Bush Revives Gay Marriage Ban
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 5, 2006; 3:15 PM
President Bush today urged the Senate to approve a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, saying the hot-button issue needs to be taken away from "over-reaching judges" and put back into the hands of the American public.
"Marriage is the most fundamental institution of civilization, and it should not be redefined by activist judges," Bush said to supporters of the ban in a speech at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. "Our policy should aim to strengthen families, not undermine them."
Bush, whose opposition to marriage between gay partners helped power him to reelection in 2004, has been largely silent on the issue since his second term began. This week, though, as midterm elections approach and the president's poll numbers continue dropping, he is returning to a topic that galvanizes an important part of the Republican base.
The amendment, which requires a two-thirds majority of both the House and the Senate, has scant chance of passing, however, observers say.
Critics charge that Bush is reviving the issue now in an election-year ploy to placate conservative voters who, polls show, have grown disaffected with the president for various reasons.
I for one am outraged that the President would again try to force such a heinously discriminatory piece of garbage down the throat of America again. It will in essence makes hundreds of millions of Americans second class citizens! This passing of this ammendment would protect homosexuals from the mental, emotional, and financial ravages of divorce, custody battles, child and spousal support. They should be forced to be just as miserable as the rest of America!
Now in all seriousness this is obviously W pandering to his base. On the other hand the inevitable failure of this amendment will prove to his base just how ineffective he and the Republican majority led house and senate can be on their key issues.
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