As Gay Marriage Roils the States, The Right May Gain - WSJ

[question everything]

Republicans Hope Big Turnout From Local Ban Initiatives Will Help in November

(snip)

In Washington, the push for a federal constitutional amendment outlawing gay marriage is on the back burner amid turmoil in Iraq and election-year wrangling. But outside the Beltway, the issue is shaping up to be a major factor in this year's elections for president, Congress and state legislatures -- and one that could help Republicans more than Democrats.

There have already been skirmishes in state capitols from Atlanta to Des Moines after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court kicked off the debate with its controversial November decision permitting gay marriage. By the end of the year, 30 states will have considered constitutional prohibitions on same-sex marriage, estimates Stateline.org, a nonprofit news organization funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

In at least seven swing states in the presidential race -- Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, Oregon, Missouri, Michigan and Minnesota -- a vote on gay marriage may be included on November ballots, a move that could prompt a large turnout among socially conservative voters. High turnout inspired by the issue could also help Republicans win houses or senates in eight state legislatures where control is up for grabs. They include Indiana, North Carolina, and, again, Minnesota.

(snip)

The right sees gay marriage as a low point in three decades of judicial interference in politics symbolized by Roe v. Wade and the legalization of abortion. Opinion polls suggest that a majority of Americans oppose legalizing gay marriage and as a result many Democrats are finding themselves uncomfortably aligned with their Republican rivals pushing state constitutional amendments.

(snip)

Write to Jacob M. Schlesinger at [e-mail]

URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108370472082201807,00.html

[ithacan]

1. here's a website that MUST be emailed to wingnut email lists:

Bush in Bed with Homosexuals
Mon Sep 23 03:21:25 2002
208.152.73.69

Bush in Bed with Homosexuals

By Chuck Baldwin

The Covenant News ~ April 13, 2002

By now, we have a clear record on the Bush administration in regard
to homosexuality. The record reveals that President Bush is more than
sympathetic to the homosexual agenda. One could even argue that
Bush has become (or always was) a proud promoter of that agenda.
Here is the record; you judge for yourself.

<more>
http://www.apfn.net/messageboard/9-26-02/discussion.cgi.53.shtml


We gotta play the game the way the republican thugs do. The text of this webpage should be sent out as an email to the email lists of conservatives. Best way to defuse this, to confuse the faithful, to make it less likely they'll turn out to vote for Bush...

[rocktivity]

2. The right WANTS to gain, certainly

but what with the tank economy and losing control of the Iraqi occupation, I don't think gay marriage is "big" enough of a "wedge" social issue to tip the election to Bush.

:headbang:
rocknation

[donhakman]

3. Gay culture was a wedge for the 3rd Reich

Arnold seems to be more concerned with bobbleheads than gays.