Bush to come out in favor of federal marriage amendment

[booley]

Wow, sure saw this coming a mile away.

Without hate and fear, what would Cons have to run on?

President Bush is expected to hold a press conference next week to announce his support for a federal marriage amendment. According to the conservative Weekly Standard magazine, the president will appear in the Rose Garden on Monday to reiterate his support for the so-called Marriage Protection Amendment, a day before the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the measure.
The proposed amendment, which would ban same-sex marriages and nullify those that already exist , is not expected to garner the necessary two-thirds support it needs to move forward. But it is expected to receive more support than it did in the Senate two years ago, when it failed after garnering only 48 votes.....

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail.asp?id=31637

I know this doesn't have a chance. But I think everyone else knows that that isn't the point.

[Orrex]

1. Thank God!

All across the nation, otherwise healthy and secure heterosexual marriages were disintegrating because of the filthy sin of same-sex marriage.

With this announcement, hetero divorce and dysfunctional hetero marriage will become things of the past!

Praise be to George W. Bush!

[AndyA]

3. Put the glass of Kool Aid down, and BACK AWAY FROM IT!

:rofl:

Your post could be on a freeper board, and would be followed by hundreds of posts in agreement! Scary...

[Orrex]

15. It's sad that the caricature is indistinguishable from reality

Or vice versa.

[Occulus]

73. The caricature is an extant reality.

That's more than scary, in and of itself.

[Jawja]

107. I'm ok for a marriage amendment

"defining" an American marriage if divorce is also abolished and adultry made a federal crime. After all, if they must go to the extreme to amend the CONSTITUTION OF THE US to "protect" marriage from the "queers," why not protect it from the heteros as well? Let's not go halfway; lets pull out all the stops and cover all the bases. :sarcasm: :eyes:

[tenshi816]

109. I know you're being sarcastic, but

I'm still going to use your points the next time I get into this discussion with my fundie north Georgia relatives. They all consider themselves to be "good Christians", yet very few people in my family - very few - are still on their first marriage. The Bible they all claim to live by condemns adultery and divorce and yet they take no notice of that, but mention gays and they go ballistic about how the Bible says homosexuality is a sin. The hypocrisy is breathtaking.

[Jawja]

113. You are absolutely right and

I am actually being dead serious, despite the "sarcasm" disclaimer. This is the argument I do use against the admendment.

If we are going to go as far to amend the Constitution to define and protect the sanctity of "marriage," we'd better get it right all the way around:

Marriage is between one male and one female after they've gotten chromosome tests to prove that the parties are indeed of the opposite gender(the one that is used for the Olympics); the marriage contract is forever binding and unbreakable (after all, we are PROTECTING the SANCTITY of marriage); and adultry is a federal crime and punishable by a prison term (after all, if we go as far as to encode conditions on marriage in the Constitution, it would have to be federal crime to violate the marriage vows).

[tenshi816]

115. I think you're on to something here.

It's kind of like Chuck Rangel proposing the draft, but in doing so insisting that every able-bodied person within the age bracket serve, with no exemptions. That will never pass because there are too many wealthy Republicans who don't want to see their children having to put their lives on the line - all that messy fighting and dying is for other people's kids.

If a marriage amendment were to be so draconian that once a man and woman got married there was no way to get out of it (because it would be sanctified, dontcha know!), and imprisonment for having a bit on the side - well, then, no way would such an amendment pass. These people want to define and legislate morality for other people, not for themselves.

This is something that should be talked up at every opportunity.

[Jawja]

116. Exactly. This is the way

the issue should be framed. You want to protect and sanctify marriage? Fine my me. But let's do it right.

In fact, I'm going to write both of my senators with this proposal. I'm ALL for it. Eliminate divorce and adultry and THEN you can exclude Gays and Lesbians.

[tenshi816]

117. Your senators are my senators too -

I live in England but I'm from Georgia originally and remain registered to vote there. I'll write to them as well.

Edited to ask: Is your avatar the current Uga?

[Jawja]

121. I love England!

Although I am native Jawjan by birth, I have ancestors from England and I've been there.

Yep. That's the current UGA. He's a cutie, ain't he?

[DuaneBidoux]

122. I think Jesus himself said that you are "married" to the first person

you sleep with (in those days that was the ceremony) and that you cannot simply "throw off" your wife by saying "I divorce you." This has the effect of meaning that every person you sleep with after your first instance is a matter of adultery, no matter what the court says about your divorce, in "God's" eyes you are a sinner.

[MissMillie]

124. Fabulous suggestions--I just sent them to my Senators

Who, I'm sure, would NEVER back such an amendment, but they may use those arguments when they are making their case with colleagues.

:applause: BRAVO!

[cantstandbush]

108. The Rovians a good a making a NON-ISSUE huge issue.

Anyone think you will be forced into a same-sex marriage? So now we will have Constitution that takes away rights as opposed to protecting rights and freedoms?

