Members Max Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 Below is a New York Times article, which talks about how President Obama's views on gay marriage are "evolving": http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/us/politics/19marriage.html?_r=3&hp The article mentions that Obama originally supported gay marriage back in 1996 (back when he was a candidate for the Illinois State Senate). However, as Obama's political ambitions grew (when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004), Obama backtracked from his original position by stating that he actually meant (back in 1996) that he was just for civil unions. When running for president in 2008, he told pastor Rick Warren that marriage should be between a man and a woman. As public support for gay marriage continues to grow, Obama is beginning to think that it is "safe" to publicly endorse gay marriage. However, he has to "discuss" this with his political consultants, so as to find the most politically beneficial way to change his opinion yet again on this issue. Obama's main concern, it appears, is that he needs to perform a balancing act: he wants to keep the homosexual community satisfied (so that he can rely on their votes in 2012), while at the same time nees to convince middle America that he is not "out of touch" with their social values. My thoughts on this matter are very simple: on the issue of gay marriage, Obama (like just about all Democrats and some moderate Republicans) is a coward. It is clear that (in his heart) he believs that gays should be allow to marry. However, rather than taking a position that was (in the past) very unpopular, Obama publicly opposed gay marriage for political purposes. (This act of cowardice flies in the face of all the hoopla that Obama supporters claimed back in 2008, when they stated that Mr. Obama was a different type of politician: one who would never play the games that other politicans play, which include flip-flopping on the issues in order to get elected.) Should he now change his position (yet again) and endorse gay marriage, it won't be because he has "evloved" in his thinking on this matter. Rather, it will be because Obama now feels that he won't suffer much damage from embracing gay marriage. Personally, I predict that Obama will not publicly support gay marriage until after the 2012 election (regardless of whether or not he wins that election); only then will there be no possible way such a stance could harm him. However, there is a slight chance that Obama may actually support gay marriage before the Republican nomination is decided. (In any event, there is no way Obama will change his views on this matter in September or October 2012.) That's because, by so doing, there may actually be a surprising political advantage in it for him: endorsing gay marriage would made most (if not all) of the GOP contenders focus on this issue (much more so than they are doing now) in an attempt to court the far right. This would also make it more likely for the Republicans to nominate a Michelle Bachmann type (which, of course, would help Obama greatly in his own re-election). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Southofnowhere Posted June 25, 2011 Members Share Posted June 25, 2011 Mitt also supported(supports) gay marriage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Soapsuds Posted June 25, 2011 Members Share Posted June 25, 2011 eh..they(politicians) just say what we want to hear....they are all the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted June 25, 2011 Members Share Posted June 25, 2011 No major politician is going to endorse gay marriage for a long time. The media would have a field day, and would blame any defeat at the polls on gay rights, as they did in 2004. Democrats will make some token attempts to placate gay rights activists, and Republicans will hide behind an increasingly thin veneer of "tolerance" as they give more and more power to those who want to go back to the 30's or 40's on these issues, and in the case of far right hero Scott Walker, will not even allow a gay couple to have hospital visitation rights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members All My Shadows Posted June 25, 2011 Members Share Posted June 25, 2011 Fake ass people, fake ass lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Money Posted June 25, 2011 Members Share Posted June 25, 2011 Exactly. Obama is a politician first and foremost. And even though I supported the guy it was ridiculous the way people acted like he was the second coming in 2008. He'll say and do whatever he has to to claim a second term. He's been paying the same type of lip service to the Hispanic community for immigration reform and they've seen squat in the last four years. Now he's paying them lip service again since he knows he needs their vote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JackPeyton Posted June 25, 2011 Members Share Posted June 25, 2011 Even if Obama did support gay marriage he wouldnt act on it, not until he milks it to get reelected. even then im doubtful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kylie Posted June 25, 2011 Members Share Posted June 25, 2011 It's kinda like when people choose their candidate based on any issue, abortion is always a fun one. Cause unless a Supreme Court justice dies, the Pres ain't got no say in that issue. But it doesn't stop people from allowing it to be part of his platform. That's all gay marriage is right now. An issue you use to get support--for or against, It's not really going to be the President's call anyway, at least not for along time if it ever comes to that. He's not no real control over gay marriage anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members quartermainefan Posted June 25, 2011 Members Share Posted June 25, 2011 At least he admits his opinion is evolving. I don't believe any of the republican candidates believe in evolution. But seriously, his opinion is a joke. Your opinion is never evolving. At any moment in time you have an opinion and it may be different from what it was 10 years ago but it is not presently in a state of flux. He just doesn't want to say he is for marriage equality, or that he is against marriage equality. I think his actual position is he just doesn't care because this is not his problem, and is looking around for some meaningless position that will get people off his back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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