Tuesday's election a mixed bag for social conservatives
I see that Gene Veith has beaten me to the punch in pointing this out, but Tuesday's election was a distinctly mixed bag for social conservatives.
Voters in California, Florida, Arizona and Arkansas voted down gay "marriage." But California voters also decided to legalize abortions performed on minors without parental consent, and voters in South Dakota and Colorado voted down essentially meaningless laws which would have virtually banned abortion there, at least in theory (in practice, Roe v. Wade would have instantly rendered those laws of no effect).
Since everyone knew that the referenda were meaningless gestures, it's hard to make a case that the outcome was all that significant. Doubtless plenty of voters voted against the propositions precisely because they were meaningless.
Arkansas voters made it illegal for unmarried persons to adopt a child in that state. The measure had been strongly opposed by gay and lesbian advocacy groups.
Voters in Oregon made their state the second (Washington was the first) to legalize physician assisted suicide. Massachusetts voted to decriminalize marijuana, and Michigan- quite properly, in my view- became the thirteenth state to legalize marijuana prescribed by a doctor for medical purposes.
The culture wars continue.
Voters in California, Florida, Arizona and Arkansas voted down gay "marriage." But California voters also decided to legalize abortions performed on minors without parental consent, and voters in South Dakota and Colorado voted down essentially meaningless laws which would have virtually banned abortion there, at least in theory (in practice, Roe v. Wade would have instantly rendered those laws of no effect).
Since everyone knew that the referenda were meaningless gestures, it's hard to make a case that the outcome was all that significant. Doubtless plenty of voters voted against the propositions precisely because they were meaningless.
Arkansas voters made it illegal for unmarried persons to adopt a child in that state. The measure had been strongly opposed by gay and lesbian advocacy groups.
Voters in Oregon made their state the second (Washington was the first) to legalize physician assisted suicide. Massachusetts voted to decriminalize marijuana, and Michigan- quite properly, in my view- became the thirteenth state to legalize marijuana prescribed by a doctor for medical purposes.
The culture wars continue.
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