Public Opposes Gays Weddings at Military Facilities

Similarly, only 24 percent of those surveyed agreed that Congress should "pass a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in every state regardless of state law." Many leading Republicans, including presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, support such an amendment. A slightly greater number, 27 percent, said they would support a constitutional amendment to permit same-sex marria...

National Journal • May 24, 2012

Bill to Repeal DOMA Attracting Lobbying

According to First Street Research Group, nine groups lobbied on the Respect for Marriage Act in the Senate in the first quarter of 2012 and eight groups in the House, ranging from the Human Rights Campaign to the Traditional Values Coalition. The nine groups that had lobbying activity on the Senate version of the bill spent a total of $1.55 million on all their lobbying in the first quarter, acco...

National Journal • May 11, 2012

The New Democratic Litmus Test

After decades of avoiding what was once a toxic issue, Democrats are on the verge of establishing a new litmus test, one that will demonstrate just how quickly and dramatically the political landscape will change: When a new crop of Democrats run for the White House in 2016, the top contenders will likely all embrace same-sex marriage the way Republicans embrace a pro-life stand. Just as there is ...

National Journal • Feb 21, 2012

Same-Sex Marriage Supporters Looking for Conservative Support

The salons are designed to bring together groups of politically likeminded strategists, consultants and others who support same-sex marriage or are on the fence to discuss the issue and how to make it a reality. There was a salon on Oct. 11 for center-right politicos and one on Oct. 19 for Republicans, which brought together about 20 people at each gathering. Freedom to Marry wouldn't say who was ...

National Journal • Nov 4, 2011

A Moral Crossroads For Conservatives: The genie that gay-marriage opponents still hope to stuff back into the bottle is out for good.

Conservatives have a decision to make. They can continue pretending that the bond between Mike and Bill does not exist, is of no social value, or has no place on conservatives' agenda. Doing so would be of a piece with their retreat to economic Hooverism, their embrace of cultural Palinism, and, in general, their preference for purity over relevance. Or they can acknowledge what to most of the co...

National Journal • Aug 7, 2009

New England's Equal Marriage Compromise

The equal-marriage lobby is making political calculations of its own. Some advocates view exemptions as temporarily convenient and don't think they'll need to tolerate them forever. Just as increasing public support for gay people in recent years has made civil unions unsatisfactory to the movement, it's hard to imagine that if equal marriage were to gain overwhelming support in New England some e...

National Journal • Jun 24, 2009