Yeah, I noticed the polarization of social views before, and it's not a new thing, either. It's been evident ever since the Vietnam and Korea wars.

This was actually a brilliant political move on the part of the President. That doesn't make what he said wrong by the way. The President is always a politician, and politics is a tool that a President uses to promote their agenda. To make it simple a good President is also a good politician. A President needs to be a good Politician to accomplish things of any importance. What some of you don't understand is that up until now the President didn't have majority support on this issue.

That isn't to say he hasn't been working to further the gay agenda however. He has spent most of his term slowly undermining the bigotry. Such as signing legislation that allowed gays to openly serve in the military. All he did with this comment was to do what he has done all along. Which is to undermine the position of his rivals just a bit more.

Anyway this will play out well with Independents where the majority support gay marriage. Which just reflects the nation as a whole, and Independents are the swing votes that usually determine national elections. They will not win or lose a state that swings overwhelmingly on one side or the other, but in states where it is a near even split that is where Independents can decide the matter.

Oh if by chance your thinking this isn't huge for the Gay community your very wrong. It isn't just symbolic it really does put more pressure on the Republicans as they try to appeal to Independents while retaining their very own moderates. The trend really in inexorable with each passing year more Americans support the right to marriage for Gays. This really puts them in a lose lose situation. Where the extremists demand complete opposition, but at the same time this will cost the party some members. Social justice is one of those things that does trump what the economy is doing.

Speaking to impressions of America presented in this thread. The United States is a fairly large conglomerate as it were. Europe as a whole would be a better comparison as compared to any single Nation in Europe. When you think of it that way then if Nations in Europe can be far apart on different things. Then what chance do Kentucky, and California have at being close on everything. The answer is not much chance at all. So if your puzzled as to why the United States can be both Liberal and Conservative. Then shouldn't you also be confused by how vastly different economic policies were from say Greece to Germany. The United States is no more monolithic then Europe.

didn't read your whole post sorry. but how will this affect anyhting, he said he suppors gay marriage, but WON'T support it on a national level. so basically he said nothing, or nothing more than what he has previously said. All he did was alientate the crownd that oes not support gay marriage, and kept the same crowd that does support it. Its a no win statement to me, he alienated people he may not have and won over the people he has won over already.

Except Dodece... he signed legislation allowing gays to serve in the military because gays were about to be allowed to serve in the military anyway due to a lobbying groups lawsuit.(Republican Lobbying group.)

Which is generally the issue I have with Democrats... despite being "For" socially liberal ideas they NEVER push the ideas until it's evident it's going to pass anyway or it's NOT going to pass and can be used as a wedge against the republicans.

I wonder if that's so or if it's just louder due to various factors.  Hard to find actual polls for other countries for some reason.

Either way.  That's just how the US is culturally.  Skeptical to change, but once we do we pivet faster then any nation ever. 

One of the last nations to outlaw slavery yet the first to have a Head of State from a racial minority. (That wasn't all apartheid like anyway.)

xD



I hope Obama wins just so he won't do anything about gay marriages so everyone looks like a fool

Edit: No joke, this is the new cover 

That cover isn't real is it?

Me, if he wins I hope he DOES do something about it, however I doubt he will, as i believe in general Democrats only care about gay and minority issues when they know they can't pass.

Hence why equal pay, gay rights and affirmative action measures only come up around election time, and never when democrats have the advantage.

That's the problem with a two party system. If anything gay marraige will come about in one of two ways

1) Supreme Court Decision.

2) Republican Kennedy/LBJ moment, where enough older anti-gay people die so sentiment is shifted and the republicans decide to cut their losses and become the leaders. (As is often thought the case with LBJ. Who was generally a huge dick and had numerous firsthand reports of racism.)

Fianlly it was about time... and Great for the US to be the first!

Great for the US to be the first what?