Top Conservatives Tell Supreme Court to Support Same-Sex Marriage

Dozens of GOP officials sign a legal brief calling for marriage equality

Dozens of prominent Republicans have signed a legal brief arguing that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, as the Supreme Court prepares to hear two cases on the issue next month.

The "friend of the court" legal brief, was signed by 75 conservatives, including close advisers to former President George W. Bush, former governors and two members of Congress. It challenges the current GOP leadership's opposition to gay mariage, the New York Times reports.

Since the brief was signed by so many well-known former officials, it suggests that it's easier for GOP members to speak out against the party's platform once they leave public life, the Times said.

The brief will be filed this week at the Supreme Court in support of a suit seeking to strike down Proposition 8, a California ballot initiative blocking same-sex marriage. The court will also hear a challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman, the Times reports.

Via the New York Times

Do you think the legal brief will influence current GOP leaders to support gay marriage?

[NTBFW]

Every day.

[jessejaymes]

The Supreme court is influenced by clear majority public opinion one justice wrote about 10 years ago. If that is true, it will make a difference.

[wonka45ACP]

I don't know how the public opinion of several thousand people can ever constitute the
Majority?

[culinary]

I personally don't think it will but it should.

[jessejaymes]

@wonka45ACP Polls consistently show that the majority of Americans favor gay marriage. That's a few thousand? I'm not gay, I'm not liberal and I don't agree with gays using the word marriage but this battle is lost. Time to move on.

[wonka45ACP]

@jessejaymes I agree if they want to call it a civil union, have at it.

[jessejaymes]

@wonka45ACP I fight my "wars" with tooth and nail. But when they are lost there is no sense in using up time, money and effort to battle on. Pull back the troops, restore the faith and go on to the next battle. I'm telling you, this one is lost. I don't like it but it's lost.

[Bobolinsky]

I'm on record more than once on here as saying that the republicans should offer up DOMA on a silver platter in exchange for a balanced budget. What do ya say liberals? It's the best of both issues. Civil Rights are expanded and we put our country back on sound financial footing.

[Zazziness]

It would make sense except liberals aren't against a balanced budget in the first place. They just have different ideas than you about how to bring that about.

[Bobolinsky]

@Zazziness-- How do you figure? The dems are saying that cuts amounting to less than what our Federal Government borrows in a month (sequester) will mean the end of civilization as we know it.

[Zazziness]

@Bobolinsky Two ways to balance a budget and both need to be addressed: cuts where they absolutely have to happen and a raise in income.

[Bobolinsky]

@Zazziness-- You mean a raise in "taxes" don't you? The two are not synonymous.

[Bobolinsky]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laffer_curve

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/1996...

[Keyjo]

Maybe.
But the G.O.P. is one big unhappy, dysfunctional family.
When putting up a front, they must all smile and wave. But anyone who deviates from the party line gets a good beating when they get home.

[NTBFW]

Honestly how is that description any different from the Democratic Party? I didn't say you were wrong.and I'm using a debate tactic I hate. But I have to ask what happens to a Dem that gets out of line? About the same thing I would say.

[Keyjo]

@NTBFW
I don't think so. Look at how Christie has been demonized for simply thanking President Obama for his help with disaster relief. Or how Huntsman is called a RINO for being an Obama administration Ambassador and for stating, "my country before my party."
Why do you think that all these Republicans waited until retirement to speak out. The Dems certainly have their in house bickering,but it's the G.O.P. who eats it's young.

[AlexMIA]

@NTBFW Just refer to the pro-gun democrat candidate running in Illinois.

[NTBFW]

@AlexMIA exactly.

[Keyjo]

@AlexMIA
Is that state politics? I am not familiar.

[zachsquatch]

Let them be. Homosexuality is a non issue in comparison to the other problems we have with our country. All I want is for the homosexuals to accept differing standpoints to their lifestyle, which hasn't come yet. I understand they want to change minds, but that's a lost cause and will do nothing more than raise blood pressure. Let them have their right to love whomever, all I ask is they respect those that disagree with them. You can disagree with someone without being disrespectful, yet it seems the militants on the homosexual side think it's down right bigotry, hate, Nazism, fascism, (enter about 10 other recycled words here).

[Zazziness]

Walk a mile in their shoes. How would you react if you were told your sexual orientation was a choice when you knew, first-hand, that it is not? How would you react if someone told you "You're an abomination" because of something like being left-handed -- something that you were born with? How would you react if people encouraged you to "get back in the closet" and never speak about who you love and asked you to never, ever display affection toward your loved one where people might see? How would you like to read a news story about a couple who was beaten or murdered for no reason but that they were the same type person you are?

It's hard to believe all the muck homosexuals get thrown at them on a daily basis. No wonder some are what you might see as "disrespectful" when they hear an insulting cliché for the fortieth time that month.

[AceLuby]

You have the right to disagree with them, it becomes disrespectful when you justify denying them rights due to that disagreement.

[Jet_Silverman]

You don't deserve respect. Do you think the KKK deserves the respect of Jews and blacks, and that the KKK just "disagrees" with them?

