Must be Election Time

If Senate Republicans are talking about gay marriage, it must mean we're closing in on another election. Have you ever noticed how issues like immigration reform and gay marriage only come up at election time? As soon as the election in question is over, you don't hear about the topic again.

Why is that? I think it's because even the most crass politician knows this country, when forced to acknowledge the truth, is more tolerant than the religious right. What the politicians are doing is pandering to the most base, intolerant, small-minded element of their electorate. Why do they do it? Because it works.

Reagan did this in the 80s, and W's people have learned well. Instead of focusing on the ill-advised, and out-of-control, war in Iraq, or global warming, or any of the other legitimate issues this country faces, why not get the Bible-thumpers (who mostly are as ignorant of their own sacred text as they are about politics, sexuality, and history) all worked up about boys kissing, as Bill Maher puts it so succintly.

I never cease to be amazed at how people allow themselves to be used over and over like this. It will keep happening until it doesn't work any more.