Iowa has a real problem and it is not same-sex couples with marriage licenses. Iowa's problem is that it has a legislature that is willing to create law that would explicitly treat gay and lesbian people as not equal to the rest of Iowans under the state constitution. The amendment, House Joint Resolution 6, passed by a vote of 62-37, and would prohibit not only same-sex marriage, but also civil unions and domestic partnerships.
As many proponents for such a distinction use religion as the reason for their beliefs that this inequality should exist, I believe God made His viewpoint clear to them by unleashing a blizzard that closed down many roads and disrupted commerce which will cost the state millions of dollars in revenue. As He saw it, it was the only way to reach the Republican leadership on a level that they could understand--in the free marketplace.
Thankfully, the Iowa Senate is likely not to allow HR6 to go any further and that is why a bicameral system is so important. The foolish act of foolish people has always benefitted by checks and balances and fortunately Iowans recognized a long time ago the wisdom of this in drafting a state constitution that, coicidentally has the distinction of the least amended one in the US (so take that, you strict constitutionalists).
I making their voices heard, many men and women spoke against the amendment. A glowing voice of reason that should make 67 representatives ashamed of their understanding of their role as legislators came from Zach Walls, a young man from Iowa City that I've had the pleasure to watch grow-up. If you haven't seen this speech, I think you'll agree that Zach represents what is good about Iowa.
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I was listening to KSUI on Wednesday, and a member of the Iowa House was being interviewed. He said the most important issue facing Iowans today is gay marriage. This knocked me over. What about unemployment numbers that are dropping, not because more people are employed, but because people are giving up? How about predatory lending? How about inflation in the cost of food? How about the loss of our basic framework for gun control? How about the minimum wage being less than a living wage? How about just about anything have to do with basic needs?
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