Michigan:
Politicians Block Gay Marriage

Mar 31, 2014

Michigan’s governor and attorney general are playing fast and loose with the state’s constitution, using it as a plaything to suit their own political purposes.

First, after a federal district judge overturned Michigan’s ban on gay marriage on Friday, March 21, state Attorney General Bill Schuette rushed to get an emergency stay on the ruling from an appeals court within 24 hours. The stay was extended indefinitely by Tuesday, pending Schuette’s appeal of the ruling.

Court clerks in several counties had opened their offices Saturday, granting 321 marriage licenses to gay couples before the stay was handed down that day.

Then, Governor Rick Snyder announced that, even though these marriages were legal, the state would not recognize them.

Since the ruling overturned a 2004 voter referendum passing a constitutional amendment against gay marriage, both Schuette and Snyder invoke the constitution and the will of the people in trying to stop it.

REALLY? After the people voted in November 2008 to get rid of his Emergency Manager law, Snyder and the legislature pushed through ANOTHER emergency manager law–two months later. So much for the will of the people.

Schuette and Snyder defend the constitution? When Snyder’s appointed Emergency Manager in Detroit, Kevyn Orr, proposed to cut city retiree pensions in his bankruptcy plan, Snyder had no problem with that–even though the state constitution specifically prohibits such cuts.

Schuette paid lip service to that constitutional protection, but in contrast to his quick reaction on the gay marriage ruling, he has done NOTHING for months to try to get a stay on THAT action.

Clearly, these two are not really interested in protecting the constitution. No, to them the constitution is just a tool, a toy–they use it like a club sometimes, and shred it like paper at others. Whatever suits their interests at the moment.