http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/opi ... 755313.htm

Opinion
Posted on Wed, Jun. 07, 2006

Pandering sets record low

Just to make sure there is no question as to what President Bush and the United States Senate are doing this week by pushing a gay-marriage-ban amendment to the Constitution, the public should realize this has absolutely nothing to do with gay marriage.

Let's be clear: Its supporters realize the measure stands no chance of receiving the required two-thirds majority needed for a constitutional amendment, and it's highly unlikely it will even get 50 percent support in the Senate. Democrats there are uniformly against it, and even a number of Republicans see it for what it is and won't support it. No, this attempt has nothing to do with protecting the sanctity of marriage, but is a desperate ploy to wake up lethargic social conservatives, particularly those on the religious right.

According to a wide variety of polls, voters - and this includes conservative Republicans - have become increasingly disenchanted with the war in Iraq, illegal immigration, massive federal spending, Medicare programs that malfunction, huge tax subsidies to the wealthy, congressional corruption and a real threat to America from Iran and North Korea. Unless something changes the direction voters appear to be headed, many in the Republican-dominated Senate will be looking for new jobs after November. President Bush and the Senate leadership hope that something is the gay marriage-ban amendment.

Simply put, the gay marriage amendment is a diversion, an attempt to draw voters' attention away from serious national and international issues. Voters, incidentally, should be incensed that Republicans would stoop to pander so openly by waving this emotional but non-sustenance issue like a red flag before conservatives.

As E. J. Doinne Jr., of the Washington Post wrote, this move shows that Mr. Bush and his allies think their base of social conservatives "is a nest of dummies who have no memories and respond like bulls whenever red flags are waved in their faces." This carries political pandering to a new low, and those responsible should hide their faces in shame.