Comments on: Virginians Support Same-Sex Marriage Ban http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/virginians_support_same-sex_marriage_ban/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:37:08 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Anderson http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/virginians_support_same-sex_marriage_ban/comment-page-1/#comment-100978 Anderson Tue, 17 Oct 2006 15:24:57 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2006/10/virginians_support_same-sex_marriage_ban/#comment-100978 <em>Still, if you’re socially conservative enough to want to ban even civil unions, it’s hard for me to see you voting for a relative liberal on social issues–who will caucus with much more liberal Dems in DC and quite possibly change the balance of the Senate.</em> True enough. But look, stop 100 people in Wal-Mart (the agora, right?) and ask, hey, should gays be allowed to get married? 53% at least would say "no," and presumably vote no, if asked. But how many of those really care, if no one's asking them the question? It doesn't matter to them. It's not stopping them from doing anything. It's harassing a group which, for most of these people, is invisible at best and stridently obnoxious at worst. The strong-feelings crowd, you're correct, they won't vote Dem anyway. But a good chunk of that 53% sees no cost to banning civil unions, is happy to vote that way, but at the same time doesn't see Stopping Teh Evil Dems as the crisis of Western civilization. Still, if you’re socially conservative enough to want to ban even civil unions, it’s hard for me to see you voting for a relative liberal on social issues–who will caucus with much more liberal Dems in DC and quite possibly change the balance of the Senate.

True enough. But look, stop 100 people in Wal-Mart (the agora, right?) and ask, hey, should gays be allowed to get married? 53% at least would say "no," and presumably vote no, if asked.

But how many of those really care, if no one's asking them the question? It doesn't matter to them. It's not stopping them from doing anything. It's harassing a group which, for most of these people, is invisible at best and stridently obnoxious at worst.

The strong-feelings crowd, you're correct, they won't vote Dem anyway. But a good chunk of that 53% sees no cost to banning civil unions, is happy to vote that way, but at the same time doesn't see Stopping Teh Evil Dems as the crisis of Western civilization.

]]> By: James Joyner http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/virginians_support_same-sex_marriage_ban/comment-page-1/#comment-100953 James Joyner Tue, 17 Oct 2006 13:39:59 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2006/10/virginians_support_same-sex_marriage_ban/#comment-100953 Anderson: Sure, people aren't single issue voters. Still, if you're socially conservative enough to want to ban even civil unions, it's hard for me to see you voting for a relative liberal on social issues--who will caucus with much more liberal Dems in DC and quite possibly change the balance of the Senate. Anderson: Sure, people aren't single issue voters. Still, if you're socially conservative enough to want to ban even civil unions, it's hard for me to see you voting for a relative liberal on social issues--who will caucus with much more liberal Dems in DC and quite possibly change the balance of the Senate.

]]> By: Anderson http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/virginians_support_same-sex_marriage_ban/comment-page-1/#comment-100950 Anderson Tue, 17 Oct 2006 13:25:37 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2006/10/virginians_support_same-sex_marriage_ban/#comment-100950 The cognitive dissonance b/t "don't want gays to marry" and "think the Repubs have screwed up Iraq" is clearer to JJ than to me, I guess. The cognitive dissonance b/t "don't want gays to marry" and "think the Repubs have screwed up Iraq" is clearer to JJ than to me, I guess.

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