Social Issues in Politics Gay Marriage

Posted on February 7, 2014 | 3 Comments | Edit

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One of the fastest rising topics in modern politics is whether gay marriage should be legalized. 10 years ago,
same-sex marriage was banned in all 50 states. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to legalize, and
since then, the gay marriage debate has become a hot topic in politics. As per usual, the two main political
parties have opposing views on the matter. Republicans have generally been opposed to gay marriage
legalization, while Democrats are typically in favor of it. To date, same-sex marriage is legal in 16 states, and
that number will jump to 17 when a legalization law takes effect in Illinois in June.

To understand each partys opinion on the issue, we need to first understand that the driving force for each
party is seats in Congress and, more importantly, control of the presidency. Political parties want to put party
members in power and keep them there.
The popular opinion among the general population regarding same-sex marriage has changed drastically over
the past decade. Recently, a huge shift has occurred among Americans: the majority of America supports gay
marriage, as detailed in this Gallup poll. 52% of those polled indicated that they would support a law
legalizing gay marriage in all 5o states, while only 43% said they were against it. The breakdown in the vote
depicts the rift we see in politics today: 70% of those polled who identified as being a Democrat would
support the hypothetical law, while 30% of Republicans polled would support it.

In recent years, same-sex marriage has turned from a mainly social issue into a combination of a social and
political one. For the first time ever, the 2012 election saw the two major parties include same-sex marriage in
their campaign platforms. Republican candidate Mitt Romney and his party ran on a strict traditional marriage
policy. His platform even called for a Constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, stating that
marriage between a man and a woman has been entrusted with the rearing of children and the transmission of
cultural values. Conversely, the Democratic platform provided a steadfast support for marriage
equality. President Obamas platform stated, We support marriage equality and support the movement to
secure equal treatment under the law for same-sex couples. These two highly conflicting views, which
officially debuted at each partys respective 2012 national convention, have been retained through 2014, and
have influenced legislation, or lack thereof, regarding marriage equality.

President Bill Clinton signing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) into law in 1996
Despite the national opinion being in favor of marriage equality, only 1/3 of the states have legalized same-sex
marriage. That number is expected to increase in the coming years. In the 2012 election, the Republican party
struggled to attract young voters. Strategists say one way to address this issue is for the party to reevaluate its
stance on gay marriage. In 2012, 81% of young voters (age 18 to 29) supported same-sex marriage, an
overwhelming majority. In 2013, section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), was declared
unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in United States v. Windsor. DOMA, which was signed into law by
former president and Democrat Bill Clinton, defined the term spouse to apply to heterosexual couples under
the law. Essentially, it meant the government would not give marriage rights to same-sex couples. When
section 3 was declared unconstitutional, same-sex couples gained these marriage rights, but DOMA is still in
effect and national law does not permit gay marriage. Many Republicans still support DOMA, and Republican
strategists say that an opposition to the 1996 bill will help attract the young vote.

Gay marriage is undeniably a political issue in America today. Democrats and Republicans develop platforms
on the matter to benefit themselves: if the public likes their stance, theyll be rewarded with political
power. Unfortunately, what I feel is so often lost in the debate over gay marriage is the personal
side. Ultimately, same-sex marriage is a private issue. It is a decision that affects the household and not the
community. Politics should not be a factor. In my opinion, the fact that a politician hundreds of miles away
can prevent two people in love from getting married is purely wrong.