one where the couple tried to sue the movie studios because the movie made them want to go on a crime spree, and a host of other idiots who have this entitlement mentality, or just are sue happy? These cases should never even go to court. If they ban divorce, I bet anything that the domestic violence will increase and there will be more people killing their spouses claiming some abuse excuse and getting away with murder. Ban divorce? Ban these stupid politicians. We have enough laws on the books already. Get rid of the outdated laws, like the law that makes it illegal for anyone to try to stop a child from playfully jumping over puddles of water. If our lawmakers want to have job security, then maybe they should sit down and go through the lawbooks and throw out the outdated laws. Then after that ~ Look for another job, because actually... They themselves are outdated.

[HappyCalifornian]

How wonderful it would be if this passed! Divorced people are ruining the world by destroying families.

[Geoff]

Geez-don't these people have anything else to do other than try and dictate how we are suppose to live our lives? What happened to individual choice and freedoms! Don't get me wrong, I feel that marriage takes alot of work and commitment, but if it isn't ment to be....move on! And to the idiot that came up with this one..I DON'T NEED YOU LEGISLATING MY LIFE FOR ME, I have a brain of my own and can decide things for myself!

[AG]

This has to be a joke. I wonder how many folks who voted to "protect marriage" are going to back this proposal? I want a side by side comparison. Make it happen LA Times!

[joanne]

Okay, I give up. Where has this neanderthal been all his live? What does he suggest as an alternative for two people who can no longer live together?

[Lilly of the Valley]

It's really pathetic when politicians concoct stupid legislation instead of addressing real issues. Vote these morons out.

[Steve]

Every good Christian should sign this petition. Divorce is against Gods law.

[JEFFERY P. SEGALL, RN]

Sounds great to me! We won't allow gays to marry so why should straights be allowed to divorce? Seems like a great way to preserve the sanctity of marriage!

Let's go national! Just think, then great christian family-values men like Newt Gingrich and Rudy Giuliani couldn't get multiple divorces!

[Erwin Speakman]

Terrific. Next up, a ban on coughing in public (to prevent the spread of disease); a ban on night driving after 9pm, except for licensed night workers (to prevent drive-by shootings, robbberies and general skulking); a ban on television after 9pm to ensure a full night's sleep and encourage family time); and finally a ban on marriage, co-habitation and community property (eliminating the marriage license bureau and a large number of civil lawsuits, freeing the court for other cases.)

Later, we can attack left turns, large vehicles a driver can't see through to observe the road ahead, speeds over 45mph, cell phone use in public, bad news in newspapers and on radio and TV. I'm sure there's more, such as repealing the First Amendment so I can't rant against the narrow-minded politicians and citizens who push their personal agendas making a mockery of the legal process and the initiative process.

[Mark]

Where do I sign up? I'm gay and I don't like the fact that opposite-sex married couples are allowed to divorce, so I think I should have a right to make it illegal.

I'm just adopting the Prop. 8 attitude. :)

[markiejoe]

Excellent idea.

Now if they'd eliminate marriage, we'd be good to go.

[Catherine]

Please tell me this is a joke. I divorced my ex-husband because he was a financially irresponsible train wreck. I made the choice to raise our son financially on my own. Simple - feed the ex or feed the son. I chose feed the son. If I couldn't have filed for divorce I would still be financially responsible for the ex? Right.
And our Ca tax dollars pay for Debra Brown. I think I should finally move out of this state. This is just plain crazy.

[Jamie J.]

I hope that everyone who voted for the "sanctity of marriage" votes for this one.

[Eric Bressler]

This wingnut will probably drop enough cash to get it on the ballot where it will get crushed by more than 60 points. My prediction, 82% against, 18% for.

[bob]

AWESOME!
I'll sign for it.

if some people can't get married, NO ONE can get divorced!

Ha!
it's a fate worse than death!

[Grapes]

Protect traditional marriage. Ban divorce!

[TomTallis]

I want to get one of those petitions and gather signatures in front of Our Lady of the Angels and the Mormon Temple on Santa Monica Blvd. I should collect hundreds and hundreds of signatures there...

[Jose O.]

Im voting yes. The biggest threat to marriage is divorce not gay marriage.

I wonder what the YES ON 8 people have to say about this hopefully they feel a little bit hypocritical.

Plus divorce preceding are so annoying maybe this would make them faster and more = between both sexes male and female and maybe male male or female female.

But i dont think voters would approve this measure even though if you think about it its more simple..

[Bonnie Russell]

Why does this read like a political move from the Las Vegas Tourist Bureau, where the "Little Wedding Chapel" is located? Not to mention the Family Law Section of the Nevada State Bar. : )

Jokes aside, in this economy men aren't divorcing their wives. They're killing them - and the kids, too.

[Melissa]

Are they freaking joking!? People get married because they love each other and want kids. Sometimes people just fall out of love and cant help it. I'm just guessing here but I think this might be backed mostly by religious people. If people cant have the option to get divorced then they will just have "bastard" children and not get married.
If the gay community cant even get married then why should the straight community have this restriction? Marriage is between two people. Not 2 people, the government, the other Californian people, and anyone else who wants to butt in. What happened to Land of the Free?

[Bonnie Russell]

In this economy, men aren't divorcing their wives, they're killing them - and the kids, too.

And by the way, this includes the police, too. See the "Bad Cop" section.

[Chris Brown]

I have to say that I really like the idea....I can't beleive that I would. I am a very liberal kind of guy - but I have seen far to many people that do not think before they get married. THis would make them think. Then again I could just be single and bitter (probably more likely).

[dean]

Another magnificent example of how totally stupid California's ballot initiative measures are. It really doesn't matter if Marcotte gets enough signatures or not, it's the downright foolishness which the initiative allows. We must have a constitutional rewrite which will eliminate the ballot initiative once and for all.