Same-sex marriage essentially on ballot

By Jeff Jorgensen

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In a recent ABC News interview, President Obama became the first sitting president to announce his support for same-sex marriage.

With his announcement, the president has given new life to the same-sex marriage debate. He has also made gay marriage an election issue with voters in swing states, including Iowa.

On May 8, North Carolina approved a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. The amendment passed 61 to 39 percent, making North Carolina the 29th state with a gay marriage ban in its constitution.

In Iowa, a state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage has been proposed several times by House Republicans in response to a 2009 Iowa Supreme Court ruling that struck down Iowa's Defense of Marriage Act. However, Mike Gronstal has blocked any attempt to bring up the subject for debate in the Iowa Senate, thereby assuring no vote will ever be taken while he remains the Senate Majority Leader.

Had Iowans been given a chance to vote on a constitutional amendment, this issue would have already been decided, allowing the divisiveness to fade away over time, regardless of the outcome. But now many Iowans are asking, “Why can't we vote and decide this issue for ourselves? Why does one man, Sen. Gronstal, of Council Bluffs, get to decide this issue for all Iowans?”

With Obama's announced support of same-sex marriage, the issue essentially will be on the ballot in November and the president will be the proxy.

Another name on the ballot will be Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins, the fourth member of the Iowa Supreme Court to stand for a retention vote since the court issued the landmark 2009 decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the state. The first three justices, Marsha Ternus, David Baker and Michael Streit, were not retained by Iowa voters.

Last, but not least, the third name on the ballot in this same-sex marriage trifecta will be that of Democrat Mike Gronstal - the face of “one-man rule” politicians.

Jeff Jorgensen is chairman of the Pottawattamie County Republican Party. Comments: pottawattamie.gop@gmail.com