[BR_Parkway]

2. When you got nothing else, kick a homo - bumpersticker potential

[EVDebs]

10. Great bumber sticker idea. They sure are all hat and no cattle.

[dicknbush]

4. Wow this is great...

What an opportunity for Mary Cheney to finally do the right thing! Right? Right? I mean Bush isn't running for president again so she can't use the excuse that it ws more important to get Bush back into the white house. Now she can really stand up and show what a styrong woman she is Right ? Right??? Didn't she say that she almost resigned when Bush supported an amendment to the Constitution that discriminates against a minority?

[PuraVidaDreamin]

21. I LOVE the way you think!

Come on Mary! What do you think about this?

[ronnykmarshall]

83. Speak up, Mary ..... we can't hear you?

While you're at it hon, read my sig line!

[stanwyck]

97. Didn't you know? She's "eating her cake

and having it, too". Not sure how that continues under a federal marriage amendment for Mary and companion Heather. I guess it's more "let them eat cake" from our lesbian Mary Antoinette.

[BR_Parkway]

98. Do you how much Halliburton War Profits Heather could inherit if she and

Mary tied the knot? Maybe there's other reasons why Mary isn't going to support this - have to keep that ill gotten loot in the Cheney bloodline you know, just like they always have for royalty.

Wish someone would interview Heather.

[pokercat999]

106. I'd bet that in the end Mary gets written out of the

will and her straight sibling gets it all. My guess is they (dickie and lynn) actually hate her and are just posing for the cameras. After the public eye is gone watch out.

[stanwyck]

112. BR, good point

Mary no doubt has learned from Newt and the hundreds of other "family values" multiple divorced Republicans not to let the ex-wives make off with all that ill-gained loot.

[rodeodance]

5. NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY TO STOP THE FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMEND.

Dear Friends,
I called today, only on hold for about 2 minutes and a "real person" came on and took my message to be given to the president.
I believe "every little effort" added together has to make a difference.

Regards,



'''''''''''''''

NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY TO STOP THE FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT



Dear Friends,

After weeks of silence on the issue, it was announced today that President Bush has decided to bow to the demands from right-wing extremist groups and hold a press conference in the Rose Garden of the White House to reiterate his support of the Federal Marriage Amendment. Fred Barnes reported in the conservative Weekly Standard, in newsstands today, that the Rose Garden press conference is scheduled for Monday, June 5th, a day before the Senate is expected to vote on the Constitutional amendment.

Before President Bush announces his renewed support for the FMA, call the White House and let him know that discrimination has no place in the U.S. Constitution. You can reach the White House comment line at [phone].

The American people can now officially feel confident that their priorities are not what this President or this Congress are concerned about. Unfortunately, we have leadership in Washington that cares more about writing discrimination into our Constitution than they do about solving the problems of real Americans.

It is a disgrace that President Bush has yet again caved to extremists and continues to push their priorities rather than focusing on the issues that matter to the American people. President Bush will stand in the White House Rose Garden, a place often reserved for occasions of unity and justice in our country’s history, and instead use it as a backdrop to push discrimination against a group of Americans. The President has once again shown that far-right extremists are deciding the agenda for our country.

This news comes after weeks of intense pressure by leading right-wing extremists groups calling on President Bush to immediately speak out on the Federal Marriage Amendment. These groups attacked the White House when the only voices speaking out on the Amendment were First Lady Laura Bush and Mary Cheney’s comments against the extremists pushing the FMA for political purposes. Now, President Bush has decided he needs to tell them exactly what they want to hear.

Please, take a moment now to contact the White House and tell the President to stop using the Constitution as a political weapon to appease his radical base. You can reach the White House comment line at [phone].

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to equality.

Sincerely,

Joe Solmonese
President

P.S. Fight the Fedeal Marriage Amendment. Make a donation to the Human Rights Campaign today, and your gift will be matched by HRC Board Member Bruce Bastian. Click here to double your impact today.

P.P.S. See all the latest on the HRC website about the Federal Marriage Amendment – click here: http://www.hrc.org/voteno/voteno.htm



© 2006 The Human Rights Campaign. All rights reserved.
Human Rights Campaign | www.hrc.org
1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-3278
Phone: [phone] TTY: 202/216-1572 Fax: [phone]

[saltpoint]

11. Hey there rodeodance. 'Just phoned the White House on this and

said briefly that I considered Bush's stand on this unChristian in light of his alleged faith, that it was a betrayl of democratic values and vulgar grandstanding.

The nice person took my comment and that was about it, but I agree with HRC's Solmonese that every call, every email, every bit helps.

[Strathos]

17. I called

I said it was a disgrace that he supports the amendment.

I wish I could have put a loud piercing tone through the phone that would have reach the Shrub and made his eyes cross permanently.

He's useless.

