Obama's Marriage Equality Support Is Not the Half-Loaf Some Are Claiming

[swag]

http://www.metroweekly.com/poliglot/2012/05/news-analysis-obamas-marriage-equality-support-is.html

by Chris Geidner

. . .

Much is being made -- from Gawker to Mother Jones -- of President Obama's statement today that he believes marriage is a state issue.

Specifically, both pieces point to the line in the ABC News article about the interview: "The president stressed that this is a personal position, and that he still supports the concept of states deciding the issue on their own."

. . .

It is here where Obama's enunciated policy position -- today and this past June -- crosses the path of the legal pursuits of the administration.

If the administration were still defending DOMA and had taken no position on the level of scrutiny to be applied to sexual orientation classifications, then Obama's statement might mean that his view is that states have unfettered rights to legislate as they they wish on marriage.

But, that is not the circumstances in which he makes these comments. Instead, Obama's position now is three-fold: (1) he personally supports same-sex marriage; (2) he believes as a policy matter that state, and not federal, law should define marriages, as it always has been in this country; and (3) he believes that there are federal constitutional limitations on those state decisions.

. . . more

[Gman]

1. Some people are going to bitch and moan and whine and complain about anything

they wouldn't know a good thing if they tripped on it. There is no hope for people like this.

[AynRandCollectedSS]

2. It was a BRAVE step in the right direction...

...and it might even jeapordized his re-election chances! (although I hope not and realize it might help too)

Geez, what do these people want?!? I am very proud of President Obama's statement in support of gay marriage.

[progressoid]

3. These people???

Geez, what do these people want?!?

Yeah, "these people" should just shut and be happy. It's a major win.

Except that its not.

[AynRandCollectedSS]

4. Or just don't vote...

Or better yet, vote for Ron Paul.

You don't have to shut up and be happy, but not turning a positive thing into a negative thing just to have something else to bitch about would be nice.

I don't give much credence to those who do the equivilent of sitting on the couch during an NFL game screaming, "Catch the ball!!! Why didn't you catch it?!?! YOU SUCK!". Did you ever consider that being a wide receiver, or the POTUS, might be a little harder than it looks?

Oh, and right back atcha.

[progressoid]

5. Ha, nice try.

I think you're also supposed to say something about not these whiners not getting a pony.