Gay Marriage: How Right is Obama

It is by now no more news that the American President, Barak Obama has voted his support for the American Gay community and their quest for legal license to Gay Marriage. 

The same subject when brought to the floors of the Nigerian National Assembly had the Senate rule it off with the excuse that the bill seeking for the domestication of the law in Nigeria is introducing an Un-African sexual relationship, with little or no regards to the fact that the bill seeks to protect the rights of a minority group in the nation.

We just woke up one morning in Nigeria and at the heat of the American Presidential race and campaign for the soul of American Voters, to our greatest surprise; the incumbent American President shook the world with his breaking news that he is all out to support the gay family and defense of their fundamental rights.

Some of such inquiries with a view to the prevailing political climate of America could be, first, is Obama’s political statement the current stand of his sponsoring political party, what has being the reactions of the democrats since the statement went public, are the Republicans relaxing or are they counting on the strength of the religious American voters to sway the democrats at the polls.

Trust the American democratic culture, after the presidential pronouncement, political research institutes hit the town running with polls and researches conducted up and down, sampling the public opinion on the resultant attitude of American Voters.

Obama's endorsement of gay marriage for sure may have been seen in most American political quarters as a political cum campaign overture towards wowing the votes of the American Gay Community, according to a new Gallup poll, it doesn't seem to be changing the American Gay Community in his favor.

Sixty percent of Americans say Obama's announcement won't sway their vote in the presidential election. But just 13% say his support of same-sex marriage will make them more likely to vote for Obama, while 26% say they are less likely to cast their ballots for him.

Not surprisingly, just 2% of Republicans say his decision makes them more likely to vote for the commander-in-chief, while 52% say they are less likely. The results among independents fall in line with the overall results.

At a post poll media chat, Jeffrey M. Jones from Gallup maintained that" Those figures suggest Obama's gay marriage position is likely to cost him more independent and Democratic votes than he would gain in independent and Republican votes, clearly indicating that his new position is more of a net minus than a net plus for him,"

President Obama’s then and now changing position on Gay marriage is an issue worth investigating, if not for any reason on will want to figure out why the Number one global citizen had to change his stand twice within the space of four years.

When Obama ran for President four years ago, he said he backed civil unions but wouldn't support same-sex marriage. But, the biggest surprise of all is the modern day wonders of the Obama Led administration, as the first black American President has set a new American record, as the first sitting president to argue married couples should be granted the same rights as heterosexuals.

Trust the American press on controversial issues when they hang around public figures, some left wing American press has branded Obama ‘American’s First Gay President’ but the burning issue is how right are these American media houses.

Another question calls to mind, is Obama the 'first gay president' as American press proclaims?

The opposition has argued that the occasion had given him opportunity to focus on strengthening American’s falling economy, especially, now that the Asian Tigers are pulling the world economy off the grip of America, than his controversial new support for same-sex marriage. 

Of a truth, both, Mitt Romney and President Obama had thought that American voters would have been silent on the same-sex marriage question, so that issues more important to most Americans, say (the economy, security, tax, etc) could become the focus of the 2012 Presidential campaign.

Why has American voters chosen less serious issues, third world nations would like the nations would be presidential aspirants to address, to be thrown behind them for a lesser survival issues that borders on individual privacy, does it mean the average American is more concerned about their private privacy right than a committed concern for nation building and survival, a food for thought for African citizens, especially, Nigerians at home seeking opportunities to shape public policies and the sexual orientation rights of their fellow citizens.

According to a new Associated Press-GfK poll, Americans are growing more pessimistic about the economy, and handling it remains President Barack Obama's weak spot and biggest challenge in his bid for a second term.

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said "marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman" and that he will continue to hold that view. Pragmatically as much as he could, Romney steered clear of the Gay Marriage issue and was of the opinion that Obama is merely trying to distract average American voters.

The Gallup poll revealed that 51% of adults approve of Obama's decision, while 45% disapprove. The survey was conducted among 1,013 adults.

The cover of Newsweek magazine portrays Obama with a rainbow halo and proclaims that he’s the “first gay president.”

A media publication that drew response from Americans first openly gay member of congress, Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, whose opinion was straight, “It may be true that Obama is coming out on behalf of same-sex marriage this past weeks will not make much difference in November’s election.

"If you were going to cast your vote based on a candidate's position regarding same-sex marriage, you were already going to vote for Obama [or] Romney based on that,"

 "I literally don't think anybody's vote was changed by this one way or the other." 

Obama’s position on gay marriage may generate enthusiasm among his liberal base, it will continue to generate critical comment, including from some commentators on the left.

New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd said that President Obama’s embrace of gay marriage was not a profile in courage.

“Even when he does the right thing, by the time he does it and in the way he does it, he drains away excitement and robs himself of the admiration he would otherwise be due,” Dowd wrote.

The AP-GfK poll finds that fewer than one-third expect their household's economic fortunes to improve in the coming year, down from 37 percent in February. Eighteen percent see their finances as worsening, up from 11 percent in February.

New polling by the Washington Post and ABC News shows the same problem for Obama. In none of his major economic accomplishments – the economic stimulus package, increased financial regulation, and the auto industry bailout – does he win majority approval (47 percent, 48 percent, and 49 percent respectively in those three areas).

“That none of Obama’s major economic proposals garner majority support has to be worrisome for the president and his political team, who recognize that the incumbent’s stewardship of the economy will be the critical issue for many undecided voters in this election,” write Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake in their Washington Post column “The Fix.”

American voters and some concerned political analysts are actively considering who the Gay Marriage issue hurts the most, as well as the question “ is Gay Marriage a vital campaign issue Barack Obama or Mitt Romney really needed.

Seeking who this stubborn American Gay Marriage political question on will bite harder on, could be x-rayed on two premises, while religion will shape Romney’s luck as well as Obama’s hope of victory hangs on the poll conducted by USA Today/Gallup poll team.

Given the trend in public attitudes, it’s relatively easy to paint him “on the wrong side of history” for his opposition to gay marriage, especially among younger voters (18-34), 70 percent of whom approve. American women too are more likely to be comfortable with gay marriage than men

Romney is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint, a religious group Americans fondly call the Mormons, a religious group who for their faith may not be ready to help convince their undecided members to vote against their faith and not even the more conservative voters in their ranks.

The Mormon Church is opposed to same-sex marriage, believing that “homosexual and lesbian behavior is sinful,” Romney stressed that his long-standing opposition to same-sex marriage is “based entirely upon a civil understanding of the needs of a society like our own.”
 
But while 13 percent say Obama’s shift will make them more likely to vote for him, twice as many – 26 percent – say it will make them less likely to give him their vote.

Perhaps more significant in a very close race, those “less likely” voters include 10 percent of Democrats and 23 percent of Independents.