Tuesday, July 13, 2004

Check Mate: The Democrats are playing along with the Republicans by letting them have their vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment. While the U.S. population is still squeamish about same-sex marriage in general, there is not popular support for amending the Constitution to dictate the terms of marriage and civil unions.

Having Congress vote on the amendment will do two things: It will paint the Republicans as intolerant bigots who are ready to alter the U.S. Constitution if it serves them politically. And it will leave the Republican Party, and Bush in particular, with a well publicized defeat heading into an election.

The right wing believes this will motivate the base and get people riled up to support the conservative platform. But the Republicans will only look like losers on this issue, in more ways than one.