Saturday, June 10, 2006
Constitutional Debate
My lovely wife has a recent post over at her blog about the same-sex marriage constitutional amendment debate that has been going on this week. I agree with her, but I have one more (sorta unrelated) thing to say about this brouhaha.
One of the criticisms that has been leveled at President Bush and other amendment supporters is that this is a wedge issue brought forward in an election year in order to mobilize the Republican base. My reaction: yeah; why is that bad? Elected representatives are supposed to represent the views of their constituents. If the constituents disagree with the representatives, they have the right--nay, the responsibility--to vote them out. So what's wrong with presenting an issue that a lot of Americans care a lot about and getting the Senators on record about it? Forty-eight Senators voted against cloture on the amendment. It'll be interesting to see if the Republicans' plan worked, and the voters will realize that these 48 Senators are way out of step with the majority of their constituents. I know I wouldn't vote for any of them (I have a Senator up for reelection this fall (George Allen), and he voted in favor of the amendment--that will definitely influence my decision at the polls).
One of the criticisms that has been leveled at President Bush and other amendment supporters is that this is a wedge issue brought forward in an election year in order to mobilize the Republican base. My reaction: yeah; why is that bad? Elected representatives are supposed to represent the views of their constituents. If the constituents disagree with the representatives, they have the right--nay, the responsibility--to vote them out. So what's wrong with presenting an issue that a lot of Americans care a lot about and getting the Senators on record about it? Forty-eight Senators voted against cloture on the amendment. It'll be interesting to see if the Republicans' plan worked, and the voters will realize that these 48 Senators are way out of step with the majority of their constituents. I know I wouldn't vote for any of them (I have a Senator up for reelection this fall (George Allen), and he voted in favor of the amendment--that will definitely influence my decision at the polls).
Comments:
What's the problem with using this issue to mobilize the Republican base? Well, it's a waste of Congress' precious time. Everyone knows the amendment won't pass and poll after poll shows that the issue is far down on the list of Americans' concerns (despite your assertion that this is an "issue that a lot of Americans care a lot about").
And the 48 senators are "way out of step with the majority of their constitutents"? Actually, polls show that a slim majority of Americans are opposed to amending the Constitution, so the split in the Senate seems quite representative.
You should inform yourself on an issue before you blog about it. And, no, statements read over the pulpit by your bishop in Sacrament Meeting don't count (and neither does the Proclamation on the Family).
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And the 48 senators are "way out of step with the majority of their constitutents"? Actually, polls show that a slim majority of Americans are opposed to amending the Constitution, so the split in the Senate seems quite representative.
You should inform yourself on an issue before you blog about it. And, no, statements read over the pulpit by your bishop in Sacrament Meeting don't count (and neither does the Proclamation on the Family).
