B
Buckdodgers
Guest
WASHINGTON - The Senate rejected a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage by a wide margin Wednesday, delivering a stinging defeat to
President Bush and other Republicans who had hoped the issue would rally GOP voters for the November elections.
The senators' vote was 49-48 to limit debate and bring the amendment to a yes-or-no decision. That was 11 short of the 60 needed, killing the measure in the Senate for this year.
President Bush suggested the ban was proper and its time would still come. He said, "Our nation's founders set a high bar for amending our Constitution and history has shown us that it can take several tries before an amendment builds the two-thirds support it needs in both houses of Congress."
Democrats suggested it was all about conservative politics.
"Why is it when Republicans are all for reducing the federal government's impact on people's lives until it comes to these stinging litmus test issues, whether gay marriage or end of life they suddenly want the federal government to intervene?" asked Sen. Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif. "It makes no sense other than throwing red meat to a certain constituency."
The 49 votes to keep the amendment alive were one more than the measure received the last time the Senate voted, in 2004. Proponents had predicted the amendment would get at least a 51-vote majority in the 100-member Senate with the gain four Republican seats since then.
It takes two-thirds majorities in both houses of Congress to send a proposed amendment to the states for ratification. The House will take up the issue next month.
Despite the defeat, amendment backers insisted progress had been made because the debate over three days raised the issue's profile and will force candidates to answer for their votes on the campaign trail.
Senate rejects amendment on gay marriage
REMEMBER CANADIAN ELECTIONS WHY LIBERALS LOST?
It was social issues on gay marrages cost the liberal party the election in canada.Now it might cost the democrats an opportunity to gain seats in the house and in senate.Instead the GOP might gain more seats.
President Bush and other Republicans who had hoped the issue would rally GOP voters for the November elections.
The senators' vote was 49-48 to limit debate and bring the amendment to a yes-or-no decision. That was 11 short of the 60 needed, killing the measure in the Senate for this year.
President Bush suggested the ban was proper and its time would still come. He said, "Our nation's founders set a high bar for amending our Constitution and history has shown us that it can take several tries before an amendment builds the two-thirds support it needs in both houses of Congress."
Democrats suggested it was all about conservative politics.
"Why is it when Republicans are all for reducing the federal government's impact on people's lives until it comes to these stinging litmus test issues, whether gay marriage or end of life they suddenly want the federal government to intervene?" asked Sen. Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif. "It makes no sense other than throwing red meat to a certain constituency."
The 49 votes to keep the amendment alive were one more than the measure received the last time the Senate voted, in 2004. Proponents had predicted the amendment would get at least a 51-vote majority in the 100-member Senate with the gain four Republican seats since then.
It takes two-thirds majorities in both houses of Congress to send a proposed amendment to the states for ratification. The House will take up the issue next month.
Despite the defeat, amendment backers insisted progress had been made because the debate over three days raised the issue's profile and will force candidates to answer for their votes on the campaign trail.
Senate rejects amendment on gay marriage
REMEMBER CANADIAN ELECTIONS WHY LIBERALS LOST?
It was social issues on gay marrages cost the liberal party the election in canada.Now it might cost the democrats an opportunity to gain seats in the house and in senate.Instead the GOP might gain more seats.
