Senate Republicans yesterday weighed a proposal to scale back their constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages in hopes of picking up some votes, although they conceded that passage is still beyond their reach.
Democrats objected to the move and derided it as a desperation effort to avoid the embarrassment of a huge defeat when the Senate votes on the issue tomorrow….
Some Republicans argued that proposed language on other legal arrangements, such as civil unions, was confusing and could be interpreted as either sanctioning or banning such unions.
The current language of the Federal Marriage Amendment:
Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this constitution or the constitution of any state, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups.
Alternative language:
Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman.
I don’t get it. Removing the last sentence has what effect? This is so ridiculous. Cultural rot has driven us to this: arguing about what marriage is!
Am I a pessimist to believe this is a waste of time? Probably. But God is sovereign. Perhaps allowing debate on the Senate floor will change the hearts and minds of FMA opponents or Americans watching on TV. Senate floor debates are usually covered without comment on C-Span, but part of Thursday’s debate may be nationally televised.
Wake me up when it’s over.
