A bone for the base

The Monk's outlook is similar to that of most other bloggers (not pundit-bloggers like Michelle Malkin) who identify as conservative: basically libertarian on social issues. To that end, The Monk basically agrees that the Defense of Marriage Act and the proposed constitutional amendment that the President shilled for yesterday are not issues worth the public's time or energy. Instead, pushing through judicial nominees who share the President's view of what is a judicial temperament is more important.

But that is not something the President can control on the state level, and it's judicial activism in the states that has resulted in antimajoritarian approval of gay marriage. Indeed, the gay activists who seek legal approval of gay marriage have specifically targeted the state courts because they know that there is no chance for democratic approval of their desires in state legislatures. State judiciaries tend to be more liberal than the state legislatures and the state polities (Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin, even New Jersey). Therefore, Captain Ed's solution (see link in title) to concentrate on combatting judicial activism is not the cure.

In addition, the issue of gay marriage is one that gets the Republican base in a lather. Considering the President's failure to control spending, reshape Social Security, rally the nation in support of the Iraq war, confront Latin American dictators, and face down the Iranians, the Republicans need a flag around which they can gather the base. Without such an effort, the worst may come to pass in the '06 midterm elections and we could have Speaker Pelosi inside the House of Representatives orchestrating the nutball left's efforts to impeach President Bush.

So as a social concept, gay marriage is not what The Monk calls "a voting issue" -- one upon which I ultimately decide whether to support or reject a candidate for public legislative or executive office. But as a bone for the base, The Monk has no problem with the GOP's efforts to raise the issue right now.