Do a majority of Americans really support gay marriage? "Maybe not," the Washington Post admits. For years, headlines have screamed that society is open to redefining marriage. But every time the theory is put to the test, it's proven wrong. As Daniel Horowitz says, the only authentic polling data is votes at the ballot. Thirty-two times, voters have gone to the polls in some of the most liberal states in America and rejected counterfeit marriage--most recently in North Carolina, where a constitutional amendment won by 22 points. Now that President Obama has literally made a federal case out of marriage, the reaction is even more severe.
Although the polling has been manipulated for years, even some media elites are conceding that the support for same-sex "marriage" just isn't there. Yesterday's CBS/New York Times survey showed that only 38% of Americans agree with the President's position. An ABC News/Washington Post poll backed up the trend, pointing out that 47% responded unfavorably and 46% responded favorably. But, analysts say, the real story is in the intensity gap. According to the Post, those numbers include " a 10-point tilt toward 'strongly' negative (38%) rather than strongly positive (28%) views." Independent voters were especially opposed, with most leaning toward a strongly negative reaction.
How have liberals managed to inflate the numbers for so long? "For the most part," the Post says, "the polling out there is combining the civil union and gay marriage responses together to get their 'majority' supporting gay marriage. There's a reason why the same-sex marriage ban passed in 32 states..." And those amendments (and a people's veto) haven't just passed--they've had overwhelming support. Republicans should be tripping over themselves to champion marriage. Instead, they're racing to change the subject on an issue that won an average of 67% of the vote in a supermajority of states. No wonder voters are annoyed. Ignoring marriage isn't just spineless--it's politically naive. Americans care about the economy and marriage. Surely, the GOP has enough time to fight for both.
