Today's Washington Post has an op-ed in support of marriage equality written by John Podesta, who heads the Center for American Progress (CAP) and Steven Levy, the Chairman of the libertarian Cato Institute. These two men from opposite ends of the political spectrum will co-chair the advisory board of American Foundation for Equal Rights, the organization that brought the ground-breaking lawsuit against Prop. 8 by David Boies and Ted Olson.
Podesta and Levy explain that they're taking a "nonpartisan" approach because "This is not about politics; it's about an indispensable right vested in all Americans."
The op-ed is strong and unapologetic. Here's the conclusion:
In terms of public opinion, courts addressing marriage equality have less of a hill to climb. Opposition to same-sex marriage pales next to the intense hostility the court faced before its ruling in Loving. A February Post poll showed 47 percent support for same-sex marriage (up from 37 percent support in the same poll in 2003). The Post poll also showed that the younger an individual is, the more likely he or she is to favor marriage equality, regardless of political persuasion. Among individuals ages 18 to 29, an estimated 65 percent support marriage equality.It's good.
Our history will soon be written by young people who are seizing the reins from the baby boomers. They seem prepared to reject laws that serve no purpose other than to deny two committed and loving individuals the right to join in a mutually reinforcing marital relationship.
The decision in Perry depends, of course, on values far more permanent and important than opinion polls. No less than the constitutional rights of millions of Americans are at stake. But the public appears to be catching up with the Constitution. Just a little more leadership from the courts would be the perfect prescription for a free society.
Levy, as a libertarian, often takes positions that defy the right-wing GOP.
Podesta is the personification of a Washington insider. He was Chief of Staff to Bill Clinton. He founded CAP. He was the chair of Obama's transition. Many of the DC Democratic insider-types have kept their distance from the marriage issue. Podesta's engagement is an important signal for that crowd.
Final arguments in the Prop. 8 case are on June 16th. A decision in that case will set us on the path to the Supreme Court. That could take some time. In the meantime, we still need to repeal DOMA.
