[Perdogg]

I thought conservativism meant Federalism and now Rick Santorum wants the Feds to dictate to the State aboout marriage.

Why not leave it up to the States?

[ari-freedom]

because federalism isn’t an item on single issue voter checklists

[Antoninus]

I thought conservativism meant Federalism and now Rick Santorum wants the Feds to dictate to the State aboout marriage.

Because Rick and others are smart enough to realize that eventually, the actions of derelict states like Massachusetts will make the butt-sex marriage issue a federal one. Better to head it off now.

[Republic of Texas]

Why is the government involved in marriage at all? Are we really FREE when we to have to get a license from the government to get married? Why not a license to have children? Replace the word “license” with “permission” and see how that feels.

[nickcarraway]

Because marriage is a federal issue. Have you ever heard of a person who says, "I am married in the state of ." If marriage wasn't a federal issue, then someone wouldn't have broken a law by marrying one person in New York and one person in California.

One state recogtnizinf homosexual marriage will eventually force all 50 to.

[DallasDeb]

Why not leave it up to the States?

I think because the Uniform Code Law requires that states accept and recognize the laws of other states. That would mean that non-same-sex marriage states would have to accept same-sex unions granted by another state.

[NathanR]

So if two gays ‘marry’ in Mass., and move to Texas, what happens if they want a ‘divorce’ in Texas? How does the division of property go? What if there are children? There has to be laws or at least guidelines.

That is why it is a Federal matter.

[FFranco]

Generally, Conservatism is about federalism and states rights. But there are some things that are too important to be left up to the states; for example, issues of morality (marriage [gay marriage, polygamy], assisted suicide [Oregon]), social and individual well-being (legalizing marijuana and other drugs [California]), government (banking, coining money, war and peace).

Conservatives realize that when issues like these arise and states want to pass state laws that are immoral or should be illegal, the power of the Federal Government is needed to prevent states from committing these wrongs (as happened with the Shiavo case).

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

I thought conservativism meant Federalism and now Rick Santorum wants the Feds to dictate to the State aboout marriage.

A legal marriage in any state is legally recognized in all 50 states. Hence, it is a federal issue.

If you're going to defend homosexual marriage, at least try be honest about it and spare everyone the bogus federalism misdirection.

[longtermmemmory]

It is 100% a federal issue due to Full Faith and credit.

We now have immigration law being dragged into the homosexual based marriage issue. The 1996 DMA prohibits immigration from homosexual marriages outside the USA. HOWEVER the state of NY has now JUDICIALLY forced the state to recognize canadian homosexual marriages.

It all flows via Full Faith and Credit to the rest of the nations.

Federally recognized marriage also affects inheritance taxes, income tax, property rights, child rearing issues, immigration visas, and on and on.

Keep in mind we USED to have a voluntary no recording system of marriage but that was fraught with fraud and misrepresentation.