Comments on: Democratic Sincerity on Gay Marriage

By: Right Democrat

Right Democrat — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 00:29:11 +0000

Most rank and file Democrats oppose gay marriage. If the Democratic Party is going to regain political ground in red leaning districts, it must support measures that will prevent same sex unions from becoming a reality in all fifty states.

Gay marriage is the perfect wedge issue that separates elitist social liberals from those of us with mainstream family values. As a economic populist and social traditionalist, I would like to see my party become focused more on the concerns of working families and less on exotic social issues.

By: Tano

Tano — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 01:17:44 +0000

Well floyd,

If all you want to do is be contentious, I guess you could see it that way.

Fact of the matter though, is that the American people are supportive of the basic notion of equal treatment under the laws, and tend to support giving to gay couples all the rights and responsibilities that hetero married couples can have. But the American people are also uncomfortable with calling those arrangements marriage - in part, I guess, because they are constantly being lectured about how marriage in general is somehow in danger by using that word.

So maybe the majority of people are cowards, or maybe the civil union position is simply an accurate reflection of where the country as a whole is situated on this issue, at this point in time. Crafting a solution that reflects the complex reality of the "will of the people" is what politicians in a democracy are supposed to do, so I do think the "coward" charge is unfair.

By: Patrick T. McGuire

Patrick T. McGuire — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 00:54:32 +0000

Isn't "Democratic Sincerity" an oxymoron?

By: floyd

floyd — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 22:18:07 +0000

let's clarify one thing ,"civil unions" is merely a euphemism used by cowards who do not wish to admit they support "gay marriage", or want to find some middle ground on every issue. the latter is even worse than the former because it guarantees a permanent state of erosion in any position taken.

By: Chris Lawrence

Chris Lawrence — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 21:19:09 +0000

Well, for the record I support same-sex marriage. It seems to me though that many Democrats could do gay marriage supporters a world of good by legitimizing the pro-gay-marriage position instead of pretending in public that they don't support same-sex marriage when in private they really do.

By: Steve Verdon

Steve Verdon — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 20:45:02 +0000

Because, you know, gay marriage is the only issue that Andrew Sullivan has with the Bush administration. It’s not spending, torture, increased government, etc. etc. etc.

It’s all gay marriage.

How condescending…

While you have a point, I'm curious, did he have a problem (or at least voice his objections) with those other issues before or after the switch? The point being, could gay marriage have been sort of the "straw the broke the camels back" as far as Sullivan is concerned?

By: Michael Demmons

Michael Demmons — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 18:32:04 +0000

Because, you know, gay marriage is the only issue that Andrew Sullivan has with the Bush administration. It's not spending, torture, increased government, etc. etc. etc.

It's all gay marriage.

How condescending...

By: bithead

bithead — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 18:02:15 +0000

The double-standard which james mentions would also seem to apply to the MJ Fox/stem cell thing. What they say and how they vote are seemingly two seperate issues.

By: madmatt

madmatt — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:54:40 +0000

I can’t find polls that break down respondents into Democrats and Republicans, but given that only 22 percent of Americans favor gay marriage, according to a July 2006 Princeton Survey Research Associates poll (another 31 percent back civil unions)

So 53% of people want equal rights for gays...many just don't want it to be called "marriage" which is exactly what the nj courts decided to do.

The NJ constitution says equal rights for everybody...that supercedes a law that seeks to legitimize unequal treatment. Thats what courts are supposed to do...you don't like it try writing a law correctly instead of saying..."that wasn't our intention" when the court says it is illegal.

If you right wingers actually spent as much time with your wives worrying about your own marriages as you do cruising gay porn sites and badmouthing people you might have a point. As it is the red states tend to have higher divorce and spousal abuse rates than the hedonistic northern states.

Its the hypocrisy, stupid!!!!!!!!