Yes, they are separate issue; however, I would suggest they are rooted in the same morally corrupt liberal agenda... Regardless, if conservatives write the laws -who cares how the liberals 'spin'...
My complaint is about every article I read presenting things as though conservatives are weary of or divided on conservative causes. I remember reading a Nytimes article saying that Evangelicals werent planning to vote this year, looks like they were wrong on that one, ;)