[rhett o rick]

136. Don't waste an ounce of time on this issue. Don't fall for the trick.

They don't care if half of America is against this. They only want to raise a ruckus. Don't play into their hands. Don't debate this issue. Let them proceed. Whenever the issue comes up, change the subject to war in Iraq or Iran. Your calls are proof that their plan is working. They don't have the support to pass this amendment. They don't care. They only want a distraction.

[Mz Pip]

6. Must be an election year.

Let me check.

Yes.

It's an election year.

:eyes:

Mz Pip
:dem:

[janx]

8. They're trying to get that base back...

:rofl:

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

7. Man and Woman, the verbiage

Okay, so let's pretend the thing goes all the way through and is written into law.

Can I sue my neighbors who may have married at ages 17 and 21 where the 17 was not a 'legal woman' in the state in which she married in and have their marriage dissolved?

Will the Amendment NOT impose Federal standards of age-of-majority across all states?

[Ian David]

9. I hear The Log Cabin Republicans have their own version of the bill...

They want it to say that gay people can get married, so long as the vows are in English.

[TexasProgressive]

96. Brilliant Sarcasm, IanDB1

That's perfect. I love that. I'm printing out your post and framing it. I'd love to share this with all the Log Cabin Republicans in Dallas, but they're too fucking stupid to get it.

Dallas. Jesus. Get me out of here.

[Botany]

12. doesn't he have a job?

of all the stupid crap!

Gay marriage what a total non issue ...... and for the 12% of the Americans who
really are so filled with hate and not grown up that they are worried about
gay marriage ..... go screw yourselves!

[janx]

13. Cool! They've even orchestrated an event in the Rose Garden

to announce this!

I knew this administration would crash and burn eventually, but I never guessed it would wind up so politically tone deaf.

[maxrandb]

43. Rose Garen?

I thought the official flower of weddings was the carnation?

[Vidar]

14. Big surprize.

[maxrandb]

16. With the recent story in the Globe about his and Laura's sham marriage

it's about time he did something to save marriage.

I suggest he start on his own.

[CoffeeCat]

18. Thank you pResident Bush for...

...saving my marriage!!!

I'm a heterosexual who has been happily married to Frank--my loving husband of
several years. We have two wonderful children.

I love my family with all of my heart, and I can't imagine being without them--which
is why I will be clapping and cheering our dear pResident in the Rose Garden--as he vows to
protect my marriage from the dark, ravages of homosexuality.

Ohhhhh...I shudder to think of how vulnerable my marriage and my family have been for all of these years without these much-needed legal protections!!

For example, I have a very attractive neighbor named Sheila. Without our lovely pResident--setting in stone--that marriage should be exclusively between a man and a woman--I know that I would be rolling in the petunia beds with Sheila. Can you imagine the awkwardness at the next block party? (((shudder)))

...And our neighbor Bob down the street--it's likely that he'll fall in love and want to marry the Labradoodle across the road! Oh, the humanity!

Thank you!! Thank you pResident Bush for saving our cul-de-sac from sexual armageddon and homosexual tyranny! We owe you so much!!!!

Frank and I will rest easy tonight, knowing that you are protecting our heterosexual marriage with sweeping, national heterosexual legislation!!

[Demeter]

19. Bush Doesn't Need An Amendment for His Marriage

if Laura has any brains at all (or a competent lawyer) she will take him to the cleaners so that he needs to borrow bus fare from Poppy.

[Vinca]

20. Talk about beating a dead horse.

What's next? A "protect the embryo" amendment? I can't imagine the entire "base" is going to fall for this bushshit again, but I could be wrong. In any case, I guess it's a good way to blur the talk about Haditha and the healthy Canadians. (For the record, I live right next door to demon civil union Vermont and my heterosexual marriage hasn't crumbled yet.)

[Prophet 451]

52. Don't give him ideas

You know the "protect the embryo" ammendment is on his wish list.

[KamaAina]

22. "Come out" in favor of federal marriage amendment?!

(snarf) :rofl:

Could this be an attempt at sly humor on the part of the headline writer?

[YOY]

23. Well...even if it happens we've struck down a fundie amendment before

He's to the 18th Amendment and the asshole fundies who thought that we should live by their standards!

:toast:

[closeupready]

24. While I have an emotional reaction to this, since I'm gay,

the rational part of me just looks at this and says, "this is the mark of a weak leader. If he knew what he was doing, he would be trying to do effective things to, say, help the troops, boost the economy, etc."

So I just think this is going to make him look really lame and incompetent.

[maxrandb]

46. That's not the point

the plan is to get as many fundies to the polls as they possibly can to vote for this amendment, with the hope that while they're in the booth, they'll pull the lever next to the guy with the "R" next to their name.

That's all it is. They could give a "rats-ass" about the "sanctity of marriage". Someone ask Rush Limbaugh, or Newt Gingrich, or Jeff Gannon about the sanctity of marriage. I guess if we had this amendment before, Rush would still be married to his first "beard".

