[quote]"[url=http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2048549&page=2]This is an issue [gay marriage] that is of significant importance to many Americans," Boehner told reporters. “We have significant numbers of our members who want a vote on this, so we are going to have a vote.”
Like the Senate, the House in 2004 fell short of the two-thirds vote needed.
Bush, his popularity sagging and his conservative base dissatisfied with Republicans’ efforts on social issues, issued a fresh appeal for passage Tuesday, the third time in as many days.
“The administration believes that the future of marriage in America should be decided through the democratic constitutional amendment process, rather than by the court orders of a few,” a White House statement said.
The Vatican also weighed in Tuesday, naming gay marriage as one of the factors threatening the traditional family as never before.
Senate Democrats, all of whom except Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska oppose the amendment, say the debate is a divisive political ploy.
“The Republican leadership is asking us to spend time writing bigotry into the Constitution,” said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, whose state legalized gay marriage in 2003. “A vote for it is a vote against civil unions, against domestic partnership, against all other efforts for states to treat gays and lesbians fairly under the law.”
Hatch responded: “Does he really want to suggest that over half of the United States Senate is a crew of bigots[/url]?” [No, just over half the U.S. Senate are behaving like bigots] [/quote]
Personally, I think the Republicans (not all, some like Sam Brownback & Orrin Hatch who are crazy fundamentalist nutwings) are engaging in the politics of bigotry. They’re in trouble - budget deficit, unpopular president, trouble in Iraq, etc. etc. And, they are attempting to bring a divisive social issue to the fore and parade it as an issue of urgent import. There are TRUE problems out there that need our attention - like how to provide a basic level of health care for all Americans, becoming energy independent, gas prices, shoring up social security, how to protect the homeland from terrorist attacks, how to deal with threats like Iran and the nuclear bomb, how accomplish election reform, how to protect civil liberties from being eroded, the budget deficit, education, preserving the internet as a democratic medium, and so on. I am thoroughly disgusted with this type of political game playing. :s
A side issue is gay marriage. Does gay marriage REALLY threaten traditional marriage? An interesting debate is raging between two sides. One is represented by Stanley Kurtz, and the other by MV Lee Badgett.
My own family has been at odds with one another over this topic. One brother is sending out emails to family and friends encouraging them to contact their Senators and urge them to vote for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would make marriage only possible between a man and a woman. There are others who argue that gay folk should have the same civil rights as straight ones. In other words, the same legal protections that a marriage certificate confers on those who have one.
Bodo