Two-thirds of Iowans Want to Vote on Marriage

Good News: Two-Thirds of Iowans Want to Vote on Marriage
Citizen Link
by Jennifer Mesko, staff writer

'The political power in this state rests with the people.'

Two-thirds of Iowa voters want to decide the definition of marriage for themselves, by placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot. Unfortunately, the earliest that could happen is 2012.

The poll, conducted for TheIowaRepublican.com, comes three months after the state Supreme Court dragged same-sex marriage into the Heartland. The results mirror surveys done last year.
"Public opinion on marriage is consistently a 65-70 percent issue," said Bryan English, director of public relations for the Iowa Family Policy Center.

"The numbers tell us that Iowans want the right to vote on the Iowa Marriage Amendment. How the political class responds to these numbers will help separate the wheat from the chaff among those who seek office in 2010."

Of 500 registered Iowa voters contacted by telephone this month, 67 percent agreed "voters should have the chance to vote on a traditional marriage amendment to the constitution." Thirty states have amended their constitutions to protect the definition of marriage.

"Iowa citizens still know what marriage is, and they still know how laws are made," English said. "The political power in this state rests with the people. They are not comfortable with the court making law for them, and on an issue as important as marriage, they want to have their say.

To whom shall he pray?

Not long ago political pundits insisted on writing off religious voters. Today, or at least in the Iowa primary, its all about the religious vote; the outcome of which may affect the national dialogue.

It's no longer whether faith should be a factor - but which faith.

Polls show Iowan's favor Romney and Huckabee, both men who take their faith seriously and take their faith with them whether in church on Sunday or on the stump during the week.

And there is the rub.

It seems that Iowa conservatives want a President who will get on his knees and pray to the maker of the universe before releasing a nuclear warhead. (Hideous that there are those who would cry foul at such a humble act.) Now some are asking themselves "to whom shall he pray?"

Tomorrow, Mr. Romney may answer that question, but with two candidates who take their faith seriously it is certain that Iowan's will be on their knees before the final votes are cast as well.

Minnesota, are you listening?

By Chuck Darrell

Be sure to read “As Iowa shows, a marriage law isn’t enough” by Katherine Kersten of the Star Tribune.

Kersten writes, “In the end, we don't need Iowa's Judge Hanson to remind us that traditional marriage is under assault.

'Almost half of the country's marriage laws are or have been under attack by a small group who want to force their will on the people in the guise of constitutional adjudication,' wrote Teresa Stanton Collett, a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, in a 2007 William Mitchell Law Review article.

Courts in 11 states have ordered legal recognition of same-sex unions, according to Collett -- 12, counting Iowa. In 2003, Massachusetts' high court voted 4-3 -- a mere one vote difference -- to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples. In states such as New York and Washington, high courts have upheld one-man, one-woman marriage.

The only way to prevent state courts from redefining marriage is to define it in a state's constitution. Twenty-seven states have done so, according to the Marriage Law Foundation, and 23 did so even though they had a law defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.”

Well said.