Please forgive my ignorance of American politics...but is recent "defeat" of Bush a good thing for the GLBT

Question

cause?? Specifically the gay marriage issue.

Answer 1

it's a step in the right direction. now Bush doesn't have the majority of the House and Senate on his side...he's going to have to compromise more, and with 2 years left in his term, it's going to be much harder to pass his "agendas." unfortunately, even with the Dems gaining majority, there were still several states that passed gay marriage bans. ridiculous and pointless, considering most states have laws of some sort that make gay marriage illegal anyway, like in my state, Missouri (shamefully, the very 1st state to pass such an amendment). amendments are supposed to expand the laws of the constitution, not further restrict them! we are headed the right way, and we can't give up the fight! keep fighting, keep voting, and one day we'll join Canada in allowing marriage to all our brothers and sisters!

Answer 2

Bush wasn't defeated, he has two more years. The Republicans were defeated, together with their agenda. That cannot help but be good for us -- but only because it is good for everyone.

Our gains in the Senate (where I predict we will end up one seat ahead of the Republicans when all is said and done -- but in the worst case will be tied with them) will stop even the attempt to bring up a national constitutional amendment against gay marriage, and the defeat of the ban in Arizona means that there are in fact the 14 states that would oppose such an amendment necessary to keep it from becoming law -- so I would say that yes, the election overall indicates that the gay marriage battle will fade now.

Otherwise, just be glad that Mr. Bush has been depowered -- and that there is a party of the opposition now that has some teeth.

Thank you for asking.

VICTORY!!!!!

Reyn
[e-mail]

PS Forgive me for being so ebullient, but I had been very involved in the campaign of Kirsten Gillibrand in NY's 20th House District. She defeated the incumbent Republican, John Sweeney, by 6 or 7% -- becoming the first woman to serve the district, and the first Democrat in many, many, many decades. I was at her celebration until about 1:00 a.m. and am still buoyed by the win.

Answer 3

No, some of the same people who handed a defeat for President Bush were also the same ones who voted against any thing that might be construed to be a gay marriage. The primary thing that brought the republicans down was the war in Iraq, not old fashioned American moral values.

Answer 4

Overall, I will say it IS a good thing for GLBTs. A Democratic Senate (which is still very much undecided at this moment) will be less likely to appoint ultra-conservative judges who will ban gay marriage etc. However, many of the Dems who were elected on Tuesday are somewhat more conservative than the Dems of yesteryear and many oppose gay marriage and abortion etc.

By the way, in really good news, It looks like Arizona DEFEATED a ban on gay marriage amendment.

Answer 5

I really want to have something good to say. I voted for the guy because I couldn't vote for Kerry, but I never feel confident anymore about any presidential candidates. He sold our ports to China and I can't figure out the positive there. I think he meant well with no child left behind and I'm sure it wasn't his idea, but that doesn't seem to be working, yes the tax thing is good, but it only helps a symptom, not the problem. He has made me laugh on several occasions. I guess thats good, for a cute uncle type. Sorry, I do hate partial birth abortion, its so messed up I can't even fathom how it exists, but George just seems like he hangs out and does what he's told now. I liked in his first term how he got a lot of new jobs going!!

Answer 6

Yes and No. Overwhelmingly; what caused the Democrats such victory in yesterday's election; was the failure of the Bush Administration to protect and sever the citizens best interest. His Administration betrayed various groups and organizations: Christians called idiots and nutcases; The war in Iraq (its failure); Immigration; Education, Economy, High Interest Rates, GOP Scandals, and his Cowboy Diplomacy on the International scale; all overshadowed the "Gay Marriage" issue. Those who were extremely opposed to the act; didn't demonstrate as loudly as back in 2000 Presidential Election.

Answer 7

No, because Bush wasn't and isn't up for re-election. He can't, in the US were have term limits on our Presidency. He's already had his two terms.

So, as far as these ballot initiatives regarding gay marriage, again, no we haven't won any kind of victory here. Seven out of the eight that had Gay Marriage initiatives on their ballots PASSED them. Meaning we've LOST MORE GROUND

But, it does set up an interesting case for the Supreme Court. If they ever allow it to be heard. So far every case regarding same sex marriages, whether portability, taxes, recognition of marriages from outside the US....have all been refused to be heard by our Supreme Court.

Now that liberal minded and fair minded people have spoken as far as our House of Representatives and Senate are concerned, it does open a wider path for a more fair minded Presidential election in two years.
With that, I believe we'll have a better chance of getting more liberal minded Supreme Court Justices being appointed which could possible open the Supreme Court doors to hear these cases and ultimately make outlawing gay marriage UNCONSTITUTIONAL!!

Answer 8

Not really, because it came coupled with 7 states voting to write gay marriage bans into their constitutions. The one piece of good news was that Arizona became the first state to strike such an amendment down.

These bans are totally pointless, of course - since when do we need to deface our constitutions to prevent something that's already illegal? It's pure symbolism. The "religious right" is against gay marriage for their own cult reasons, and the GOP exploits that for their own gain. The irony is that they get so many people to vote directly against their own interests just by playing on their neanderthal bigotry with regard to one or two "social issues."

Answer 9

YESSSS!!! even despite the states that did pass bans on gay marriage.

US history is that equality happens at the Fed level, and that's where we need healthy intelligent leaders. The Republicans are influenced by the religious right. The Democrats are not. In itself, that increases probability that we'll get further.

Besides, a Congress to hold in check a president shy on intellect who thinks his politics are a mandate directly from god, likes starting unjustified wars and lying to the people to get his way, invading our privacy, reducing our freedoms... obviously is a very good thing for everybody.

Answer 10

We are going to have to wait and see. Most of the Democrats elected are conservative Democrats who ran as opposing gay marriage. Now does that mean they want to change our constitution to ban gay marriage we will have to see. There is already a federal law that defines marriage as only between a man and a women and most Democrats who oppose gay marriage feel that is enough.

By the way, in my personal opinion, I do not believe Bush personally is against gay marriage. He has used this issue to divided the voters and energize the ultra-conservatives. Like all politicians he will do and say anything if it keeps him in office.