Posted on 06/05/2006 10:00:29 AM PDT by kellynla
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush and congressional Republicans are aiming the political spotlight this week on efforts to ban gay marriage, with events at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue - all for a constitutional amendment with scant chance of passage but wide appeal among social conservatives.
"Ages of experience have taught us that the commitment of a husband and wife to love and to serve one another promotes the welfare of children and the stability of society," Bush said in his weekly radio address. "Government, by recognizing and protecting marriage, serves the interests of all."
The president was to make further remarks Monday in favor of the amendment as the Senate opened three days of debate. Neither chamber, though, is likely to pass the amendment by the two-thirds majority required to send it to the states - three quarters of which would then have to approve it.
Many Republicans support the measure because they say traditional marriage strengthens society; others don't but concede the reality of election-year politics.
"Marriage between one man and one woman does a better job protecting children better than any other institution humankind has devised," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. "As such, marriage as an institution should be protected, not redefined."
But Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said he will vote against it on the floor but allowed it to survive his panel in part to give the Republicans the debate party leaders believe will pay off on Election Day. Specter has chosen a different battle with the Bush administration this week - a hearing Tuesday on the ways the FBI spies on journalists who publish classified information.
(Excerpt) Read more at ap.washingtontimes.com ...
I've never seen their recruiting offices or their contracts, or their tv commercials; do they have a scholarship program? Do parents have to sign the contract for minors? How long does boot camp last?
I'll bet the uniforms are FABULOUS.
This is called progress!?
Every time two sexual deviants get married, in nothing more than a blatant attempt to convince themselves and others that they are normal, it makes a mockery of marriage.
Well, that effort's not successful, but the uniforms ARE a disappointment. :-\
(The only "NHS" I know is the National Health Service).
The Republicans are using the gay marriage card in the similar fashion that the Democrats use the Social Security card. When they are in trouble in the polls, they will bring up these issues.
I will not get distracted with such cheap tricks. If the Republicans don't secure the borders and stem the tide of both legal and illegal immigration, there will be no free America to issue marriage certificates to gays, or straights for that matter.
i am against abortion but you don't amend the constitution ever to take away rights.
Hurray! They're still teaching civics SOMEwhere! :)
actually i said that wrong. You should only amend the constitution to expand rights. And you don't deal with screwed up courts by amending the consittution. That's how we got in this mess in the first place.
The worst amendment of the constutituion is the one that said the senate was directly elected by the people and not by the statehouses. Why don't we repeal that one. And it would fix much of the countries ilks.
and just to clarify, since snakes, donkeys, and other animals don't have the ability to enter into a legal contract...
Snakes, donkeys and mice can't enter into legal contracts? Pay a visit to wall street -- a lot of snakes, donkeys and mice...
You advocate a minority position AND your argument like a willow attempting to stand up to the force of a hurricane must necessarily bend to the reality recognized and detailed in tradition, conventional wisdom, common law and enacted law.
If you wish to disengage from reality and renounce your marital priveleges and accomodation then do so and shut up about it -get a divorce... Do not think that others must follow the few lemmings that choose a cliff bound existence...
Well, you make a good point.
If a State, or if the Federal government, says that two men or two women are "married", it does not change the fact that they aren't.
Just as if the government told you that your dog had five legs, because they were calling its tail a leg by regulation.
Agreed.
Isn't this 'social engineering'? This is a politically liberal thing to do -- using the power of govt to sanction victimless behavior "for the good of society".
Social conservatives are not always political conservatives.
Socially, I believe in 'live and let live'. If someone is not directly harming others with their actions, then the federal govt has no right to regulate that behavior.
This just pushes me even farther away from the R party. They have abandoned the 'contract with america' political conservatives. Now, they make it clear they're for 'social engineering'.
Someone on another thread put it perfectly: The party I voted for in '94 has become the party I voted against.
-more gnashing of teeth...
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