Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment Appears Dead

[Cannikin]

(Washington) The Federal Marriage Amendment will like never make it to a vote in the Senate Republican leaders admitted Tuesday. With the party deeply divided and Democrats almost unanimously opposed, the GOP leadership in the Senate acknowledged it does not have the 67 votes required for passage, nor does it have the 60 votes needed to prevent a threatened Democratic filibuster.

The Senate began debating the proposed amendment, which would define marriage as between a man and a woman on Friday and it soon became clear that a number of Republican senators did not support the measure. Though few, if any, in the GOP support same-sex marriage many in the party believe the Constitution is not the place to put social amendments, citing states' rights.

But, the clincher may have been a Sunday television interview in which wife of Vice President Dick Cheney said she believes that the issue of gay marriage should be left up to the states. (story) The interview, on CNN's Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, showed how fractured the GOP was on the issue.

Monday, the debate in the Senate continued with a growing number of Republican's expressing misgivings. In a bid to shore up support for the amendment, the leadership tried to add a second amendment, in essence leaving open the door for recognizing same-sex relationships but making it unconstitutional to call them marriages. (story)

http://www.365gay.com/newscon04/07/071304amend.htm

[ronnykmarshall]

1. Buuuuuuwaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

The Plan can not be defeated!!!!

[Liberal Veteran]

2. Well, if they REALLY had pure motives in this.

They would make civil unions a right under the amendment, entitled to the same civil privileges as marriage on federal, state, and local levels.

But the fact that they aren't doing this speaks volumes about what their real issue is (attacking gays, not defending "marriage").

[Cats Against Frist]

3. I am watching that Santorum idiot right now

I have never such heard a string of lies and sentimental, constructed bullshit flow from someone's mouth.

It is a thing to behold.

[NoodleBoy]

6. fuck this guy...

Santorum: "Is this the argument of a hater?"

Yes. Now sit down, douche.

[Cats Against Frist]

8. I particularly liked:

"Every child has a right to a mother and a father."

So, now we should pass an amendment that says if a dad "trades up" on a new broad, gets a good lawyer, guts his family, and moves to a Florida vacation home -- he should go to prison?"

We could call it "The Betty Broderick" Amendment.

And hey -- what's with these "special rights" anyway? They won't tack on an amendment that says all children should have a right to healthcare -- that would be fucking unheard of. But now all children have a "right" to a mother and a father.

:puke:

[PA Democrat]

10. So what does he propose to do about unmarried women who get pregnant

or widows with children? Force them to give their children up for adoption?

[Nobody]

22. Or orphans?

There are tons of kids out there who have no parents. Does he plan to guarantee that all of them, including crack babies and special needs kids, have homes and loving parents?

[Warren DeMontague]

18. google "santorum"

unless you're easily offended.

[Cats Against Frist]

20. That Made My Whole Day Better

Thank you.

I wrote him a scathing letter, as well.

[GCP]

4. I felt sure they'd push for a vote

It was never about winning in the first place, it was about getting a voting record to bring out at future elections - you can see it now - "So-and-So voted NO to the amendment to ban gay marriage. He's attacking the institution of marriage - yada yada yada".

Democrats in iffy areas would be hammered with it. Don't you just love politics?
</sarcasm>

[faithnotgreed]

5. normally they would but with dems and repubs agreeing on this,

there are multiple repubs who would also be on the record as against this thing which for a couple reasons doesnt make it look so good for * as he and the r leadership intended...

a little too much hornets nest even for * this time

now if more repubs would vote for it, then they would have forced a vote to get k/e on the record

[Walt Starr]

9. They're terrified of a vote with the GOP split on the issue

It could damage the turnout of their religiously insane base in November and hurt Bush's chances.

This is one where they have to cut and run. Bush can still declare victory because he pushed for it, it was that nasty congress that wouldn't ACT on it.

[lawguyry]

7. Hopefully

this will be the end of the attempt to immortalize hate in the Consitiution...

[prolesunited]

14. We can only hope

Perhaps this will force the more moderate members of their party to realize the lunacy that they are endorsing by voting for Bush. The new Republican Party is anything BUT conservative.

[newyawker99]

16. Hi lawguyry!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Malva Zebrina]

11. why on earth does what Lynn Cheney says or thinks about this important?

This is a wannabee nothing of a woman who is extremely rich due to marrying Dick. Other than that I am not aware of anything else she has done in her life, except write a cheap,paperback, steamy lesbian love story.

So, why is whatever she says treated like some gem of wisdom that we all should pay attention to?

[Flubadubya]

12. Well, as long as the Puggies pay attention...

that's all that matters. I never thought I'd appreciate anything she had to say, but if will help put the Quietus to all this nonsense, then I say more power to her.

[Warren DeMontague]

17. Because She Has A Lesbian Daughter,

even if she doesn't like to admit it.

[NewJerseyDem]

21. She was once a co-host of Crossfire Sunday

So, she has done things in her life even though I still don't really care what she thinks on the subject from her service as Second Lady. I don't remember anyone voting for her so I don't see why her opinion is so important.

[DemBones DemBones]

23. She has a Ph. D. and has written seven books,

according to what CNN said when they aired the clips of her comments. One of the books was the novel you mention, but I believe the others were non-fiction.

I don't like the woman or agree with her politics but I think she has achieved a few more things than just marrying Dick Cheney. It seems to me I read that she, not her husband, was part of the circle of Strauss devotees at the University of Chicago, along with Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz. She's been involved with a lot of right wing causes, plus being a "Crossfire" host at one time.

[gratuitous]

13. Darnie!

You know, I'm so glad that we live in a country so trouble-free that the business of the Senate can grind to a halt for a few days to engage in a pissing match over a bit of bigotry that's not going to get off the floor.

[Cannikin]

15. kick

[ClassWarrior]

19. Don't you mean the anti-Marriage Rights amendment??

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1797328

[thecrow]

24. It sounds like an attack on the courts to me

They keep hammering on that point over and over.
Does no one else hear this?