Even with the ruling that all marriages should be treated equally, there are still those who will fight and fight and fight against the rising tide of support of marriage equality. All I can say is, piss off the gay lobby at your peril. Please, read on below the fold.
In 2012, I was privileged to work with the Minnesota United campaign to support same-sex marriage. This was an organization that was created to fight a plan the Republicans had to ban same-sex marriage in the state.
There was a referendum to ban marriage equality that was introduced by the (then) Republican-lead House and Senate in Minnesota. At the time, the poll numbers were roughly 54% for the ban and 46% against.
That's there Minnesota United came in. And, boy, did they ever.
I was primarily volunteering for the Obama re-election campaign and, since Minnesota was pretty much determined to be a safe state with months to go, the Obama for America folks asked us to help the Minnesota United folks. This was also in part because there was a lot of crossover between staffs. Many who worked for the Obama campaign knew friends who worked on or also volunteered for the Minnesota United campaign. None of us had a problem with it, so we joined in.
In 2012, not only did the referendum get defeated (51.19% against the ban) , but there were coattails that helped defeat other referendums (such as one on voter id), get Sen. Al Franken re-elected by a wide margin and put a liberal governor and a Democratic state Senate and House in power.
Yet even with the defeat this week in the Supreme Court (and in 30-odd states before this), the right continues to press on over how to overturn this just ruling:
Mike Huckabee
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who had warned that the legalization of same-sex marriage would lead to the “criminalization of Christianity,” issued perhaps the sharpest repudiation of the Supreme Court, warning Friday that the country “must resist and reject judicial tyranny, not retreat,” in a statement on his website.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/...
Bobby Jindal
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said the decision “will pave the way for an all out assault against the religious freedom rights of Christians who disagree with this decision.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/...
Because that went over so well in Indiana.
Scott Walker
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said “the only alternative left for the American people is to support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to reaffirm the ability of the states to continue to define marriage.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/...
Rick "man on dog" Santorum
“Today, five unelected justices decided to redefine the foundational unit that binds together our society without public debate or input. Now is the people’s opportunity respond because the future of the institution of marriage is too important to not have a public debate,” Santorum said in a statement.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/...
As for Ben Carson
Ben Carson said that while he did not agree with the decision, it is “now the law of the land...”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/...
Now, right after he wrote that he talked about a constitutional amendment (i.e. load of bovine scatology) to protect religious freedom.
Still, when Ben Carson starts to sound like the voice of reason, you should take the hint.
And Chris Christie
“I don’t agree with the way it’s been done, but I take an oath, and the same way I’ve supported and enforced the law here in New Jersey since our Supreme Court made their 7-0 decision on same-sex marriage, and I’ve supported and endorsed that law. I would have to do the same across the country,” Christie told reporters. “But I want to be clear — I don’t agree with the way it was done, but it’s been done, and those of us who take an oath have a responsibility to abide by that oath.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/...
There isn't a fence big enough for this guy to straddle.
And, finally, the coiffed one
Donald Trump, meanwhile, called it another example of “the Bush appointed Supreme Court Justice John Roberts” letting “us down.” “Jeb pushed him hard! Remember!” he tweeted.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/...
Man, I am hoping he makes the convention. Crazy Uncle Donald on display. That might be better than Clint Eastwood.
If they continue on this fool's errand, you will definitely see marginally red states like Florida turn blue. Need more proof? Look at what happened to Mike Pence's poll numbers after the religious freedom bill went into effect in red-lined Indiana.
But Pence, who has said he’s considering running for president, now faces trouble at home. His favorability rating, like his approval mark, is upside-down: 35 percent of voters have a favorable opinion of him, compared to 38 percent who view him unfavorably. And he’s now locked in single-digit races with three potential Democratic gubernatorial opponents: Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, former Rep. Baron Hill and John Gregg, the man Pence defeated by 3 points to win the governorship in 2012.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/...
The above was written in April. Not long after he signed the bill, Pence withdrew his consideration for getting into the clown car of Republican presidential candidates. Yeah, it's a real winner alright.
Go ahead, make more trouble. Make the gay lobby's day. They're ready and waiting.