We need to fight this on a spiritual level, not a legal level. We talk about legalities, and peoples eyes glaze over. We talk about separate water-fountains, and the actual people that are affected by this discrimination, like someone from our own family, and we get peoples attention.

Also, what does this do to men and women that are simply living together. Does this put an end to "common-law marriage".

This is nothing but pandering with a capital "P".

[AndyTiedye]

87. The Point Is To Create The Appearance of a Majority

There aren't really that many fundie homophobes, but they're gonna show
them on TV every day to convince everyone that they're the majority.

That way, when they DIEBOLD the elections AGAIN, the media can just say
that the Rethugs were carried to yet another upset victory on a wave
of angry homophobes.

[radfringe]

100. my thoughts exactly

and illustrated in today's toon: http://radfringe.tripod.com/

there are more pressing issues to deal with than a constitutional amendment proclaiming 'herto-only'

it's so painfully obvious that this is going to be used as a wedge issue. and will be used as such everytime an election rolls around.

[KamaAina]

25. Nullify those that already exist?

I don't suppose an amendment qualifies as "ex post facto law", not according to the letter of the law, anyway. Way to support family values, though, guys. :sarcasm: Maybe we should retitle it the "Forcible Destruction of Thousands of Marriages Act".

[hashibabba]

37. Fundies are good at judging other people

but can't seem to do the same for themselves.

Why should a legal marriage (performed at a courthouse, not their precious churches) scare them so much?

[Borgnine]

26. Not to be overly blunt, but ever get the feeling that all of these guys...

...just really need to suck a cock and get it over with? I'd wager the vast majority of the homophobes in the Republican base are extreme closet cases. The thought terrifies them, so they take it out on those who have figured out their sexual identity and are leading perfectly normal, healthy, loving lives.

Paging Jeff Gannon. Your services are needed in the Rose Garden.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

58. "...suck a cock and get it over with..."

Truer words have never been spoken!!

Whenever I see the really nasty phobes like "Rev." Phelps I can only think that, secretely, he is positively aquiver with wanting it up the ass from some leather bear and that the thought has sent him into a permanent panic. :D

[eppur_se_muova]

74. "suck a cock and get it over with..." Oh, get real. Who are you kidding?

Anyone can see these guys just want it up the ass.

[krispos42]

102. If some male could suck Bush's cock, then we can impeach him!

Anybody able to pucker up that tight?

[tenshi816]

119. He could do it in the Rose Garden

and then behead the guy afterwards, and his base would still love him.

[RobertSeattle]

27. Press Conference?

I wonder if some presser will have the balls to say "Mr. President, how does two loving gay people getting married hurt YOUR marriage"?

[janx]

29. Isn't it great?!

It's political suicide! :rofl:

[BR_Parkway]

99. Or Mr President, since gays have been getting married for 2 years now

in MA, can you tell us when all that bad stuff you keep warning us about is going to start to happen?

[RobertSeattle]

111. Or this male gets up who is about that same age as W...

George, rememeber when we tried that little sex "experiment" that time when we were along partying?

[ramapo]

28. What a f'ing waste of time and energy

I'd like to say this is unbelievable but it isn't

[janx]

33. Most of his "base" will no doubt agree with you.

He has "misunderestimated" them to such an extent that it reeks of outright contempt.

[demdiva]

30. Throwing a bone to his base perhaps????

They are none too happy with the immigration reform progress

[Buzz Clik]

31. This is the latest version of "pick a fight"

The best way to shore up the fading conservative base is to pick a fight that will keep the line between Dems and Repubs clear. They did it with the national language, they did it with Alito, they're doing it again here.

Pretty transparent, and the Dems never know how to respond.

[Yavin4]

32. If The American People Return Republicans to Power Because of This Issue

then they are dumb, ignorant, and beyond all hope. We know who and what Bush and the Republicans are all about at this point. Now, it's up to the American people to make a decision, and we have to hold them accountable to that decision. No more excuses. No more blaming the media. It's up to the people.

If they can ignore the lying to get us into a quagmire in Iraq, the super high gas prices, the lack of jobs, rising inflation, falling home values, general incompetence, and massive corruptuion, if they can ignore all of that and vote because of Gay marriage, then as a nation, we are truly lost forever.

[baldguy]

34. You can kill my son,

You can send my job to China, you can mortgage my grandchildrens' future, you can ignore the safety & security of the country, you can lie to me with every breath, you can take away every right and liberty I have as an American -

BUT DON'T LET THOSE FUCKING QUEERS GET MARRIED!!!!!

[janx]

40. This is going to backfire so badly that I might even watch

the event in the Rose Garden! :rofl:

[truthisfreedom]

35. rove is back at it... homophobia are bush...

[endarkenment]

36. Mexicans Gays 9-11, lather rinse repeat.

Is your brain washed yet?

