With congressional Republicans in disarray and facing mounting criticism from constituents across the country, and with President Bush's approval ratings in the basement, what does the Senate plan to do to divert attention from pressing national issues?
Call for another vote on the hideous antigay federal marriage amendment, of course.
Yes, that's right. The U.S. Senate, under the flagging leadership of right-winger Bill Frist (Tennessee), has scheduled a vote early next month – which is Pride Month, another interesting bit of timing – on a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. It's important to realize, however, that the vote is largely meaningless, and is solely designed to draw attention from major problems that the administration and Congress are unable or unwilling to take on:
â�" Immigration reform. Fresh from rallies in cities across the country on Monday, immigrants and their supporters demonstrated that there's a real need for comprehensive reform such as the plan that was proposed in the Senate last month. The draconian House bill that would criminalize undocumented people appears to be going nowhere and even the president supports a guest worker program, which some conservatives continue to oppose. As we mentioned last month, any immigration reform package should address the obstacles faced by same-sex binational couples, who are currently being left out of the debate.
â�" High gas prices. Republicans have dropped the ball on any meaningful energy policy, and the party of big business and Big Oil seems caught off guard by the sudden, steep surge in gasoline prices. This so-called pain at the pump affects practically everyone, and Frist's plan to offer $100 rebates to taxpayers quickly drew harsh criticism. Everyone – on the left and on the right – saw through that ridiculous plan. At today's prices, it's costing $75 to fill up some vehicles; offering a one-time check for $100 is meaningless. Not only that, but Frist tied the proposal to drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. The consensus of the people seems to be a collective "No thanks. You've got to be kidding."
â�" Katrina. The administration continues to deal with the fallout over its slow response to Hurricane Katrina last year, while the start of this year's hurricane season is only weeks away. New Orleans has in no way recovered yet, and even some Republicans in Congress have concluded that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is in shambles and should be abolished. How's that for a confidence-builder heading into the upcoming storm season in the gulf region?
â�" Iraq. American troops continue to die and suffer injuries, as do countless Iraqis. The insurgency strengthens its grip over much of the country, and the new Iraqi government remains weak. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has been the subject of scathing criticism from several retired generals, and at this point, it's widely acknowledged that the administration has fumbled badly since the president's arrogant "Mission accomplished" speech delivered three years ago.
That's the political context of next month's vote on the antigay marriage amendment. It's almost certainly not going to pass (just like last time, when it failed to get the two-thirds vote necessary). Several Republican senators face tough re-election races (the rabidly antigay Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania and Mike DeWine of Ohio most prominent among them) and they need to fire up the base in advance of the midterm elections in November – with their desperate, tired, diversionary tactics.
So be prepared – we'll be hearing a lot about the "sanctity" of marriage, how marriage is a union between "one man and one woman," and all the usual rhetoric conservatives have tossed around in the past. Once again, the right is using homophobia as a smokescreen to hide its inability to solve this country's problems