When are we going to stop playing the GOP's game on religious issues?

[Gman]

When do we stop being surprised about seemingly outrageous issues such as this "war on Christmas"? When do we stop knee jerking about all their other faux issues and see them for what they really are?

We need to give a whole lot of credit where credit is due. The GOP's fundies are doing, and have been doing an excellent job at get out the vote. That's all these faux issues are is more red meat for the fundies. These issues give the fundies a constant supply of reasons to remember to go vote. The net effect is a constant, year-round GOTV effort that never quits. That's something we don't do.

Now, we may be getting it. We have found an issue that resonates, that is the obvious one on Iraq. We have also stumbled on another obvious one in the inherent corruptness of the GOP. Of course we've known these now for years, but we haven't had one focused, disciplined message like the GOP has on issues. The GOP does an excellent job of taking isolated anecdotal evidence and applying it with a hugely broad brush to everything. That creates the outrage and snide comments you hear at the water cooler at work from the local workplace freeper. We now have a ton of real evidence on Iraq and corruption that we are starting to constantly hit on. That is why the GOP is now urging every GOP congressman that might be caught up in the Abram thing to resign now so that it will be a forgotten issue a year from now.

I think Sen. Reid gets it. I'm not sure about Pelosi. I'm not sure about Dean. But we need to keep using issues like Iraq and corruption and hammer them every single day to make sure our people stay motivated to vote and that we're not scrambling (again) come election time to get our people to the polls. It takes a lot of focus and discipline, but we have to do it.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. We should laugh at the "war on Christmas"

because it is so stupid. Ever time we rant here about it we feed the fire. It is a bogus issue.

[readmylips]

2. The real meaning of Christmas or Christians....?

Capitalism has killed the real meaning of Jesus and Christianity long, long time a go. Ask any kid, Christian or nor, about Christmas and they'll say it's about Santa Claus, a big red fat guy and his rheindeer with a red nose. Christmas is a such Pagan holiday, Jesus-Christ must be crying at how capitalist laugh all the way to the bank.

It's the same with Christ, Jesus, God...etc. politician use the icon as a football for their political money machine.

[Jella]

3. One issue we can't back away from is

Gay marriage. The issue seems to really heat up around election time. I believe in my heart of hearts, that it cost us the last election. It's difficult to see an opportunity to make progress, and then have it hamper your ability to gain some power as to assist it along. With the move to have it outlawed, can it now be moved to the back burner?

It depresses me when I see the poll numbers on it, and really just as I speak with folks in day to day conversation. Do we have the energy to hold steadfast in a grass roots effort to make folks understand the indigence now, as I see it as the only way to change the ignorance now in 2/3 of the population.

[Gman]

4. No we can't... but understand also that

the reason they're putting these amendments on the ballot is solely to get out the vote. It gives the GOP 1) the ability to tell the fundies they are doing something and the obvious 2) get out the vote.

I always tell people that the only reason government has anything to say about marriage is that, legally, marriage gives two people the ability to do business as a joint partnership rather than their previous status of a sole proprietership. If you go into business for yourself, you file as a sole prop. If you go into business with one or more other people you file for a joint prop. There is no sexual preference discrimination when you file a business. There should be none in how the state identifies how you conduct your personal business.

Then I tell people that if you want to get married, go to a church. Maybe the church will marry two people of the same sex, maybe not. But you file how you do your personal business with the state. The state doesn't care who you run a business with, and it shouldn't care with who you conduct your personal business. This argument also goes to the heart of government recognizing established religion too.

[readmylips]

5. My neighbor wanted to talk about this issue....

she's a republican. Actually, she wanted to talk about gays because her daughter, an unwed mother, is dating a guy who is obviously as gay as Carson (from the TV show gay guys). I told her, I was not interested in what people do in the privacy of their bedroom, under the sheets. When I care about what consent adults do in their bedrooms, sooner or later, they'll come snooping in my bedroom.

[Jella]

6. well it's an issue that does get out the vote

and it works against the democrats. I can't tell you how difficult it was to try and be hopeful when the MA court made their ruling, and realize that the timing would hurt our chances to gain any control, or at least get some seats back. People are so freaked about this subject,and it cuts right to thier moral beliefs. Can we now back off, since the wheels are in motion.

I understand about applying as a partnership, but that doesn't include being able to see or have anything to do with your partner, say if he/she takes up ill and is hospitalized. As you grow old with a partner and vest in each others lives, this does become a serious issue.

It just saddens me that the dems had become so weak when this issue finally has come up. Timing it seems is everything.

[Gman]

7. They are two different things

How people file to conduct a business is different from how people conduct their personal business and has nothing to do with hospitalization, survivor benefits, etc.

When you file to go into business with someone else, you file a joint partnership. That gives you, as a business, the ability to share assets and liabilities, income and expenses. The business pays taxes on your joint behalf. You run the business and do what you want however you want as long, of course, as it's legal. The state doesn't care one iota about the sexual orientation of any partner in the business.

Just as a business, when two people get a marriage license, get married, and the license is signed and filed with the county, the state grants those two people the right to conduct business jointly. They have joint checking accounts, file joint tax returns, pay bills together, etc. However, the big difference is that the state willfully discriminates and will not allow the above business transactions to be conducted jointly, as a partnership through marriage if the two people are of the same sex.

All I'm saying is the state doesn't care one iota about the sexual orientation of people who file to do business together. But the state will discriminate against two people who want to do personal business together if they are of the same sex. It's flat out discriminatory since the state also gives recognition and the same status to businesses as it does to people per federal constitutional court rulings.

And, the institution of marriage should be left to religion and the churches since the origins of marriage as we know it today does have its origins in religion. If two people of the same sex want to get married, then do it at a church. Maybe the church will allow it, maybe not. If not, find one that does allow same sex marriage. The state should only have an interest in how people choose to conduct business. If you get "married" in front of a J.P., there is nothing religious about that. You've only filed to do business as a joint partnership after some kind of ceremony. There's nothing religious about getting married in front of a J.P.

[Jella]

8. Oh I absolutely agree

with all your saying Gman, but don't you think this issue hurts Democrats as it does get out the vote for the Republicans?

Believe me I understand that marriage in the eyes of the state is a contract, but that's not how most view it when they go out to defeat any bill to allow same sex unions.

[Gman]

9. It hurts the democrats because

the GOP has defined this issue and we are reacting to that now established definition. Politics 101 tells us to define the issue or it will be defined by your opposition.

Some redefinition is in order and that is an extremely difficult thing to pull off for something like this. We'll even be accused of trying to redefine the issue which can cause even more damage.

[Jella]

10. well I'm hoping that we can deal with this issue

and use the corruption surrounding the GOP to come up with that cohesive word in the need for change in leadership.