And I salute the persistent trolls and naifs here on DU who keep bringing the mexican meme back again and again and again, doing their part to help bamboozle the public yet one more time as we approach the critical 06 elections.

[9119495]

38. I'm sure this is a mistake. He is a compassionate Conservative.

[VegasWolf]

39. From reports, he should be concentrating on his own marriage. nt

[Catrina]

51. Maybe he is ~ maybe Laura found something out about his favorite

fake reporter, and he's doing this to show her that it really meant nothing, that he did not have relations with that man, er with Mr. Guckert/Gannon! :rofl:

This is nothing but pre-election wedge issue time. People should not respond at all and focus on throwing them all out of office. They are hoping that this will absorb the left as it did before the last election, and waste valuable time and resources instead of making sure they are gone in November.

It takes years to amend the Constitution, so this means nothing, and has already been said to be DOD during the 2004 election. They are so transparent. The fact is if Republicans get back in, they'll probably shelve the whole thing anyway, not wanting to distract from whatever new war they are planning on.

If the focus is kept on defeating them, then none of this will happen anyway. Next wedge issue will probably be something to do with religion, always guaranteed to divide people, like 'prayer in schools' or 'the ten commandments in public places' etc. etc.

I don't intend to waste a minute on any of their so-obvious attempts to distract from the purpose of the opposition to remove them all from office.

[apnu]

41. this illustrates the GOP has no new ideas

When falling in the polls all a Conservative can do is pull out the same old tricks that worked years ago.

It goes something like this:
Getting shaky in the mind of Americans?
Try 'let's build a wall around Mexico' again.
Check.

Continuing to plummet in the polls?
Trot out 9-11.
Check.

Still falling?
Shout 'Terra! Terra! Terra!'
Check.

Still can't get those numbers up?
Wheel out the ghoulish xenophobia of homosexuality.
Check.

Don't forget the bonus hypocrisy: I have never met a male Republican that thought pornography involving lesbian (or lesbian activity) was gross, yet every one to the man is against homosexual marriage.

[krispos42]

103. Can't forget flag burning!

God, I need that anti-flag-burning amentment really bad. Every day I buy dozens of American flags and burn them. I can't help it; it's some dark compulsion. Thankfully, Bush and Frist will save me from myself by banning flag-burning. I can feel the love already...

[marmar]

42. Willie Horton, draped in a rainbow flag...

When your party's political fortunes are in the toilet, turn to gay bashing... :(. One day, this tactic isn't going to work for them - let's hope it's this year.

[maxsolomon]

44. 2/3rds approval in the Senate means they need Dem votes

may i suggest that we encourage our Senators to call bullshit on this demagoguery?

will they heed our advice? they need 12 dem votes to get to 67, right?

[VegasWolf]

47. Don't worry, the DLC has plenty of DINOs to get it through. nt

[maxsolomon]

77. WHO are the senators most likely to vote FOR it?

they need some targeting.

[Charlie Brown]

81. Byrd and Ben Nelson (NE) supported it in '04 nt

[Charlie Brown]

80. Specter and McCain have said they oppose it

I don't see how it can possibly pass even if Byrd and Ben Nelson support it again.

The "Flag Protection Amendment" on the other hand...

[katinmn]

45. If all the Repukes and DINOs follow their leader, it could pass!

Just look at all the horrible things the cult has done to this country in six years. The Repukes are desperate. They might just try to cash in on all the hatred and do this for the knuckle-draggers' votes. If they vote party line and continue to get "bi-partisan" support, watch out.

[greymattermom]

48. chromosome test

Doesn't this mean that a marriage liscence will require a chromosome test? They should introduce that legislation in every state if they're serious about this.

[eppur_se_muova]

76. That would make an interesting amendment--could a Dem propose it?

Imagine the resentment if Mr. and Miss Middle America suddenly found themselves facing the possibility that they had to PROVE their gender to the gummint.

Oh, and let's raise the possibility that it's retroactive, so EVERYONE has to get checked...

[sutz12]

105. Good point....

will the amendment cover those who are trans-gendered?

Will getting an operation be considered a loophole?

Maybe this isn't as simple as they think it is. :)

[Brigid]

49. This is all Bush has to worry about?

We are in the midst of a war that seemingly will never end. We've got environmental concerns. We have a record deficit. Our health care and educational systems are in a shambles. Housing costs are soaring in most markets. Civil liberties are under attack through the Patriot Act and domestic spying. Mexico is using this country as a safety valve to avoid dealing with its own problems. Our economy is in trouble because of stagnant wages and outsourcing. Nearly every other country in the world either hates us or thinks we've gone batshit crazy, or both. We're so divided politically we can't get anything done anymore. And Bush is worrying about who is marrying whom? :wtf:

[sofa king]

50. Here's a couple more amendments the President might like to consider:

* An amendment to permanently seal the miliary records of all servicemen who signed the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth petition, replacing their records with the statement "defamed the career of a fellow serviceman."

