Gay Marriage And Political Cover

The NY Times discuses a silver lining in the Supreme Courts decison to hear (and presumably endorse) a Federal right to gay marriage:

Gay Marriage Case Offers G.O.P. Political Cover

WASHINGTON — The news Friday that theSupreme Court will rule on same-sex marriagebrought elation from gays and lesbians who are hopeful the justices will grant them the constitutional protections they have long sought.

But another group also saw a possible reason to celebrate if the court does indeed rule that way: Republicans.

If the high court resolves the issue as expected in June, it could deliver a decision that has the benefit of largely neutralizing a debate that a majority of Americans believe Republicans are on the wrong side of — and well ahead of the party’s 2016 presidential primaries.

To have the question disposed of and dispensed with, many Republicans say, could make their opinions on the matter largely moot, providing a political escape hatch that gives them an excuse to essentially say: “It’s been settled. Let’s move on.”

But then again...

With the center-right 2016 hopefuls expressing a certain sense of acceptance that same-sex marriage in all 50 states could be a foregone conclusion, there is an opening for socially conservative candidates like Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, and Rick Santorum, the former senator from Pennsylvania, to make gay rights a wedge.

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, another possible Republican contender, has also signaled that he would push hard on the issue.

The impact of a decision allowing gay couples to marry could also echo beyond that narrow question, prompting greater demands on the right for commitments from candidates about who they would or would not appoint to the bench.

“A decision redefining marriage will highlight even more the importance of Supreme Court appointments,” said Russell Moore, a senior official with the Southern Baptist Convention. “Evangelicals and other social conservatives will want to hear from candidates what sort of judicial philosophy they will look for in making appointments. The usual clichéd slogans won’t be enough.”

Surely the apparent importance of judicial nominees will be affected by just how many of the current justices end up supporting a right to gay marriage. In the unlikely event of a 9-0 ruling, it will be hard for any candidate to insist that they won't nominate softies and activists like Scalia, Thomas and Alito.

OK, 9-0 is not likely - Scalia was unhappy with Lawrence v. Texas and unhappy with Windsor, so he is likely to deliver another blistering dissent this summer. But there were three dissents in Windsor (Scalia, joined by Thomas and Roberts in part, Roberts and Alito) and Roberts will be voting with at least one eye on the history books, so Supreme Court savants can tell me whether the right to gay marriage has a shot at seven or more votes.

Comments

[Beasts of England]

They're being driven by the big bucks trying to park their money somewhere - anywhere. Check out the recent art auctions - same deal, OL.

[henry]

OL, anything to distract from the Dope of the Union event and the stellar results of that Dope's strategy in Yemen (where the Embassy is not being evacuated as the capitol is overrun by deranged Islamic fundamentalists). One Benghazi wasn't enough for this crowd.

[NKvirusedand back]

Well sooner than later some of those Fleet Street reporters will get the business end of a kebob knife in the belly from an adherent of the 'religion of peace' in good ole Londonstan.

[NKvirusedand back]

BoE-- when there is no confidence that the fiat currency will have any value, hard assets is where wealth goes. As with anything else, choose wisely... see oil.

[Dublindave]

"Ben and DD both on the same thread.
Can this place get any better"

Ha ha ha Jindal,American Conservatism and Fox news's journalistic standards on display in Europe...man can anything get better than this.

I have friends from my days living in King street Hammersmith emailing me asking me if this is a con,a stunt etc.....lol...it's not....it's modern American conservatism...lolololololol

[Beasts of England]

Correctomundo, NK!

Jindal must have really spoken some truths today. The leftards are foaming at the mouth. What's the axiom about taking flak? lol

[Neo]

But there it is buried on page 9 of the leaked document: "The President's plan will roll back expanded tax cuts for 529 education savings plans that were enacted in 2001 for new contributions..." Note that this is right before they also announce the repeal of Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (Coverdell ESAs), another similar move against the same middle class savings targets.

... I read this as Malia had trouble getting accepted to the college she wanted and Sasha's grades are even worse.

This is to get those fifty middle class folks out of the elite schools.
Let them eat community college.

LUN

[GMax]

How out of touch are Zero and his remaining rump party of liars? This:

Rasmussen this AM,

Just 17% of Likely U.S. Voters think the president should focus on new spending programs in his latest State of the Union speech.

[Dublindave]

This is probably not the best time but MRS Dublindave has recently left and DD is currently in need of female company....money is tight but i'm blessed with Liam neeson good looks and irish charm....dental hygiene is lacking but if you've got money to get me fixed yup I could be a good investment.

Email me xxxxx

[RickB]

The appearance of Soros shit shills is just a marker of the impotence of BOzo the Flaccid.

OL,

With population in the productive areas of the world in steady decline, what will prop the value of Au and concentrated carbon? Even the nonproductive areas are going to peak much sooner than the UN projection date.

Planning for a deflationary environment appears to me to be much trickier than relying upon the historic "growth" scenario.

[Eric in Boise]

Speaking of Japan, if they can just program these to make blog posts, we'll be able to automate our trolls:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/technology/japan-to-sell-talking-robots-that-wont-try-to-make-sense/ar-AA8n6ML

Progress!

[Ben]

" What's the axiom about taking flak?"