[g4me]

@Zazziness Very well said.

[dances-weebles]

i doubt seriously that you will ever find even one gay or lesbian person who doesn't 'accept' heterosexuality as the way that people are born and yet, here you are saying that you have the right to accept homosexuality or not.

i think that this is the problem. to think that it's up to you to 'accept' it is nothing more than arrogance.

[Zazziness]

I think the changing opinions of Americans will make politicians support same-sex marriage. And about time, too.

[AlexMIA]

I hope it does influence GOP leaders into changing the party platform. They can't possibley be any denser!

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

So sad...

[Zazziness]

That's odd. You're a 'family values" man, yeah? Believe that society is strengthened when people who love each other settle down, get married and form a family? This just means all the more people will have the opportunity to do that, making our society all the better at the same time. You should be happy about it.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

@Zazziness - Have a family or form a family? Hmmm.... decisions, decisions.

[Zazziness]

@Neo_NtheMatrix A couple begins the process of becoming a family from the moment they say "I do." If they add children, which some same-sex couples choose to do, they become a bigger family. It's simple, really.:-)

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

@Zazziness - Add children or have children? It's gets so complex, really.:-(

[Zazziness]

@Neo_NtheMatrix Not really. Hundreds of thousands of infertile heterosexual couples have paved the way. There are dozens of options. It's a good thing, all around.

[ctc]

A clear sign the GOP is going contrarian.....next....they'll be for tax hikes.

[DARSB]

I don't see the Teapartistas in the House or, more importantly perhaps, in the donor base signing onto marriage equality anytime soon.

[Hireman]

A huge chunk of the Tea Party are libertarians, who do not oppose same-sex marriage.

[DARSB]

@Hireman A shame there isn't a DNA test for libertarians. The way it is now it's impossible to distinguish between a libertarian and a christo-fascist like Tony Perkins.

[Hireman]

@DARSB it's only impossible if your only criteria is what someone looks like. He's quite right wing which is a stark contrast to libertarians on social as well as economics.

[Chromalord]

Juts another thing to try to sell to the American people that the GOP is changing. My question is, how will the GOP survive with one less divisive and pointless wedge issue to serve up at election time?

[rafi2801]

If it has Obama's name on it or if he brought it to the table it will not pass. But if a republican pushes it it may have traction since they are trying to get voters, any voters to vote for their 1800's ideology.

[Realthinker]

The names on that list may be Republicans but they are not conservatives. This is the wing of the party known as RINOS: Republicans in name only. Conservatives want nothing to do with them and are actively working to render them irrelevant.

[AceLuby]

Oh good, the old 'not a true Scotsman' argument. I was wondering when that would be brought up.

[Knightkore]

Agreed....

[Sonny]

Again...Its like I've been saying over & over again...that sooner or later the "grown-ups" in the Republican party would slowly start to reclaim their party back from the far right extremist like the tea party...We are seeing more and more of this, starting with Carl Rove being told by a Republican Gov. to "Butt-Out"...So--exp ect to see more as more & more rational elements of that party get tired of losing elections and having to endure extreme political positions that America has already rejected!

[Jet_Silverman]

It's becoming clear, even to conservatives, that there just isn't a good, rational argument against gay marriage.

[Speedieg]

I don't think the Republican Party will change until the are completely destroyed and allowed to rebuild. They simply can not divorce themselves from the religious right and being anti-gay while not popular is profitable in terms of big bigoted doners.

[Vance1]

we already have "marriage equality" Marriage is between One Man and One Woman
I personally will never support so called "Same-Sex Marriage" simply because there truly is no reason for it.

[Jet_Silverman]

that's like saying we had marriage equality because everyone could marry a member of their race. A man can't marry a man, but a woman can. That's not equal. You won't support gay marriage because you are a homophobe.

[Vance1]

@Jet_Silverman
what's a "homophobe"?

[Vance1]

@Jet_Silverman
homophobe is a made up name by liberals...No I am not stupid
Its just a way for you libs to bash Conservatives...Yea I get it
Too bad it doesnt work well

[Mike_Monacelli]

Hopefully. The Republican Party needs to get rid of this insidious notion that we can continue to pose staunch opposition to causes such as gay marriage, immigration reform, and abortion and still garner enough votes to win elections. Homosexual's are people too, and the ones that are here are US citizens. They too have the rights to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. If getting married makes them happy than so be it, they should be allowed to be married by whatever church allows them to be, and the state should sanction it just as they do with normal marriages.

[mwr]

i hope we have an SC with the ability to think all on thier own. The executive branch and the legislative branch should be ashamed for trying ot soap box this issue at the last min for political gain.

[commonsense51]

This is just the slippery slope of a nation going down to the dust bin of greatness. The GOP either goes along with a completely spoiled electorate or they will not get elected. The Democrats have put America on the path to total irresponsible bankruptcy. The majority of voters no longer pay taxes and only elect those who give them free subsidies. I believe our nation for sure will go bankrupt and we will see rioting in the streets. We have a president who is bent on pandering to the irresponsible welfare voting block.