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Friday, June 2, 2006

BUSH JUST REALLY HATES GAYS

Bush, riding the tide of his overwhelming popularity, has set out to take a predictable stand on a divisive public issue:

Bush to promote gay marriage amendment to constitution

This is stupid. There is almost no way this thing will pass. They need a two-thirds vote in both houses, then 38 state legislatures to approve it, which isn’t going to happen. From the article:

“It stands little chance of passing the 100-member Senate, where proponents are struggling to get even 50 votes. Several Republicans oppose the measure, and so far only one Democrat -- Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska -- says he will vote for it.

It’s like going out of your way to get on to a sinking ship so that all the people on board will like you. This is doomed to failure, and will only register as another embarrassing failure for the administration. The people of the country aren’t even two thirds for it:

“A slim majority of Americans oppose gay marriage, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press from March. But the poll also showed attitudes are changing: 63 percent opposed gay marriage in February 2004.

But what does he care about the opinions of the people. He doesn’t believe in polls right? After all, it’s just a little political posturing to shore up the right wing nut jobs before the midterm elections right? What harm can that do?

Consider this (italicized portions are from wikipedia):

  • The effect of an Ohio state constitutional gay marriage ban has allowed lawyers to use its wording to downplay charges of felony domestic abuse against women in heterosexual relationships to misdemeanor battery, because the couple was not married. In theory, the Federal Marriage Amendment could also be used in such a way.
  • The law would eliminate Civil Unions. The language reads: Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman.
  • The law has a Christian bias. The FMA would deny the opportunity for religions which approve of same-sex marriage to perform legally binding same-sex marriages.

    • See. Bullcrap. This law is not about the protection of marriage, but is rather an attack on non-heterosexual couples. It is designed to prohibit the ability for gay couples to function in any real legal way. Even the cursory and vague protections offered to common law marriages would be denied them. Gay couples would be denied the right to visit a dying partner in hospital, access to many private companies' health insurance plans, the ability to immigrate a foreign partner, and would be restricted in many cases from legal recognition in a partner's will (meaning that nosy and disapproving family members could easily contest a gay partners claim on an estate).

    All of this so that straight Republicans don’t have to feel creepy about gay people. Nice.

    Do me a favor. Go to the post for Wednesday and follow the instructions. It's easy, and is the right thing to do.



     

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