Bush Tip-toeing Through the Issues

There’s an interesting article over on Slate concerning gay marriage. Kent sent me the link this morning. I basically says (and I don’t want to dwell on this subject anymore) that the tactic of using this issue (gay marriage) again to garner votes will fail, for three reasons:

The first is the combination of cynicism and futility evident in the way Republicans are bringing the matter up now. In 2004, when Bush campaigned on the Federal Marriage Amendment and the Senate first considered the matter (which fell short by a wide margin), there was at least a news hook. [...] But since 2004, the momentum has been thwarted (though pending court decisions in Washington state, New York, and New Jersey have the potential to revive it). The San Francisco couples were ruled not legally married by the California State Supreme Court. [...] Two years later, 45 states have passed laws prohibiting gay marriage and Massachusetts remains the only place where it is legal. After Bush’s re-election, Republicans simply blew off the issue—to the great dismay of leaders on the religious right, a few of whom indicated that they felt taken advantage of.

A second reason the issue won’t work again is that Democrats have by now figured out how to handle the issue. It is reasonable to assume that a great many of them would, in their heart of hearts, like to see gay marriage legalized. But they recognize that pressing the case nationally is likely to set back the cause as well as their prospects for retaking Congress in 2006 and the White House in 2008. So, Democrats have honed their talking points on the subject: Marriage should be an issue for states (the federalist position usually espoused by Republicans); the amendment is discriminatory and would also ban civil unions ... and why tinker unnecessarily with the Constitution, especially while the Defense of Marriage Act is in force?

The third reason gay marriage will fail as an issue is that Bush is bucking the tide of history. The past two decades have seen a quiet revolution in attitudes toward homosexuality throughout the West. People in advanced democracies around the world are growing more accepting of gay unions by the year.

I think it’s all true. The political climate on this issue has changed in a very short period of time. I suppose I’ve relaxed a bit on the issue, on a personal level, because I know that time is on our side on this issue. I am 100% certain that gay marriage will happen. I don’t believe I will live to see the day that the federal government will treat it equally to heterosexual marriage, but I could be wrong. I do expect to see a splattering of states around the country allowing civil unions with full marriage benefits (to the extent a state can offer benefits) before I leave this Earth. Unfortunately, all the really important protections that carry the most weight are at the federal level.

But aside from my predictions of history, what I thought would happen, did happen. On Monday, the President addressed the nation on this most important issue, as did the Senate. All other business in the nation came to a halt, as if we had nothing else to worry about. The very next day, the President had moved on to immigration as though Monday never happened, leaving the Senate to be left behind with an issue that has been rated # 33 on the list of concerns for average Americans.

After that, the backlash started in the press, and blogs like this one, across the country. And talk radio is having a field day with this, and not in a good way for the Republicans. They are now seen as a party who just doesn’t get it and a party who is just pandering for votes on this one issue (let’s call it desperation).

It’s time the administration called off its marriage-discrimination crusade. The Senate won’t go there, Mr. President. It’s also time to stop using the issue to divert attention from Iraq, deficits and so many other mistakes. (source)

But something did happen this morning that is good news for all of us - the death of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. This will boost the morale of our troops in Iraq, as well it should. But there are other young terrorists who are just itching to take his place, and they will. Still, this is a blow to the tide of violence. Why? Because the tips that we received on the location of al-Zarqawi didn’t come from our intelligence. They came from ordinary Iraqis who are growing tired of the day to day violence against innocent Iraqi civilians.

On my way to work this morning, I listened to President Bush’s address on this news. It was a short speech and only addressed the death of al-Zarqawi. But one thing I did notice in the President’s speech was his lack of the phrase, “...this is a turning point...”. He’s used that before - many times, to bolster our efforts in Iraq. Perhaps he’s learning to stop using catch phrases that can eventually bite him in the ass. Perhaps he’s learning to stay to script and not waiver from that script.

Short speeches from him are nice. The less I must hear his voice, the happier I am.