* An amendment to revoke the citizenship of any and all proven to have delayed or interfered with any official investigation into the attacks of September 11, 2001, with no statute of limitations, no appeal, and no possibility of Presidential pardon.

* An amendment to revoke the citizenship of anyone proven to have assisted in the theft of a federal election, gerrymandering, or illegally diverting campaign contributions to those efforts, with no statute of limitations, no appeal, and no possibility of Presidential pardon.

* An amendment creating a review board with subpoeana power and the authority to revoke Presidential pardons issued by the Bush Administration and to re-try those found to have been pardoned for crimes committed in the service of a Presidential administration, with the authority to revoke citizenship, with no statute of limitations, no appeal, and no possibility of Presidential pardon.

* An amendment requiring revoked citizens to divest all property and stock interests in the United States, and to leave the country within 180 days. Once outside of the United States, a revoked citizen may never return.

You want to start pushing amendments to curtail the rights of Americans, eh, Mr. Bush? Well, I think it's time to kick your asses out permanently.

If the Republicans are right about their behavior of late, then only half a dozen Americans will be affected by these amendments.

If I'm right, then the immigration problem in America is solved for the next two generations.

[Name removed]

86. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. 
[link:www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html|Click
here] to review the message board rules.

[krispos42]

104. love it, love it, love it

[rhett o rick]

135. Tell Fristy-pants we WILL NOT waste our time debating this issue.

Proceed with your amendment and lets vote on it as soon as possible. In fact prohibiting flag burning should be included in the amendment.

[Lautremont]

53. "Bush to come out," full stop, would be an awesome headline.

The Mason-Dixon line would rumble like the San Andreas fault.

(apologies to the many bajillions of non-bush-loving, non-homophobes in the South.)

[frylock]

54. this should bring down the price of gas, right?

I hate these a-holes. I really, really do.

[secular humanoid]

55. [b] Federal Marriage Amendment is a HATE CRIME[/b]

Federal Marriage Amendment is a HATE CRIME

There's just no excuse!




peace

[xxqqqzme]

56. I'm appalled it got

FORTY EIGHT votes 2 years ago. Lordy, lordy, we are in a heap of trouble here.

Good thing that the frister hauled this out just in time for deflection from that 'incident' in Haditha.

[liberalmuse]

57. Sheer genius...

LOL! I love it! This ought to raise his approval ratings by...0 points! He's already got the firm support of America's bigots, facists and all around haters. ??? This must be about trying to rake in more fundie money for the mid-terms. On the other hand, if Bush were to legalize gay marriage, it might actually improve his dismal approval ratings AND marriage statistics in this country.

[BigDDem]

59. I can hardly wait to hear

"Jammin" Ken Melhman justify this.

[MikeNY]

60. Letting out a collective yawn for the US

*yawn*

At least we know they have a good set of priorities as far as what the American people care about..

[Bretttido]

61. Bring it on!

In just 2 years, gay acceptance has increased and strong opposition to gay marriage has dropped significantly.

http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=273

I say bring it on Bushies! This should be framed as aiding the cause (or giving into the pressure) of the Westboro Baptist Church's message. Their slogans of course being "God hates fags" and "Thank God for dead soldiers". To see Bush pass the "Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act" then immediately line up with their anti-gay stance is priceless.

[young_at_heart]

62. He is sending a strong message of hate

Sexual orientation should have nothing to do with politics. Republicans should hang their head in shame, but I can picture Bill Frist, with his overly self-righteous face, standing at Bush's side for this.

[kimmylavin]

63. Called

Woman was very nice and took my comment.
Then I called all my friends and family, gave them the number, and asked them to do the same.
Don't we ALL have more relevant things to spend our time on?

PS: I say relevant, not important. :)

[subterranean]

64. What's that old Texas saying?

Fool me once, shame on...shame on you. Fool me twice.................fool me, can't get fooled again.

[Bridget Burke]

68. "Crazy as a rat on acid."

An old Texas saying that fits the Idiot even better.

[Bucky]

72. I'm from Texas. The actual expression is "Crazy as a cokehead on vodka..."

"...in the Oval Office."

[DFW]

65. The point is:

"I'm down in the polls, can't seem to do anything right, Republican
candidates for Congress are starting to treat me like I'm radioactive
(unless I come bearing millions in RNC funds), and want me to do SOMEthing
to get voters' minds off the fact that I am a Republican. OK, Karl, what is
left to distract people?"

Never mind that some of the highest rates of divorce and violence with marriage
are to be found in those oh-so Christian red states, like my own Texas.

Pandering, indeed. Desperate pandering, even.

[Roland99]

66. Flip-Flop! Flip-Flop! Flip-Flop! Flip-Flop!

Pandering asshole.

[CorwinB]

67. Well...

It's certainly easier to support FMA than FEMA, right ? "Heckuvajob" and all...

