WASHINGTON — Dozens of prominent Republicans — including top advisers to former President George W. Bush, four former governors, and two members of Congress — have signed a legal brief arguing that gay people have a constitutional right to marry, a position that amounts to a direct challenge to Speaker John A. Boehner and reflects the divisions in the party since the November election.
The document will be submitted this week to the Supreme Court in support of a suit seeking to strike down Proposition 8, a California ballot initiative barring same-sex marriage, and all similar bans. The court will hear back-to-back arguments next month in that case and another pivotal gay rights case that challenges the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act.
Comments
Finally a few Republicans with a little common sense.
At least there are a few Republicans who aren't right wing Neanderthals.
Could it be that, finally, the Republican Party is being influenced by moderates from outside the Southern Biblebelt? The ideals of socially moderate, fiscally conservative New England Republicans have a much broader appeal than hardline Biblethumpers from the southern netherworld, glad they are finally getting the point!
It could be, at least initially, just the vangard of republicans looking for a new constituancy to pander to. These days core principles of this flighty bunch are rather in a flux.
Sounds like the Republicans are trying to become a party that can actually win an election. I'm surprised at this. Imagine the backlash they will recieve from their own.
And what about the Roman Catholic Church? Any statistics there?
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Justice Scalia, a Republican appointee, will as usual take a verbal scalpel to any reasoned legal argument to strike down Proposition 8. Can't wait to hear his "broccoli" like analogy used in the Healthcare Case. His brilliantly expressed condescensions posed during the Oral Argument Session that pleases and amuses his far right constituency will, I hope, be the minority viewpoint.