I think it's more like expired produce, B. Do they still use stocks and pillories in the UK? :)

[Miss Marple]

OL & Beasts,

I have been following the hard assets strategy for some time.

If you buy at small auction houses and garage sales, you don't leave much of a record.

[Beasts of England]

Very sorry to hear that, DublinDave! Keep your chin up!

[Jack is Back!]

I wonder how many Fleet Street journo's are prepared to walk down High Street in Bury Park, Luton?

[Beasts of England]

In honor of the SOTU address, I'm expressing my solidarity with Teh Won by heading to the golf course. Not many 60 degree days in January. Fore!!

[Old Lurker]

Seriously, Rick, I do agree with that. And Beasts will agree that the crazy price of cars also requires a certain demographic (my kids will not appreciate a 60's Shelby or GTO as much as I do). Whenever I see art for a gazillion bucks, I think of tulip bulbs.

While NK has a good idea about energy for those with strong stomachs, I guess my default attraction to bricks & mortar rentable real estate with no debt is going to have to see this old dog out since new tricks are harder to swallow.

[Ben]

Plenty of anti-immigrant feelings in the UK, especially Scotland.

They observe their self-imposed 'no go' zones.

[Jack is Back!]

But then a lot has happened in the UK since 2008. Right?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1574694/Bishop-warns-of-no-go-zones-for-non-Muslims.html

[Dublindave]

"Very sorry to hear that, DublinDave! Keep your chin up"

Thanks Beasts,been coming a long time. Been a bad husband.Kicker is I've got two tickets to see Yo-yo ma play Dvork's cello concerto in B-minor at the Mahaffey Theatre saint Pete at the end of the month...gonna be awkward going alone.

Perhaps i'll hire a prostitute for the evening, just to have company.

[henry]

Things which do not inspire confidencemassive Oracle security flaw.

[NKvirusedand back]

OL--your debt free bricks are like any other hard asset -- choose wisely. Fortunately for the both of us, we play in RE sand boxes that look pretty good for the foreseeable future.

[RickB]

OL,

There aren't any Romans left but there's plenty of their construction projects around.

[NKvirusedand back]

BTW-- TomM's new thread is fantastic. He calls out Obummer for the racialist he is.

[Old Lurker]

DD...Yo Yo good idea. Hooker, not so good.

[henry]

Our friend in Chicago sent me a note on hard assest prices: $17 billion in China FX removal. Apparently rich Chinese agree with you guys. (FT Alphaville has it).

[Joan]

JIB: I just read the Gatestone Institute article about 'no-go zones' in France. Depressing. Makes my stomach ache. Who would have thought that the Left's love of 'diversity' and 'multiculturalism' would rot and almost destroy so many great nations.

Egads! Just as I finised typing the last sentencee above, I got a phone call (couldn't read the caller ID so I answered) and it was an automated call telling me that Obamacare could dramatically lower my insurance, and to speak to a qualified Obamacare agent to press "1" now. Needless to say, the call made my stomach ache even worse. Who would have thought that in just six short years of an administration, a great nation would begin it's destruction and rot.

Also, back to the topic: I don't care who is gay and who is not gay, the only thing that has always irritated me about the larger group is that they force people to thing about 'sex' all of the time; for so many gays it's always about sex, sex, sex. Don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings who has a gay family member, that's fine. But I never have thought about people's sex lives, never been curious. Mine was fine. Didn't flaunt it, didn't want to know about my neighbors or friends, but leave me out of it. There's two old grayhaired ladies in Tulsa who got married a few months ago, and the Tulsa World has flaunted their union, the couple's ecstatic pictures have been in countless editions of the paper. They're two old, overweight, ugly women, beaming, cuddling. Happy. Good for them. But I'm tired of them and their crusade. And, they weren't content with finally being able to get married, no, they immediately sued whoever, because they had been discriminated against. They might even be part of the lawsuit that going against the Supremes. Don't know for sure, but do remember their picture--again--being shown in paper for a lawsuit they're pursuing. Extremely short hair cuts, beaming faces, triple chins, big stomachs, holding hands, probably double-X large dress on one, pant suit on other. I'm just tired of them.

Sorry for the rant.

[sbw]

Howard Kurtz: The Republican National Committee has stiffed MSNBC on the presidential debates. Is that a problem?

It is if you think political parties shouldn’t be able to pick and choose which journalists get to question their White House contenders.

Grow some eyes, Kurtz, if you believe Obama doesn’t pick and choose. How naive do you think we are?

[Danube on iPad]

Congratulations, DrJ.

[Old Lurker]

Quick.

Name a journalist at MSNBC.

[narciso]

An exercise in vizzism. Take mr. Kohlman, he was once a very talented counterterror analyst,wrote a leading analysis of aq in bosnia, but then the brainslugs struck

[Iggy]

--Have you SEEN the prices for those vintage Ferraris at the auctions lately! WOW.--

Lotsa smart guys, especially smart Japanese guys, believed the "trend is my friend" mantra back about 25 years ago, re vintage Ferraris.
The trend was not their friend because friends don't let friends drive vintage Ferraris off investment cliffs.
Objects in front of you are closer than they appear;

[Iggy]

--i'm blessed with Liam neeson good looks--

In his Darkman phase?

[pagar]

Might want to make a copy.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/01/rnc-releases-obamas-sotu-by-the-numbers/