TWO PARTIES' VIEWS OF MARRIAGE
The Democratic and Republican party platforms deal with the issue of marriage in very different ways. Here's a comparison:
Title of planks dealing with marriage:
Republican: "Defending Marriage Against An Activist Judiciary;" "A Sacred Contract: Defense of Marriage;" "Preserving and Protecting Traditional Marriage"
Democratic: "Freedom to Marry"
Key passages dealing with marriage:
Republican:
"A serious threat to our country's constitutional order, perhaps even more dangerous than presidential malfeasance, is an activist judiciary, in which some judges usurp the powers reserved to other branches of government. A blatant example has been the court-ordered redefinition of marriage in several States. This is more than a matter of warring legal concepts and ideals. It is an assault on the foundations of our society, challenging the institution which, for thousands of years in virtually every civilization, has been entrusted with the rearing of children and the transmission of cultural values.
"We reaffirm our support for a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. We applaud the citizens of the majority of States which have enshrined in their constitutions the traditional concept of marriage ..."
Democratic:
"We support the right of all families to have equal respect, responsibilities, and protections under the law. We support marriage equality and support the movement to secure equal treatment under law for same-sex couples. We also support the freedom of churches and religious entities to decide how to administer marriage as a religious sacrament without government interference.
