Senate GOP Botches Gay Marriage Vote

The Republicans in the Senate tried to pin the Democrats down on the issue of gay marriage on Wednesday, and in the process, they proved that they haven't got the unity needed to make the issue work. The idea was to force a vote on an amendment to the Constitution banning single-sex unions and make Senators Kerry and Edwards vote up or down. Instead, they didn't have the votes to close debate, didn't have a majority, and look like a bunch of amateurs -- usually the Democrats' role.

The amendment brought by Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) was a grandstand ploy for political purposes. In order to pass, proposed amendments require 2/3 of both houses of Congress before facing state legislatures. That would mean 67 senators, but winning was never the purpose. Making the Democratic ticket come out against such an amendment was the point. As of today, there is no budget passed for next fiscal year, 887 American kids have died in Iraq, and the US economy is still 1.5 million jobs behind where it was when the current administration took over -- definitely time to address social concerns.

However, the conservatives in the GOP are split between social radicals (who want the government in the bedroom to prevent immorality in America) and federalists (who think the states are better positioned to address the issue). In the end, the social radicals had 48 votes. To end debate in the US Senate, an odd rule requires 60 votes in favor (that is, it is easier to pass a bill than it is to shut down debate about it). What the GOP got was a defeat on the move to close debate and proceed with the consideration of the amendment -- and neither John Kerry nor John Edwards had to turn up.

The social radicals have stated that they will try to pin the Democratic nominees down again in the autumn, but by then, time will be short. Meanwhile, the Kerry-Edwards team now has a couple of months breathing room on this issue. The GOP missed a major opportunity here because they couldn't agree on their plan.

In the autumn, they will have much better luck if they focus on the Defense of Marriage Act and any court efforts to undo it. The American people have a (largely merited) suspicion and dislike of judges throwing out popular laws. They don't like tampering with the Constitution. Of course, if there are more than 1,000 American kids dead in Iraq by the fall, who marries whom won't turn the election.


© Copyright 2004 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.


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