ABCNEWS.com : Poll: Most Oppose Same-Sex Marriage: A majority of Americans oppose allowing homosexual couples to marry legally, but most also say it's not worth amending the U.S. Constitution to ban such unions, an ABCNEWS poll has found. In the poll, 37 percent of Americans say same-sex marriages should be legal, while 55 percent say they should be illegal. But when opponents are asked if it's worth amending the Constitution to ban such marriages, six in 10 of them say it's not. As a net total of the population, this poll finds 20 percent of Americans favor a constitutional ban on gay marriages; 33 percent oppose such marriages but wouldn't amend the Constitution; and 37 percent would make them legal. Other polls have found much more support for a constitutional amendment, for two possible reasons. Some pose the issue in a single question, conflating views on same-sex marriage with views on an amendment to ban them. This poll asks about the two issues separately. Also, this poll asks if it's worth amending the Constitution, inviting consideration of the amendment process.
Interesting that ABC News goes into such detail about why their poll finds lower levels of support for a constitutional amendment than other polls. (It would be far more interesting if they published samples of other questions to support their point.)
That said, we'll see what happens when/if the times comes near to go through it all. Such an amendment would pass Congress, probably fairly easily. The only issue after that is how the states would choose to present the ratification issue.
Posted by iain at September 22, 2003 03:46 PMComments
