North Carolina to Vote on Amending State Constitution to Ban Recognition of Any Relationship Except Marriage Between Man and Woman

Everything Else Has No Legal Standing

North Carolina Republicans have scheduled a vote on May 8 on amending the state Constitution to deny marriage to same sex couples and deny recognition of opposite sex couples who have in their own wisdom decided not to be formally married.  The May 8 selection coincides with the state’s primary voting. 

For Some Conservatives This is not a Joke

It is interesting that the Republicans chose that date instead of the more appropriate date of the general election in the fall.  In 2004 same sex marriage was used as a tool to motivate the Conservative base of the Republican party to vote in the fall elections of that year, and it is entirely possible that the presence of the issue on the ballot in some states was responsible for the re-election of George W. Bush over John Kerry.

But things have changed and North Carolina Republicans are some of the most savvy political thinkers in the land.  Knowing the increasing tolerance for same sex equality the Republicans were afraid to schedule the vote in the fall election, since that would mean many more voters would be voting and the chances of the measuring being defeated were very great.  So by having the voting with the primary elections, they picked a time when turnout would be much fewer than a general election, helping insure that their motivated base would pass an amendment that could easily be defeated if a true election were held.

So expect the amendment to pass, but no one who supports equality and is against discrimination should be concerned.  Once again Republicans have rigged the vote, and in the fall when a more accurate election is held voters in other states may well approve marriage equality.  See, in a fair fight Conservatives usually lose.