Jimmy Carter disappoints on the issue of Texas and gay marriage

[MADem]

10. Yes, it is. You need a marriage license to get married, and states--not the federal government--

issue them.

The federal government can "influence" the behavior of states in this regard (as they've done with other issues--for example, withholding highway funds when they wanted states to change the drinking age to eighteen and lower the speed limits to 55) but the states issue the licenses. It's their role to so do.

No license, no wedding.

Absent a Constitutional amendment of course--and we couldn't manage to pass the ERA, so I wouldn't hold out much hope on a Constitutional amendment dealing with marriage rights.

Stop getting angry with me--you're doing the same thing that the right wing link in the OP did--take someone's words and TWIST them.

If you want a marriage without a license issued by a state, you have to get married in another country. States DO decide--like it or not--who will get one of their licenses. That's all Carter is saying.

That said, I actually agree with Ted Olson--we're at a tipping point on this issue, we've reached the downhill slide and it'll be smooth sailing and a non-issue sooner rather than later.