7/15    The Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage was defeated in the
        Senate by a 48-50 vote.  It needed 60 votes to pass.
        \_ We're here, we're queer, we don't want anymore bears.
        \_ "It's a net loss for Republicans politically," said one prominent
           Republican in Washington who works closely with the White House.
           "It does nothing for our base, because they're grumpy about not
           having it, and it energized a significant portion of their base. I
           guarantee you that the gay community will give twice as much money
           and work harder for Kerry now, not so much because they care about
           marriage per se, but because this effort plays to their fears that
                     \_ Just go to Orange County, California, you will find
                        that Bush is a lot more popular than you think :p
           we're homophobic."
                \_ so? California is still the minority state. It'll be one
                   of the very few states that'll vote against Bush. The
                   fact of the matter is that Bush is still popular and
                   will most likely win again.
                   \_ Popular?  Read any polls lately?  Less than 50% approval
                      is not "popular."  And also note that gay marriage has
                      been gaining more and more acceptance in polls as time
                      goes on.
                      \_ Everyone I have talked to at my church is voting
                         for Bush. So is my entire family back in Oklahoma.
                         I think you Bay Area liberals are going to be in
                         for a surprise come November.
                                \_ Same here. My hometown is TN.
                                \_ Bush is polling well in North Carolina, too.
                                   I recall last time that if Gore had managed
                                   to win his own home state....
                      \_ Gay marriage: yet another "law" created by judges,
                         not our elected "law making" officials.
                   \_ You have seriously drank the electoral college kool aid.
                   \_ Why are you arguing with a fellow Republican?
                      He probably already agrees with everything you wrote.
                      \_ He isn't arguing.  He's discussing.  Everything
                         doesn't have to be a big fight or shit fest.
        \_ Sigh. Don't they teach US Gov in HS anymore? The bill needed 67
           votes to pass as a constitutional amendment. What the Senate voted
           on whether or not to officially vote on the "Ban Gay Marriage"
           bill. There's a difference.
           \_ The vote was for cloture.
              \_ Mr. Government Studies Scholar doesn't know what that means.
        \_ I really love Cheney for this.  He once said that this issue
           should best leave the state to decide.  Then, as soon as Boston
           try to legalize it, then, he suddently become "defender of
           marriage."  This is typical of Bush-Cheney ideology: "We respect
           your freedom and choice, as long as you agree with me."
           \_ Boston is a city, dumbass, not a state. The problem with
              the whole gay marriage thing is that cities like SF are
              deciding that gay marriage is legal while the state says
              it's not. Again, if you are going to allow gay marriage, pass
              a damn law that says so. These legal shenanigans are going
              to create a major problem over the interpretation of the law.