I alluded to this fact yesterday, but I want to make a stronger declaration today. The federal marriage amendment is about preserving the separation of powers in the United States. We need this amendment because we need the power on this issue to be restored to elected state legislatures. It is that simple.
However, Democrats in the Senate will most likely succeed in preventing the federal marriage amendment from coming to a vote on the merits (no need to bore you here with a discussion on the of cloture votes). Those Democrats (and some Republicans) are acting in a completely disingenuous and cowardly manner during this important discussion.
If judicially imposed gay marriage is good for America – if it is good for America to have un-elected judges re-defining marriage for all Americans – then why are Democrats so afraid of just coming to the floor of the Senate and making this declaration? Why are Democrats only talking about some supposed, rabid bigotry instead of addressing the real issue of whether the definition of marriage belongs in the hands of elected officials or with unelected judges? That allocation of power is what this amendment is about. Democrats know this, but are choosing to use emotionally charged language instead of taking a real stand.
Democrats and liberals in this country have been steadily building a strong tradition of imposing unpopular policy on the citizens of this country through the actions of unelected, unaccountable judges. I am not saying that they do not have a right to use the courts in this way. But, I am saying that Americans need to be made aware that liberals have made a conscious decision to accomplish through the courts what cannot be accomplished at the ballot box.
Democrats and liberals need to be held accountable for this choice. And that holding to account needs to start with the Democratic ticket. John Kerry and John Edwards need to take a real stand on this issue. They need to end their rhetoric about bigotry and the like. They know better. They know this is about the separation of and balance of power in government. If they believe that marriage should be defined by unelected and unaccountable judges rather than by the people via their elected representatives then that is a legitimate position to take. But they need to clearly state that position and end these word games.