[KansDem]

69. Again, the GOP looks to the Constitution as a means to restrict rights

Have you noticed that every time a Republican proposes an amendment, it restricts what the individual can do? We tried that with the 18th amendment, and it didn't work. By contrast, the first 10 amendments restrict what the state can do. But Repubs what the Constitution to restrict what the individual can do. Don't they ever grow weary of trying to legislate morality?

[eppur_se_muova]

79. Thank you for being just about the only one to point out that this is NOT

what amendments, or the Constitution, are for. I posted a rant about this awhile ago, added it to my skimpy journal:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2292586&mesg_id=2292949

[liberal N proud]

70. It got out the fundy vote in Ohio in the 2004 election

Maybe they think it will work on a national level.

I am sure glad our government is working on things that help the majority of Americans, after all the greatest threat to America today it the homo-pandemic. RIGHT?

:sarcasm:

[eppur_se_muova]

71. "Bush to come out..." Didn't you always wonder ? nt

[Occulus]

75. If this passed, what would be next? n/t

[Charlie Brown]

78. He "came out" in favor of this more than two years ago

Does the base think he has changed his mind or re-assessed gay marriage since then? If this "conference" is not shameless pandering and election-year gay-baiting (which Laura Bush claimed was bad), then nothing is.

Is he going to re-state his on-again off-again support for civil unions? The base will just love that.

[janx]

82. The Chimp is not a homophobe, as you probably know.

It's worse. He uses sexual orientation and some kinds of religion for his political purposes. Everything the man does is political. He can't have a genuine bone in his body.

But I am curious...has he ever supported civil unions?

[Charlie Brown]

84. That position seems to change each time he mentions it

Apparently, he thinks "the states" should confer legal rights on same-sex couples, but he has directly acknowledged that those legal arrangements are "rights," which the government cannot withhold according to the law.

Basically, he supports whatever will keep his bigot base happy, while still keeping him viable to the center. He also thinks "intelligent design" should be taught as science. :eyes:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6338458/

A number of the state constitutional amendments have also banned civil unions, so I guess he technically opposes them?:wtf:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

85. Dear Mr President,

Please put an end to the continuous attempts to pry into people's personal lives. My marriage is not threatened by my gay and lesbian friends' commitments to each other. Why should their marriages be threatened by heterosexual commitments?

Thank you for listening, asshole.

[lilypad_567]

88. what about relationship?

okay, so they want a law that ban homosexual marriage, but what about the homosexual relationship, don't a homosexual relationship make a heterosexual relationship less sacred? will, anyways, one of the big right wing arguments are that if a homosexual wants to get married, then why they just married another homosexual who is the opposite sex, like a gay man married a lesbian women, that they have no problem with. what is y'all argument for that?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

93. I'm sure they'd love to do away with the relationships, too

but I strongly suspect Dumbyass' main motivator is the insurance pigs; who don't want to lose money on benefits for same-sex couples. It's bad enough that they pay them to the straight element.

[Chipper Chat]

89. If it passes Congress can create a new Cabinet post:

"Secretary of Homo-hating."
Bush can appoint Fred Phelps as "head" secretary. And Jerry Falwell can be "under him." (puns intended).

[teknomanzer]

90. I thought congress could not pass ex post facto laws...

thus those who are already married cannot have their marriages nullified... that would be ex post facto - would it not?

If you thinking about getting hitched, do it now.

[Charlie Brown]

91. This is a proposed constitutional amendment

Since the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, congress and the states can in theory change it any way they want.

If they want to bar Muslims, Atheists, or short people from legally recognized marriage, they could do that, too (though it would be equally insipid).

[nealmhughes]

94. Article I, Section 9

no ex post facto laws. See also the section on supreme law of the land, Artile VI, in which treaties are also the supreme law of the land. I do not know how many of our treaties regard the institution of the validity of marriage in one country when people legally emigrate to the USA, but I'd wager there are a-plenty. The treaty that transferred Spanish West Florida to the USA resulted in so called "treaty blacks" which were free people of color and their descendents who were guaranteed their full civil rights as US citizens (as being former citizens of the Empire of Spain) upon entry of West Florida into the USA. This was the cause of numerous law suits where the federal courts held consistently that treaties trumped Alabama and Florida state law. Sounds like a can o'worms that the homophobes have never even considered! Under precedence, could a couple legally married in say Canada have one legally emigrate to the USA and then claim under treaty rights their same sex wedded partner access to the status under US law? Methinks it is worth considering...but then I'm no lawyer.

[superconnected]

92. And just today a freeper was on another site I hang on explaining

that he Liked gays and gay hating was a sterotype the dems invented for the repukes.

You gotta wonder how someone could like the gays so much that he votes for someone into destroying gay rights and gay equality.

anyway,

Thanks bush, you would put an intentionally discriminating clause into the US Constitution. So much for equal protection and freedoms and all that other stuff that america stood(and died) for before you took office.

