We have two years.........

[Burma Jones]

There are already indications that the Republicans are going to do a few things that will affect how we make gains. First off, Arlen Specter is telling the White House that he doesn't want to see Roe v Wade overturned, thus he doesn't want to see a Judge that may do just that. This is a double edged sword. First off, the first Justice to go is probably Rehnquist, so a RW judge would be the same as the Chief. If Roe v Wade is overturned, then it will be left up to the states to decide abortion. If this happens, the Republicans have lost their biggest vote getter and the people that cannot bring themselves to vote for Democrats because of a perceived callousness to moral values will now be able to vote for other issues, issues that we will win. On the other hand, I don't believe Roe v Wade will ever be overturned because the Republicans need that decision. When the "moral issues" voters do not get that prize, they will feel betrayed by the Republicans. The Democrats are going to have to allow the Republicans to put up or shut up. Remember, Bush has already said that he does not want to make abortion illegal. He has also said that the War and Tax Cuts are his big priorities - NOT moral issues.

The other big issue is Gay Marriage. This is the fight between whether people tolerate homosexuality, which I believe a large majority is willing to do and embracing and celebrating homosexuality, which I believe most people are not willing to do. If this issue can be couched, as Barry Goldwater did, as a simple Equal Protection Constitutional issue, I think it becomes neutral.

I also think we need to throw in the towel on guns. Although state and local governments MUST be allowed to make thier own decisions. If the Republicans want to coerce State and Local governments to dissemble their own gun laws, it will be couched as Federal Governemnt tyrrany, which Right Wingers fear more than Hillary. They have already started this in DC, but DC has different rules.

[Mistress Quickly]

1. I think

that is issues such as gun control and abortion and gay marriage were left up to states', then I would know where I want to live, as opposed to red GA.

[TexasSissy]

2. Gay marriage. As someone who is up in the air on this issue, I can

tell you that it's not really about tolerating homosexuality vs. celebrating it.

Gay marriage is about "marriage" among homosexuals. It is a separate issue from toleration of homosexuality.

Gay activists have tried previously to get an equal protection/equal rights clause about homosexuality into the Constitution, and failed. So what you're talking about is simply trying to do that again. People have that right, to keep trying. But middle America, though tolerant of homosexuality in some respects, will never accept homosexuality as a natural state equal to heterosexuality, and of course religious people have that "sin" thing going.

The best issue that gay activists have in making ground is the adoption issue. This is a common sense thing to many people. Why leave a child in an orphanage when it could have a loving home, even if that home is gay? Even Bill O'Reilly is in favor of this, to a certain degree.

But marriage or an equal protection clause? That will not happen anytime soon, and any party who tries to push that will not win at the polls. Middle America will simply not accept it. But of course, failure never stops people from tying, I guess. But you've seen the result of pushing this issue during an election year: a number of states moved quickly to ban gay marriage in their state constitutions, and those propositions won by overwhelming majorities in those states.

[Brian_Expat]

3. That's one reason why I'm considering just not moving back

I'm approaching my thirties, and I don't want to spend that fighting for the right to have what all those idiotic "middle Americans" take for granted. I'll stay in Europe where I can have a dose of equal treatment and not have to explain why I deserve to breathe to a bunch of mouth-breathers.

[TexasSissy]

4. Gay marriage is allowed where in Europe? I think I heard

the Netherlands and Holland, maybe? Not in Britain, though, or is it? France? I guess I'm not up on all the places where it's allowed or where gays have equal protection.