[Chancellor Palpatine]

*sigh*

This crap is radioactive in the 'burbs on the coasts and in the Heartland. It probably doesn't play that well down South.

Its all part and parcel of what your average suburban voter is interested in government doing - the economy, national security, management efficiency, cognizance of how taxes are raised and spent, infrastructure. Most of them have gay family members, work with gays or have gay acquaintances, and will not sell real well on it as a whole.

And like it or not, those people are the swing moderates that decide an election - it is, in the end, all about the math.

[aristeides]

The moderates in the middle may not like to see sodomy laws enforced. But what evidence do you have that they support gay marriage?

[Sabertooth]

This crap is radioactive in the 'burbs on the coasts and in the Heartland. It probably doesn't play that well down South.

Not sure if that's wishful thinking, or defeatism. Incorrect, either way.

This Amendment, or something like it, is going to pass 2/3 of both houses of Congress and 3/4 of the state legislatures.

It's same-sex marriage that's radioactive, even in California. Really. Let Howard Dean and the Dems run with it.

[NeoCaveman]

And like it or not, those people are the swing moderates that decide an election - it is, in the end, all about the math.

Look at the DOMA vote, it was huge. The moderates may not be as left as you think they are.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

This crap is radioactive in the 'burbs on the coasts and in the Heartland. It probably doesn't play that well down South.

What polls are you citing! Good lord, this is pure populism to be against Gay marriage. Its something like 80% are opposed it. The numbers have shocked me. I'm all for building up an opponent to prevent them outflanking you, but if you are actually saying that this, along with Dean's other positions are setting him up for anything beyond and McGovern-esk landslide you are kidding yourself.

[Antoninus]

This crap is radioactive in the 'burbs on the coasts and in the Heartland. It probably doesn't play that well down South.

I'm a suburban voter and I disagree wholeheartedly. Maybe some suburbanites are decadent, amoral slobs, but I wouldn't bet that it's a majority. Even here in liberal NJ I'll bet a Constitutional Marriage Amendment would fly through.

As for the heartland, you're obviously smoking the wacky tobacky tonight. 37 states have already passed marriage amendments to their state constitutions.

Most of them have gay family members, work with gays or have gay acquaintances, and will not sell real well on it as a whole.

I had some "gay" acquaintances on the job.... It did not make me into a partisan of their causes.... quite the opposite when I witnessed the havoc and devastation that was their lives. The gay "deathstyle" is poison to a family. Many parents are too weak to do anything but coddle their spoiled children when they "come out." But not a majority by any means. There is still plenty of tough love out there.