Backers of Gay Marriage Ban Use Social Security as Cudgel

[justin899]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 - A coalition of major conservative Christian groups is threatening to withhold support for President Bush's plans to remake Social Security unless Mr. Bush vigorously champions a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

The move came as Senate Republicans vowed on Monday to reintroduce the proposed amendment, which failed in the Senate last year by a substantial margin. Party leaders, who left it off their list of priorities for the legislative year, said they had no immediate plans to bring it to the floor because they still lacked the votes for passage.

But the coalition that wrote the letter, known as the Arlington Group, is increasingly impatient.

In a confidential letter to Karl Rove, Mr. Bush's top political adviser, the group said it was disappointed with the White House's decision to put Social Security and other economic issues ahead of its paramount interest: opposition to same-sex marriage.

The letter, dated Jan. 18, pointed out that many social conservatives who voted for Mr. Bush because of his stance on social issues lack equivalent enthusiasm for changing the retirement system or other tax issues. And to pass to pass any sweeping changes, members of the group argue, Mr. Bush will need the support of every element of his coalition.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/25/politics/25marriage.html

Question is who is he going to sell out first? Corporations or Religionists?

[BayCityProgressive]

1. he will dance between them

he has done it for 4 years he is good at it. The sick thing is "Christians" are offering to plunge millions into poverty because of their obsession with gay sex.

[marmar]

2. So, so true

But why are they so threatened by and/or obsessed with gay sex? What impact does it have on the clearly very narrow worlds they live in? It would be funny if it wasn't so damn scary!

:shrug:

[Touchdown]

8. They're not afraid of the sex, but the ciriticsms

of hair like this.



Their fragile sensibilities couldn't take the makeover.

[Coastie for Truth]

4. A good dissection is

"What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America" by Thomas Frank

[asjr]

3. Conservative blackmail.

[Dark]

5. That's because Bush and the Repub leaders know that

their kind (conservatives) are shrinking in number. They are still quite large, but they are going to eventually bring in gays, and other groups, who have significant groups that would vote republican except they champion such clauses.

[Petrushka]

6. "In a confidential letter to Karl Rove...."???

"In a confidential letter to Karl Rove...", the NYT article tells us (cough) confidentially that "(T)he group said it was disappointed with the White House's decision to put Social Security and other economic issues ahead of its paramount interest: opposition to same-sex marriage." Kinda makes ya wonder what Rove is really tryin' to say to the Arlington Group!

[Brian_Expat]

7. Prepare for the Republican Crackup!

This sort of thing is going to become increasingly common -- the religious conservatives want things that are bad for business, and the economic conservatives will only tolerate that for so long before revolting.