[unblock]

95. i wonder how my own marriage can survive with all these gay marriages

:sarcasm:

[krispos42]

101. It's Massachusetts' fault?

So then my wife of five years (and a pastor's daughter, no less) left me last year because all those married gays in Mass and Alberta emitted some sort of psychic vibration?

Oh, god, this ranks on my personal 'List of Important Shit to Do' several slots below establishing a wing at the Smithsonian for slide rules.

And for you non-geeks out there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_rule

[Zynx]

110. Oh I'm just quaking in my boots.

[IndianaGreen]

114. So the GOP only champions states' rights when it is convenient

but when their Bible-thumping inbred followers want to persecute gays, the GOP quickly will impose Bible Belt morality on the enlightened parts of this country.

Well, Jesus was either married to Mary Magdalene, or he had a gay relationship with gender bender John.

[demo dutch]

118. but "Marriage" is a "State issue" it will never pass

[young_at_heart]

120. The "Christian" movement has had this planned......get out the vote!

Evangelical and other Christians will rally behind Bush in a horribly self-righteous way and encourage all their friends and relatives to vote Republican in the red states.....the ministers will make it happen. They can then feel good about their activism and the fact that the country is on a downward spiral will go unnoticed.

[BigDDem]

123. OK Mary Cheney, you spineless coward...here's your chance (again)

Let 'er rip!

[Blackhatjack]

125. Any truth to rumor Bush's Own Marriage is on the rocks?

At least one tabloid is reporting Laura and George have split, and other unverified sources are saying Laura has moved into the Mayflower Hotel.

How hard is it to verify the Mayflower Hotel allegation? You go by there, observe whether Secret Service are guarding the place during daytime hours, and report your findings.

If this is true, it should go down well with conservatives while Bush makes his speech in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act.

[sakabatou]

126. My what a bubble he lives in

Divorce can be much worse then two people of the same sex getting married. And how the hell, in rationale terms, does gay marriage hurt people?

[OKNancy]

127. k

[rodeodance]

128. AP -Bush backs amendment banning gay marriage

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060603/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_gay_marriage

Bush backs amendment banning gay marriage

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer Sat Jun 3, 12:01 AM ET

WASHINGTON -
President Bush will promote a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on Monday, the eve of a scheduled Senate vote on the cause that is dear to his conservative backers.

The amendment would prohibit states from recognizing same-sex marriages. To become law, the proposal would need two-thirds support in the Senate and House, and then be ratified by at least 38 state legislatures.

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 (news, bio, voting record) of Nebraska — says he will vote for it.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the amendment on May 18 along party lines after a shouting match between a Democrat and the chairman, Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa. He bid Sen. Russ Feingold (news, bio, voting record), D-Wis., "good riddance" after Feingold declared his opposition to the amendment and his intention to leave the meeting.

[marmar]

129. When your party's political ship is sinking....

Turn to the tried-and-true method of bashing gays and lesbians. Eventually, this bullshit isn't going to work for them anymore. :grr:

[saltpoint]

130. My hunch is that George Bush doesn't even know what gay sex IS.

He's supporting the amendment because his handlers have told him he has no other options for jacking up the approval polls.

So they're decided to have the Decider come out front on a federal amendment, even though it is likely doomed in the U.S. Congress. Those red-meat fundies out there want to string up the lesbians and gays and so they'll champion Bush's opposition to an inalienable right.

This is one source of the problem. The leader of the free world is presiding over an initiative to prevent the formal emotional commitment of one person to another person based solely on which set of genitalia they were born with, and for no better reason than to save his own political ass.

That isn't my idea of a president.

That isn't my idea of an adult.

[rodeodance]

131. ..A slim majority of Americans oppose gay marriage,.....

.....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.

Those poll results don't reflect how people might feel about amending the Constitution to ban gay marriage.

The Massachusetts Supreme Court decided to legalize such marriages in 2003. A year later, San Francisco issued thousands of marriage licenses to gay couples.

This November, initiatives banning same-sex marriages are expected to be on the ballot in Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. In 2004, 13 states approved initiatives prohibiting gay marriage or civil unions, with 11 states casting votes on Election Day.

[rodeodance]

132. Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska — says he will vote for it.

...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 (news, bio, voting record) of Nebraska — says he will vote for it.

[Strathos]

133. Don't they usually say "stands little chance of passing"

when they are actually saying, it will go through if you don't write your senators and tell them to vote otherwise?

[JHH]

134. We need to take advantage of this by

Pointing out what is a real threat to the american family is the republican party wasting time and money on this issue while the real needs of our families are ignored

[mvd]

137. Geez, he sure spent a lot of time on

investigating Haditha. :sarcasm:

Unbelievable. And his use of "activist judges" again made we want to break my radio - I think only Malloy being on saved it.