Really, Hawaii Dems?

OK, so Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle is a Republican, and she vetoed the state's civil unions law (Via Balloon Juice.)  Not a gay marriage law, but a civil unions law.  That's pretty sad, even in 2010.

"There has not been a bill I have contemplated more or an issue I have thought more deeply about during my eight years as governor than House Bill 444 and the institution of marriage," Lingle said at a news conference.

"I have been open and consistent in my opposition to same-sex marriage, and find that House Bill 444 is essentially same-sex marriage by another name."

The bill would have granted gay and lesbian couples the same rights and benefits the state provides to married couples.

She said voters, not politicians, should decide the fate of civil unions.

"It would be a mistake to allow a decision of this magnitude to be made by one individual or a small group of elected officials," she said.

Sure, unless it's massive social program spending cuts, immigration laws or going to war.  In which case, only lawmakers know best.   But that's not what pisses me off.  Let's consider for a fact that Democrats in Hawaii have a 45-6 majority in the state House, and easily passed this bill in the first place...but will not override the Governor's veto because House Speaker Calvin Say already dismissed that option before Lingle's veto.

In a prepared statement, Say said he, along with members of the House leadership, decided that the governor’s veto list, released on June 21, did not warrant overrides because of the following:

• It does not appear to have the requisite two-thirds vote in both chambers necessary to override a veto;

• It does not rise to a sufficient level of statewide concern to warrant the extraordinary action of a legislative override;

• The governor’s preliminary objections to the bill have sufficient merit deserving of further evaluation; and

• Although the bill was intended to enhance state revenue to balance the budget when passed during the session, it is now no longer necessary because of the Council on Revenue’s improved revenue projection.

“It’s my personal belief that simply because we have the legislative super-majority to override is not justification for us to do so,” Say said in the statement. “Partisan politics should not be a consideration or basis for any policy decision. The House should be proud of the work accomplished during the regular session — including balancing the state’s budget without increasing the general excise tax, without increasing income taxes on low- and moderate-income families, and without scooping the counties’ hotel tax share.”

Right, but hey, why do anything about civil unions?  Nice work, Dems.  Nice work indeed on playing your cards.