Washington, D.C. -
Where's that ten-foot pole? Members of Congress -- on both sides of the aisle -- are trying hard to avoid going anywhere near gay marriage or gay rights.
Politico reports that it's been three years since a member of the Senate introduced any bans on gay marriage. On the House side, Reps. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) and Paul Broun (R-Ga.) try every couple years to ban gay marriage, but they can't get even ten percent of their fellow lawmakers to sign on.
The legislators who talked with Politico said there are two reasons why no one's bothering with gay issues right now: the economy and the Tea Party push for state's rights.
"When you got the highest unemployment, highest foreclosures and highest bankruptcy, social issues right now take a back seat to putting food on the table," said Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.)
Meanwhile, many lawmakers agree with the sentiments of Republican Presidential candidate debate, Tea Party favorite Rep. Michele Bachmann who said during the last Republican presidential candidates' debate that gay marriage is a state issue.
"I don't see that it's a role of a President to go in an overturn a state's law [supporting gay marriage]," she said, although she did note that she supports a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
Politico reports that it's been three years since a member of the Senate introduced any bans on gay marriage. On the House side, Reps. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) and Paul Broun (R-Ga.) try every couple years to ban gay marriage, but they can't get even ten percent of their fellow lawmakers to sign on.
The legislators who talked with Politico said there are two reasons why no one's bothering with gay issues right now: the economy and the Tea Party push for state's rights.
"When you got the highest unemployment, highest foreclosures and highest bankruptcy, social issues right now take a back seat to putting food on the table," said Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.)
Meanwhile, many lawmakers agree with the sentiments of Republican Presidential candidate debate, Tea Party favorite Rep. Michele Bachmann who said during the last Republican presidential candidates' debate that gay marriage is a state issue.
"I don't see that it's a role of a President to go in an overturn a state's law [supporting gay marriage]," she said, although she did note that she supports a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
