Posted on 08/19/2006 8:36:51 AM PDT by LdSentinal
MADISON — Forty-eight percent of likely Wisconsin voters favor a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage while 40 percent oppose the measure, according to a statewide poll released Friday.
But the poll paid for WISC-TV of Madison and conducted by Research 2000 showed 12 percent were not sure.
And the telephone poll of 600 likely voters conducted Monday through Wednesday was listed as having a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
The amendment would declare that marriage is between one man and one woman and that unmarried individuals cannot be granted a legal status similar to marriage such as civil unions pioneered by Vermont.
It has been approved in two consecutive legislative sessions and only needs voter approval Nov. 7 to take effect.
Supporters have said the amendment would defend marriage from legal challenges seeking to grant same-sex couples the right to marry, such as one that was successful in Massachusetts. Critics have said the amendment is not needed because state law already defines marriage as between a husband and wife.
The poll showed that men who responded favored the amendment 51 percent to 38 percent with 11 percent not sure, compared with women favoring it 45 percent to 42 percent with 13 percent not sure.
Democrats polled opposed the amendment 52 percent to 39 percent, with 9 percent not sure, while Republicans favored it 65 percent to 20 percent with 15 percent unsure and independents opposed it 50 percent to 38 percent with 12 percent not sure.
There's only one poll that counts. The one where registered voters show up and cast their legal ballots. In those kind of polls, you'll never see gay marriage winning.
Just what exactly is this supposed to protect married people from?
My husband and I lived together for two years and had a child before we got married. We initially didn't want to get married because we wanted to be together by choice, not because some piece of paper had our signatures on it.
With all the baggage marriage brings along with it, and all the divorces that happen, the only benefit to getting married IS for benefits. This amendment sounds like bs to me.
Here is a general principle for Americans to follow --- IN MATTERS OF GRAVE SOCIAL IMPORTANCE -- LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE.
Want gay marriage ? Let's have a referendum. Want schools to teach certain things in the curriculum ? Let the local tax payers vote on it.
THE LAST THING WE SHOULD DO IS TO GIVE LESS THAN 10 JUDGES THE POWER TO DECIDE THINGS FOR US. IF WE DO, WE MIGHT AS WELL MAKE THIS COUNTRY A JUDICIAL DICTATORSHIP.
The problem with NJ and Mass. is that in both cases, the judges took it upon themselves to FORCE, yes, I said FORCE the legislature to draft a law to legitimatize a lifestyle they ( the judges ) deem to be normal.
Massachusett's legislature showed their fecklesness by quaking on their boots in the face of a few judges and complied. I suspect, NJ won't be any different, what with their Dem-controlled legislature.
For once, I'd like to see a state legislature give liberal judges the finger and tell them to their faces -- HEY YOU !, WE MAKE THE LAWS, YOU MERELY INTERPRET THEM. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL US WHAT LAWS TO MAKE. SO SUE US !
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