[cross-posted at Austro-Athenian Empire]

So the Federal Marriage Amendment has failed. Thank the gods for small mercies!

This isn’t over, though. The Republicans are threatening to make this"an election year issue" -- that is, they'll be trying to get more bigots elected so they can bring the Amendment up again next year. Still, for now it's pleasant to see Congress frustrating the Bush gang's tyrannical ambitions on some issue. (And of course the Amendment's supporters have also forfeited any claim to be defenders of decentralisation.)

Pat Lynch - 7/15/2004

Of course the problem is when you energize your base and alienate the swing vote - that's the balancing act for Bush jr. I suspect that's what they're concerned about. I find it difficult to believe that his stand loses him votes in PA, Ohio, MI, but maybe his pollsters say otherwise.

Jonathan Dresner - 7/15/2004

Depends on what they mean by "GOP" as there is a pretty big bunch of activists who are excited and motivated by it. What they probably mean is the professional operatives, who want to win, because that's their job, but don't have a connection to any particular ideology.

Pat Lynch - 7/15/2004

I hope you are wrong about the continued use of this issue by conservatives. The NYT has a piece today about how the GOP is tired of it already and not particularly excited about the continued prominence of it. Let's keep our fingers crossed.