Wiston Papers

The President and Same-Sex Marriage

I am disappointed that President Barack Obama has publicly declared his support for same-sex marriage.

Not that I that I’m against same-sex marriage.  I’m not.  My disappointment is because it has nothing to do with national policy.  It’s an issue for state legislators and local policy makers to debate.

Mr. Obama can be for or against same-sex marriage as long as his actions in the Oval Office are focused on the larger problems facing this nation:  reducing unemployment, stimulating the economy, assuring affordable health care, and protecting the nation.   Those issues should command his full attention.

None of those has anything to do with same-sex marriage nor should they.

Every day that the President focuses on a social issue like same-sex marriage--is another day an American worker remains out of work;

Every day that the President focuses on a social issue like same-sex marriage--is another day an American loses a home to the mortgage crisis;

Every day that the President focuses on a social issue like same-sex marriage--is another day those responsible for the Wall Street Banking scandals go unpunished;

Every day that the President focuses on a social issue like same-sex marriage--is another day an American man or woman dies in the unwarranted war in Afghanistan;

Every day that the President focuses on a social issue like same-sex marriage--is another day  the national debt goes unresolved and deficit spending continues to erode America's strength;

Every day that the President focuses on a social issue like same-sex marriage--is another day lost in the battle against illicit drug trafficking in this country;

Every day that the President focuses on a social issue like same-sex marriage--is another day that undocumented workers stream across our borders;

Every day that the President focuses on a social issue like same-sex marriage--voters have the right to ask if the United States is better off today than it was four years ago.

And every day that the President focuses on a social issue like same-sex marriage--the answer is painfully obvious.

Steve Coon

May 10, 2012