This effort CAN be understood. It says, simply, that FEDERAL courts cannot and will not mess with the definition of marriage in YOUR state. If YOUR courts still defend it, it will remain. So I think that in its present posture the issue will benefit Bush. (I thoroughly agree with you that it's danged near impossible to explain the constituional side of the issue to normal humans.)
John / Billybob
The FMA can return.
The limitation effort can easily be undone by a court determining the limitation is unconstitutional.
I think it would be prudent to do both with the realization that anything short of an amendment will be under constant attack from homosexuals.
A related issue is the FL prohibition of homosexual adoption. A lesbian couple is attacking FL's prohibition on homosexual marraige because it will not let her sex partner adopt her children. They have lost a direct attack on the prohibition of homosexual adoption three times. But the are still pushing.
the activists will be constantily pushing to have the public be forced to publicly accept their private behavior.