Back in 2004, I was part of a small group of Republican senators that forced a floor vote on a motion to consider a constitutional amendment defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. We needed 60 votes to proceed; we fell just short of 50. Many senators who voted “yea” privately castigated me for making them “walk the plank” on such a tough issue.
A majority of Americans still supports traditional marriage. It has been on the ballot in 31 states and won every time. However, the inside-the-Beltway power centers – the media, campaign contributors, and politically active special-interest groups – passionately want to, as the 2004 Massachusetts majority opinion put it, “eradicate that stain” on our country.
That’s why, when last week’s ruling in Boston knocked down the last defense against judicially mandated same-sex “marriage,” there was largely silence from the political class.
With the exception of a core group of conservatives, most politicians – including the president – continue to publicly back marriage while eagerly awaiting the day when judges will take this issue out of their hands. In this case, silence, as my former colleague Zell Miller once said, is not golden; it’s yellow.
via The Elephant in the Room: Boldly defending marriage | Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/14/2010.
Marriage
Senate health care bill creates new marriage penalty – Washington Times
Senate Democrats’ health care bill would create a new marriage penalty by imposing a tax on individuals who make $200,000 annually but hitting married couples making just $50,000 more.
That’s one of 17 new taxes imposed by the bill, which also creates a levy on elective plastic surgery – some call it “botax” – and places a 40 percent excise tax on those who have generous health care plans.
“If you have insurance, you get taxed. If you don’t have insurance, you get taxed. If you need a life-saving medical device, you get taxed. If you need prescription medicines, you get taxed,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, who is leading the fight against the bill.
read the rest here… Senate health care bill creates new marriage penalty – Washington Times.
Maine’s Struggle with Gay Activism
Commentary: Let’s end disposable marriage – CNN.com
I usually don’t recommend CNN for anything but laughs, but this is a good article…
Tommy’s loss has catapulted me even farther down a path I was already on. This may sound like heresy, but I believe the United States and a host of Western democracies are engaged in an unintended campaign to diminish the importance of marriage and fatherhood. By refusing to do everything we can to stem the rising rate of divorce and unwed childbearing, our country often isolates fathers (and sometimes mothers) from their children and their families.
Of course, there are occasions when divorce is necessary. And not everyone should marry. But it has become too easy for people to walk away from their families and commitments without a real regard for the gravity of their decision and the consequences for other people, particularly children.
Read the article here… Commentary: Let’s end disposable marriage – CNN.com.
Video: Escaped The Plantation, Voting McCain
Perhaps the best speech given during this entire campaign cycle.
The O-Team
More genius by ZO. See more great clips here
Gavin Newsom Marries Two Women on First-Grader Field Trip
The money’s flying on both sides of the Marriage Protection proposition
While the No on 8 side has gotten big donations from Hollywood luminaries like Brad Pitt, Steven Spielberg and Knight, the Yes on 8 side has a media star, too, and not an expected one: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Mining snippets of an enthusiastic Newsom speech where he proclaims, “this door’s wide open now” for gay marriage, “whether you like it or not,” the Yes on 8 campaign has turned him into a figurehead of TV and radio ads that are “picture perfect” for their audience, said David McCuan, a Sonoma State University political science professor who specializes in California ballot initiatives. The Newsom spots have been such a good foil for the Yes on 8 campaign that opponents may be forced to raise even more money to counter them, McCuan said.
Newsom was in the headlines again over the weekend, as conservative groups pointed out that a San Francisco first-grade class went on a field trip from school because their teacher was marrying another woman at City Hall — a ceremony officiated by the mayor. The class didn’t attend the actual ceremony, but waited outside on the steps of City Hall to congratulate their teacher.
I like to call that indoctrination and frankly child-abuse.
California, vote YES on proposition 8. Yes on 8, Yes on 8.
Reasons To Vote Democrat: A Quick List
There’s another email going around that contains some very valuable truths…
WHY I’VE DECIDED TO VOTE DEMOCRAT
I’m voting Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would.
I’m voting Democrat because freedom of speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.
I’m voting Democrat because when we pull out of Iraq I trust that the bad guys will stop what they’re doing because they now think we’re good people.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe that people who can’t tell us if it will rain on Friday can tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away in ten years if I don’t start driving a Prius.
I’m voting Democrat because I’m not concerned about the slaughter of millions of babies so long as we keep all death row inmates alive.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as the Democrats see fit.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe three or four pointy headed elitist liberals need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would never get their agendas past the voters.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe that when the terrorists don’t have to hide from us over there, they’ll come over here, and I don’t want to have any guns in the house to shoot them with.
(I’m so Democrat that I have a big sign on the door of my house: There are no guns in this home! That, I am quite sure, will deter criminals. I think all Democrats should be required to display this sign on their home.)
I’m voting Democrat because I believe oil companies’ profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn’t.
I’m voting Democrat because I love the fact that I can now marry whatever I want. I’ve decided to marry my horse.
I really wonder why anyone would ever vote Republican.
McCain Proves Superior At Saddleback
I hope everyone had a chance watch the forum with McCain and Barry Oblivious. If not, please do so below. While Obama was struggling to begin half of his responses with uhhh, ummm, I, I, I think…, McCain had clear ideas with conviction in them and his whole presence was much more impressive than I expected. It’s good to see the relatively unscripted side of these two (though of course they both have somewhat memorized positions on all of these issues).
Obama
Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4 – Part 5 – Part 6
McCain
Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4 – Part 5
Related articles…
Obama Would Remove DOMA
Read the article. Scary implications, and consequences far reaching, should the country fall sucker to the empty suit named “change”. One of the scarier passages…
The absence of a federal law could mean that the more than 40 states that have bans — either constitutional or in statute — on same-sex marriage would be required to recognize a homosexual marriage license from another state as a legally binding contract.
And…
“A marriage is valid where it’s performed and valid everywhere, with one exception, if it violates public policy,” said said Lynn Wardle, a law professor at Brigham Young University. “As a political move, this would inevitably mean gay marriage in most states. It’s a step in nationalizing gay marriage” she said.