Aha. Federalism is great until you think it won’t do what you want. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Federalism was never meant to trump everything. And the DOMA which Fred voted for was FEDERAL legislation defining marriage as between one man and one woman. His proposed FEDERAL amendment would define marriage as any crazy thing states want it to mean. That’s a federal flip-flop. FEDERAL FEDERAL FEDERAL. As long as the federal government offers federal recognition and benefits, marriage already is a federal issue. Just because states vary on minor short-term particulars like age (marriages still recognized by other states, and participants grow older in a hurry, nulifying the difference) doesn’t mean we should have 50 fundamentally different definitions of marriage: bigamy, polygamy, homosexuality, bestiality, ... whatever. Marry pet Fido and get cheaper vet bills. Marry your elderly mother and put her on your insurance plan and let her draw off your social security.