Hey folks, the gay marriage ammendment may help us. Here's how...

[jeter]

I think George W. Bush, not really known for his intelligence, committed the dumbest political move with this gay marriage ammendment. Because:

first, even though support for gay marriage is low overall. Only about 50% want an ammendment. The number is pretty evenly split. But the interesting thing is who supports it and who doesn't.

- About 60% of Republicans support a gay marriage ammendment. The opposite is true of Democrats. About 60% oppose it.

Now how many Democrats do you know, who oppose gay marriage and support this ban will make it their top priority? The vast majority of Democrats are so energized to defeat Bush that this whole ammendment is inconsequential.

BUT, of those 60% of Republicans who support it. REALLY SUPPORT IT. They want it. It must get done now. Anything less would be a real let down for them. However, 40% of Republicans OPPOSE the ban. Which means that they may be turned off this obvious example of Republicans trying to pick a culture war fight in order to distract people from the real issues: the sinking economy. The loss of jobs. The loss of health care coverage, etc.

This creates a huge opportunity for us.

Our strategy should be three fold:

First, publicly oppose gay marriage. Support civil unions, etc. But oppose gay marriage. Make the argument that NOT A SINGLE Democrat running for President, Congress, Senate or Governor is proposing gay marriage.

Second, accuse the Republicans of purposefully dividing the country. Accuse them of creating an issue - so they can win an election. "Isn't it funny," we should say, "that after 4 years of controlling Congress, the Judiciary, and the Presidency that the Republicans have suddenly come up with an ammendment for banning gay marriage? In an election year no less."

Third, oppose the gay marriage ammendment on that basis. Saying that it is only meant to divide the American people and the Republicans should be ashamed of themselves. Argue that we should have legislation:

a) creating jobs

b) providing health care for every one.

c) improving the economy.

You catch my drift.

I see this as bad news for the Republicans. Because the only people they are going to divide is their own party.

[sable302]

1. I don't think we should oppose gay marriage

Having said that though, I believe that opposing this drive to amend the constitution is so easy, it's almost a gift directly to us from GWB (and the best part is he'll never know what hit him). We don't even have to make everybody change their minds and suddenly begin supporting gay unions or whatever.

You mentioned it in your third point, which I agree with completely. The dem candidate only needs to mention that if the administration REALLY wants to protect marriages and families, they would be working to protect jobs, end the causes of poverty, protect education, provide quality universal health-care, affordable housing, ending the war (which is keeping family members thousands of miles apart), etc...

I'm sure we could come up with hundreds of other ways that the administration is failing to really protect marriages and families, and not one of them has anything to do with preventing a mere 2-3% of the population from declaring themselves a couple.

This is such a no-brainer, that I was almost giddy when I heard Bush publicly support this misguided project.

[Kamika]

2. I posted something about this

I agree with you.

BUT

It might also be that he republicans opposing this doesn't care since they know it won't pass

[jeter]

5. Kamika, but that's the catch-22 for Bush

If he doesn't get it through, then those that REALLY SUPPORT it will be mad. If he does get it through, those that OPPOSE it will be mad.

I say the Democrats who oppose gay marriage don't really care about the issue. At least it's not among their top 5 (or even 10) issues.

I predict, the gay marriage issue will come back to bite Bush in the ass hard.

Because by putting himself on the line the way he has, he's damned if he does - damned if he doesn't.

[library_max]

11. Republicans aren't seriously divided on this issue.

Democrats are. Bush just wants to force Kerry and Edwards to vote on it.

[Scottie72]

3. you my friend are mistaken

DK supports gay marriage. The last i looked he still is a canidate.

[Qutzupalotl]

7. Sharpton too. n/t

[Scottie72]

9. I am sorry my mistake

Yes Sharpton does also. In my haste to respond I neglected Sharpton. I hope I didn't offend any Sharpton supporters out there, if I did I am sorry. Which is my second choice for the Dems.

[robertpaulsen]

8. Sharpton does too.

He said he supports it at a federal level in the last televised debate. While the front runners gave their guarded support to civil unions at the state level, Sharpton said that kind of support smacked of "states rights" and we all know how divisive that term can be. That debate made Sharpton my second favorite candidate, right after Kucinich.

[LoZoccolo]

4. I've been thinking this would backfire for some time.

I think only one out of the six Republicans I know would even want this amendment, much less not be embarassed that George W. Bush* is using it to get re-elected. Razz these moderates for it! Keep asking them if they support it or if they support adding even more prohibitions to the constitution! Ask when they're gonna go around to all their gay friends and tell them to sit tight while they get used to win an election...it'll mean low taxes for people of all sexual orientations! Then out the Republicans to your gay friends anyways and have them get all confronted about these wedge issue politics! Bring it up like all the time in front of other people who don't know! "Hi, I'd like you to meet (so-and-so)...he's a Republican."

[LoZoccolo]

6. Oh and I forgot...

...you'll probably get a lot that say they don't like what's going on...tell them they should write a letter to the RNC or the Bush campaign...ask to see it!

[jmowreader]

10. A true conservative would oppose this amendment

You don't amend the Constitution just because something pisses you off. That is the truth. And it's something we need to hit hard, and often.

If we did amend the Constitution at a whim, the Republicans who like to bring out the Internal Revenue Code on a forklift every April 15 so you can see how big it is would be bringing out the Constitution the same way while they demanded a constitutional convention to write a new, smaller one.

(This is not a rap on the Internal Revenue Code, which is as large as it is because it contains a section on every damn thing you can think of--if you buy a locomotive you have to file eleven different forms to deduct it.)

There seem to be two candidates with a chance to win the White House: Kerry and Edwards. Neither wants to amend the constitution; neither is in support of gay marriage. They both like civil unions; that's the way we really need to start. After, say, ten years of gay people entering civil unions and not getting out of them, while straights marry and divorce on a whim, the people will be more open to gay marriage. Right now, the prevailing picture your average straight gets when he or she thinks of gays is some guy dressed in leathers screwing 600 guys a year, not two people making a family. Civil unions are how you change that.