Image via WikipediaRepublicans took control of the Minnesota Legislature on the promise of creating jobs and solving the state's massive budget deficit. So why are they so fixated on right-wing trivia?So far in the current session, the GOP's majority in the House and Senate are laser-focused on such issues as an amendment to ban same-sex marriage, restricting abortions, tweaking the gun laws to help defend homeowners against criminals, and requiring photo identification at the ballot box. Do any of those things create jobs? And as for that budget . . . well, that can wait. So can the Vikings football stadium.
Take the "defense of marriage" act, in which the GOP wants to constitutionally prohibit Adam and Steve or Mary and Jerri from tying the knot. Such a law already exists on the books. Now the Republicans want to make it redundant by putting the amendment up for a vote in the 2012 election. The Senate has passed such a measure, and the House is expected to follow. It does not need Democratic Governor Mark Dayton's approval.
Constitutional amendments to allow same-sex marriage have been rejected wherever it's been put to a vote. That must be what the proponents are counting on. The Minnesota proposal could also be worded in such a way as to force voters to decide one way or the other. Declining to answer might be counted as a 'yes' vote.
So while education and social services starve, unemployment remains steady and state services are endangered, your elected GOP officials want to transform Minnesota into a "by the book" state. And that book happens to be the Bible. As far as they're concerned, it's much easier to legislate morality than to balance a budget. Who needs reality when you can create your own political utopia?
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