“The only difference between “marriage” and the “civil union” Obama/Biden promise is that a marriage is peformed by and in a religious setting. A “civil union” is performed by a justice of the peace or other authorized person — a government agent — and has nothing to do with religion.”

This is incorrect. You are referring to civil marriages that are performed by JPs, ship captains, marriage commissioners, etc. Heterosexuals may opt for EITHER a religious/church marriage OR a civil marriage. BOTH are legal. The institution of ‘civil unions’ is not in any way a legal marriage. It is a false institution that gives you nothing at all.

“I’m am sorry you won’t be happy with any label but “marriage.” For me, a 62yo in a 33+ year relationship who has experienced discrimination at its worst, legal protections for me and my devoted and loving partner is overwhelmingly more important than fighting for a label.”

Sorry, but you are wrong again. Civil unions do NOT give you ANY ‘legal protections’. For that matter, even though I am legally married (for 4.5 years out of our 23.5 years together), because I was married in Canada, even I do not get any of those legal protections when I cross the border – they are doled out based on your marital status, and most of America does not recognize my legal status.

Trace, MORE lies: “the Democrats see you as second class citizens every bit as much as the Republicans”

Why do you type stuff that is so easily disprovable?

Read these words: “Biden replied, “Absolutely. . . . Look, in an Obama-Biden administration, there will be absolutely no distinction from a constitutional standpoint or a legal standpoint between a same-sex and a heterosexual couple.”

He added: “The fact of the matter is that under the Constitution we should be granted – same-sex couples should be able to have visitation rights in the hospitals, joint ownership of property, life insurance policies, et cetera. That’s only fair. It’s what the Constitution calls for. And so we do support it.”

“We do support making sure that committed couples in a same-sex marriage are guaranteed the same constitutional benefits as it relates to their property rights, their rights of visitation, their rights to insurance, their rights of ownership as heterosexual couples do,” he added.”

You have never and you WILL never hear those words coming out of the mouth of ANY Republican – certainly none currently running for the White House. In fact, Mrs. Palin’s response to the question, “Do you support, as they do in Alaska, granting same-sex benefits to couples?” was: “Well, not if it goes closer and closer towards redefining the traditional definition of marriage between one man and one woman. And unfortunately that’s sometimes where those steps lead”.

When she addd, “you know, I am tolerant”, it was just another bald-faced, pandering, PROVABLE lie.

“It’s very dangerous for Obama supporters to discuss issues with one’s church.”

And it’s very advantageous of Obama’s detractors to keep that hoary myth alive at all costs. What, wasn’t 6 weeks of it enough for you back then?

“If you look at the video’s of Obama’s radical mentor, I’ve not seen much scarrier.”

I have. That pastor said his mind – that God should probably be damning America for betraying and renegging on its ‘promise’ that all people were to be considered equal before the law – and for blacks that has demonstrably NOT been the case for so long, just as it is the case now for gays. Now, as for why witchcraft and its presence & immportance within the Pentecostal Assemblies is not an issue, THAT is scary – because it is going unexmined.

Selective much?

And you missed my point about passion and substance. It’s not about folks like you and me and the majority of people who read here — we’ve got our candidate, we’re registered to vote, we’re THERE(even if some of us feel like we’re voting against McCain rather than for Obama).

There’s a whole lot of other people though who aren’t registered, and who feel left out of the political equation. Were the poor even mentioned in the debate? No. What we got instead were mythical soccer moms and the denigrating “Joe Six Pack” — the beer drinker whom politicians use to represent the working class. I find terms like this, as well as “the Bubba factor” elitist and degrading, but then again it goes to how out of touch both parties are with the working and struggling middle classes — who are less worried about sending their kids to college than paying next month’s mortgage pymt. or rent.

Our country is just not very energized right now, James. I think bringing some passion back to politics would help spark the apathetic, give hope to the disenfranchised, and raise the voices of those kept silent during the oppressive Bush-Cheney years.

Then again, we can presume Obama will win, cross our fingers, and hope for the best.

When I first saw her, I saw her immediately for the WITCH she is. Now it is confirmed by the national news media.

She had to bewitch McCain for him to pick her in the first place.

God (or your deity of choice) forbid she ever gets elected to Congress, and much less this time with McMummy.

(Sorry if this is a duplicate post. The system is running very very slow tonight.)

Conservative pundits don’t have to like Palin (George Will doesn’t). In fact they were nervous about her, especially after the Couric interview. The debate calmed those fears. But I would argue the bar was set so low for Palin that she had to succeed.

Passion is not the only thing that wins elections. And the polls show that even with the lack of passion from your vantage point, the Obama/Biden message is connecting with voters.

Now it remains to be seen if an Obama/Biden administration will be any good, but right now it looks like voters are willing to give them a shot.

Sincerely,

James

This is the 11th hour of the election, and the number of voters who have not made up their mind (allegedly around 18%) are in the minority. Biden had an opportunity, instead, to inject some passion into those feeling left out and apathetic, as well as to rally the working and middle classes he & Obama wish to represent. In my opinion, he failed to do this and presented us with nothing exciting and only very little to look forward to in a Obama-Biden administration.

Like I said, it wasn’t a poor performance, and it was surely superior to Palin’s, but it was passionless.