You wanna see some fierce White House advocacy on civil rights for gays? Here it is:

[VMI Dem]

JAKE TAPPER: Does the President or the White House have a reaction to the Governor of Maine signing a same-sex marriage bill?

ROBERT GIBBS: No, I think the President's position on same-sex marriages has been talked about and discussed.

JAKE TAPPER: He opposes same-sex marriage.

ROBERT GIBBS: He supports civil unions.

JAKE TAPPER: Does that mean that he's going to say or do anything against what the citizens of Maine–

ROBERT GIBBS: Not that I'm aware of. I think the President believes this is an issue that's best addressed by the states.



Its a top down mentality folks.

[PVnRT]

1. Wow! So fierce!

[QC]

2. But...but...but...God is in the mix!

Yeah, whatever.

The president really can't say anything about this, because he holds the very same position as the voters of Maine.

[Dogmudgeon]

3. And as for voter advocacy ...

... the demographically younger, and more liberal voters stayed home.

For me, this was a warning bell. I intend to figure out how I can increase the local turnout in my own district next year.

Leave the politics of blame and victimhood to the experts -- the GOP.

--d!

[xchrom]

4. blindingly Fierce!

[bigwillq]

5. Wow, what a Fierce Advocate our man O is!

[Le Taz Hot]

6. Grrrrr.

[sui generis]

7. Interracial marriage should be decided by the Justice of Peace

let's hear it for JOP rights. Obama doesn't believe we're equal Americans, but we knew that.

I really am for states rights for ALL marriage. Let's really make it equal for everyone. I think Alabama should revoke interracial marriage. I think Utah should allow marriage between a man and several women. I think that Kansas should REQUIRE marriage to a fertile person of the opposite gender before the age of 19. I believe that marriage should be forever, in a couple of states.

Marriage is about property and legally defining your family and heirs, period.

Obama, you are a fucking idiot.

[Barack_America]

11. No. It's really in the jurisdiction of vigilante mobs.

You can't get more local than that.

Huh. I guess according to this "local entities should decide civil rights" logic, the KKK had it right all along?

[sui generis]

16. yep. that's why I like state's rights so much.

A state is a local entity as far as civil rights are concerned, and history be damned - we just had our slice of that pie and see how well that worked out.

The federal government says that you may be licensed to form a family unit only if you and your marrying partner are of the opposite gender, regardless of skin color, faith, or any other physical attribute EXCEPT the arrangement of your pink parts.

That tells me the federal government believes it has a prurient interest in animal husbandry.

Also tells me that Barack Obama does not believe that we are equal Americans in the eyes of the federal government. If he did, he would certainly say so, unequivocably.

Marriage and State's "rights" should not be entwined. This is a federal issue.

At any rate, my partner and I have what most here would qualify as the ".05"% of income. It's to our great advantage to not pay the "marriage penalty", and we can afford the lawyers to destroy any blood relative family member who would challenge my declared family unit.

So, fuck the government. Laws are for people who are treated equally under the law, otherwise, law is meaningless. They don't like it when we flaunt it? Get ready, they have no idea what flaunt is, not yet.

Edited to remove any doubt: I fucking hate states rights, it might as well be the KKK, except gays are the new "black"

[optimator]

8. I agree with Obama

although probably for a different reason.
I don't think the government should be in the business of validating love between 2 people.
The tax benefits would never even register as a factor in my mind when contemplating marriage.
And any benefit would be bigotry/inequality against single people.

[dysfunctional press]

13. "I don't think the government should be in the business of validating love between 2 people"

so- you don't think that heterosexual marriage should be recognized by the government either...?

and btw- the 'tax benefits' aren't what register as a factor with gay couples who want to marry anymore than it does with straight couples.

[Toasterlad]

15. Your Post Is Ungodly Ignorant.

I don't even know where to begin to address your bullshit.

[Bluenorthwest]

9. It comes from the top

And I remember that day. The day I began to loathe Gibbs. The day Obama's cowardice became crystal clear.

[Barack_America]

10. I'm blinded by the sheer intensity.

Wow, how disappointing.

[TokenQueer]

12. Our president, the bigot.

What an ass...

[QC]

14. The ferocity makes me shiver! n/t

[Solly Mack]

17. Hmmm..leaving civil rights up to the states

Yeah...that's worked so well in America's history

[Starbucks Anarchist]

18. I like Obama, but this is one area where he's wrong.

[redqueen]

19. I agree.

I think this is sheer political calculation... which is horrible, but I can see why some analysts / advisors might consider it necessary.