Isn't it interesting that 52% of the popular vote for Obama...

@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
November 11, 2008 5:14pm CST
is somehow a "mandate", but 52% for Prop 8 in California isn't?
3 people like this
3 responses
cyntrow
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
12 Nov 08
52% is not a mandate for anything. And I personally, think it great that Prop 8 only passed with 52%. Five years ago, it would have been a landslide.
ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
12 Nov 08
And 20 years ago feminist and liberal groups were saying that marriage is either not important at all, or causing the slavery of women, so very few would have even thought it should be an issue.
1 person likes this
cyntrow
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
13 Nov 08
True. But most states had common law, then and now. So even couples who didn't have a marraige license had the benefits of marraige.
ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
14 Nov 08
Most who live together are against commonlaw marriages. For that matter, so am I.
1 person likes this
thegreatdebater
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
11 Nov 08
I wish someone could tell me how it is that when just half of the American people agree on something it is called a mandate. I am not attacking you Para, I just don't understand why we feel that when the majority of us agree we don't just call it a victory, and move on. I believe a mandate would have to be over 60% of Americans approving of something would be a mandate. But, that is just me.
ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
12 Nov 08
We agree here. I think people try to make slim majority into a mandate to bolster the authority of their candidate or cause. People will be justifying all sorts of completely unconstitutional things by Prs. Obama saying, "he has a mandate for change"... and supporters of past presidents have done the same for "their guy".
2 people like this
thegreatdebater
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
12 Nov 08
Para, you know as well as I do, the crazy people will justify their stupidy anyway possible. It is politics.
ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
12 Nov 08
True, justification is one of the irresistable drives of humans.
1 person likes this
Latrivia
@Latrivia (2878)
• United States
12 Nov 08
It probably has something to do with the fact that Prop 8 is inherently discriminatory and unconstitutional, while the presidential election was relatively clean-cut and fair game. That, and the fact that fights for civil rights never become quelled so easily.
ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
12 Nov 08
PS, your example of inter-racial marriages also doesn't back your point because some Black people COULD marry White people... depending on the state. States that had "one drop" laws defining race didn't stop people who the law defined as "Negro", but appeared White from marrying people who were White. So can you come up with any examples that work?
1 person likes this