Weekly Political Roundup

Many of us are suffering from a surfeit of politics right now, so I’ll keep this week’s update short. One more victory in the U. S., and a few international items:

• In a case of death by procedural maneuver, a measure to put a same-sex marriage ban on the 2008 ballot looks unlikely to succeed. Delegates at the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention voted to recess the Convention until January 2, 2007, the last day of the legislative session, when it is very doubtful they will revisit the measure.
• LGBT activists in Israel agreed to hold a stadium rally instead of a pride parade, amidst concerns about violence against marchers.
• Mexico City’s Assembly passed a civil union law for both same- and opposite-sex couples. The mayor is expected to ratify it, though the Catholic Church is having the expected conniption. The new law would provide inheritance and pension rights.
• A parliamentary committee in South Africa approved proposals for same-sex marriages, despite, in New Jersey-like fashion, pleasing neither conservative opponents nor LGBT activists. The latter say the measure does not go far enough. The bill will go to a full session of parliament Tuesday.