Gay-marriage ban a no-win deal for Bush

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | 5-22-06 | Dick Polman

[Aetius]

The American Debate

Gay-marriage ban a no-win deal for Bush

By Dick Polman Inquirer Political Analyst

The religious conservatives who worked hard to reelect President Bush in 2004 have long anticipated that the White House would reward them by pushing a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

But that's not happening.

Too many other issues predominate, everything from Iraq to immigration. As a result, Bush seems ill-positioned to spend dwindling political capital on a social crusade - especially at a time when a nod toward greater religiosity might turn off secular Republican voters and thus imperil the moderate Republicans in Congress who are already struggling to keep their jobs in November.

So the religious right, which may well have been pivotal in helping Bush keep his job, appears destined for major disappointment in 2006....

[Aetius]

Some good examples of where the writer reveals his bias is when he speaks of "socially tolerant districts in the Northeast" with the clear implication being that those areas of the nation (which is most places) that oppose gay marriage are socially intolerant.

I don't know who this Fabrizio is, but this passage is strange;

--"Fabrizio estimates, based on his own surveys, that half of today's Republicans are "theocrats" who want government to "promote traditional values by protecting traditional marriage," as opposed to wanting less government intrusion into personal lives.--"

With regards to marriage, this is a false choice. Preserving marriage in law and as public policy as it has always been is not an intrusion into personal lives. And if it is, then how is the actions of a few judges (who are, afterall, simply members of another branch of govt) to impose recognition of same-sex marriage not an intrusion? I'll be the question has never been put that way, but it should be. How is it that the fight to preserve what has always been, and what is in no need of change, has come to be portrayed as the villain? Fabrizio must be one of those Republicans embarrassed at having evangelicals and conservative Catholics as part of the base.

This article also sets up nicely the idea that if the GOP loses this Nov, then it may be those pesky social conservative's fault no matter what. If the GOP actually pushes hard, then it will because they scared 'moderates' into voting Dem, but if the GOP does not push hard, then it will be because those petty conservatives stayed home.

But I'll give the writer some credit for pointing out Howard Dean's false claims.

[Clintonfatigued]

Is this article what they call wishful thinking?

[Mr Ramsbotham]

With a name like Dick Polman he has zero credibility on the issue.

[Dutch Boy]

Must be very wishful thinking. In the last election, gay marriage was voted down at a massive level. Eleven out of eleven states.

[capt. norm]

I think the 'gay marriage' thing is being pushed by lawyers who realize they can make money in the 'gay divorces' which quickly follow.

So far, that plan is working $$$.

[Starter]

Yep. It's certainly a bad idea for the Republicans to back an issue supported by 70-80% of the population. That's a sure path to defeat.

(Yes, it's sarcasm.)

[RoccoJ]

I am very disappointed by this. Bush cannot be re-elected to a third term, so he should be pushing the adgenda that he was elected on even harder!!!!!

[hsalaw]

Fabrizio estimates, based on his own surveys, that half of today's Republicans are "theocrats"

I'll be there were TWO people in his "survey" and he was one of them.

[Revel]

"especially at a time when a nod toward greater religiosity might turn off secular Republican voters and thus imperil the moderate Republicans in Congress who are already struggling to keep their jobs in November."


In other words this article is telling Bush to screw the Conservatives. If he does that(along with the congressman) then we shall see what happens to these "moderate" Republicans. I hope they all wise up before November.

[muawiyah]

Any of these leftwingnuts who come out with the "theocrat" nonsense are clearly delusional and/or don't understand the big words they find themselves forced to use.

"Score something man?" may well be the extent of this guy's weekend entertainment anyway.

[Sunsong]

Why are so many moderate Republican voters feeling alienated? Party strategist Craig Shirley suggested, "There is a fear, among some in the party, that the Republicans are being identified too much as a theological party." With good reason, apparently: Fabrizio estimates, based on his own surveys, that half of today's Republicans are "theocrats" who want government to "promote traditional values by protecting traditional marriage," as opposed to wanting less government intrusion into personal lives.

What Bauer didn't mention is that the polls show far less support for amending the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. And the subject doesn't seem to register on the intensity scale, either. The latest Fox News poll, released Friday, listed the 20 issues that Americans are most concerned about, and gay marriage didn't even make the list.

Those are paragraphs to take seriously. There will be no federal marriage amendment this year. Stick a fork in it.

[Sunsong]

Yep. It's certainly a bad idea for the Republicans to back an issue supported by 70-80% of the population. That's a sure path to defeat.

Don't delude yourself. Only 50% of Americans want a fed marriage amendment. This will NEVER happen in this Congress.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Any of these leftwingnuts who come out with the "theocrat" nonsense are clearly delusional and/or don't understand the big words they find themselves forced to use.

Hey, you can even see some of those here!

[JCEccles]

Don't delude yourself. Only 50% of Americans want a fed marriage amendment. This will NEVER happen in this Congress

Let's get the votes on the record. Let's line up the names.

And let's unburden the truth and get it out where we can see it clearly: it is gay marriage that would result in greater governmental intrusion into the lives of Americans. Banning gay marriage would RESTRICT the power of government.

So does Roe v. Wade restrict the power of government. But there is no moral equivalence between abortion and traditional marriage. The former is a vile disease, the latter an essential condition for the continued good health of this nation. Thus, government should be loosed to protect innocent life and restricted from forcing acceptance of gay marriage (which would destroy traditional marriage by dilution)

[conserv13]

It's certainly a bad idea for the Republicans to back an issue supported by 70-80% of the population

Please link to the poll where a Constitutional amendment on marriage has support of "70-80%" of the population.

[newgeezer]

the writer reveals his bias is when he speaks of "socially tolerant..." with the clear implication being that those [who] oppose gay marriage are socially intolerant.

I have no problem with that. Intolerance of evil isn't a bad thing.

[DungeonMaster]

Maybe the only reason the gays have gone political is to turn the religious right against the Republican party. It might be working because I'm feeling like I want an amendment.

[jmaroneps37]

I don't know who this Fabrizio is,
he is a guy who has a long history of being wrong. I worked on the same campaign with him some years back and found him to be a dull blade.

[Starter]

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20050401-114205-2153r.htm

It's a year old, only 68%, and not asking about an amendment. (shrug) The numbers I pulled off the top of my head are off.

[DBeers]

Homosexual Agenda Ping!

If you oppose the homosexualization of society
-add yourself to the ping list!

To be included in or removed from the
HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA PING LIST,
please FReepMail either DBeers or DirtyHarryY2k.

Free Republic homosexual agenda keyword search [ Add keyword = homosexualagenda to flag FR articles to this ping list ]

Gay-marriage ban a no-win deal for Bush

LOL - It seems the delusional leftist spin meisters are working overtime? Maintaining delusion is hard work!