Why is the U.S. Supreme Court Jilting States on Marriage?

2 CommentsMarriage, ,

Earlier this week we learned the U.S. Supreme Court will not hear several appeals over lower court rulings that struck state laws defining marriage as the union of one man to one woman.

This was a surprising move by the court. And while it is not the “victory” many on the Left claim it is–there are still other appeals pending, so our justices will not be able to dodge the issue forever–it does raise the question exactly why the U.S. Supreme Court is running away from the marriage debate at the moment.

In order for an appeal to brought up before the U.S. Supreme Court, at least four of the court’s nine justices must vote to hear it. The fact that these appeals concerning marriage will not be heard means that no more than three justices wanted to hear the cases–and it’s possible that the court decided unanimously to ignore the appeals. Depending on who you ask, many people agree there are three or four “conservative” justices on the court: Associate Justices Scalia, Thomas, and Alito and Chief Justice Roberts. Since it only takes four votes to bring an appeal before the court, presumably at least one (maybe more) of these four justices did not want the marriage issue brought up. Why would they do that?

It’s just speculation on my part, but the answer may lie in Associate Justice Scalia’s dissenting opinion from the 2013 United States v. Windsor ruling that struck part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. In his dissent, Justice Scalia wrote, (more…)

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A Few FAQ About the Arkansas Voter’s Guide

2 CommentsArkansas Voter's Guide,

Family Council has published the Arkansas Voter’s Guide every election year since 1990. We survey the candidates, and we publish their responses in print and online.

Each year we get a few common questions about the Arkansas Voter’s Guide. Below are answers to some of those frequently asked questions.

1. Is the Arkansas Voter’s Guide something that only conservative voters will find useful?

Answer: No. The Arkansas Voter’s Guide deals with a wide variety of issues impartially. Our goal is (and always has been) to produce a resource that tells voters in plain and simple terms where candidates stand on the issues. It’s up to voters to decide whether they agree or disagree with the candidates’ positions on the issues.

2. Are the issues covered in the Arkansas Voter’s Guide issues Family Council cares about?

Answer: Not necessarily. We survey candidates on hot-button issues that we believe voters care about. Some of the issues covered in the Arkansas Voter’s Guide down through the years are issues Family Council has barely even talked about, much less taken a position on. The Arkansas Voter’s Guide is not meant merely to inform Family Council where candidates stand on issues. It’s meant to inform voters where candidates stand regarding the issues that matter most to them. (more…)

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U.S. Supreme Court Kicking the Can Down the Road

Marriage, ,

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear appeals over state marriage amendments defining marriage as the union of one man to one woman in five states. This means lower court rulings overturning the amendments will be allowed to stand.

Some of the activists who want to redefine marriage are treating this as a victory. The truth is all the court is doing is kicking the can a little further down the road.

As you probably know, federal judges around the country have issued rulings on state laws prohibiting same-sex marriage. Several judges have declared these laws unconstitutional; recently, however, a federal judge in Louisiana upheld the state’s marriage amendment.

(more…)

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