Etan posts about how 11 initiatives banning gay marriage, or more specifically confining marriage as just between one man and one woman, passed. This is how the Republicans co-opt power in our country.

The first step is to find a wedge moralistic issue, such as birth control, abortion, or gay marriage, and portray those that are against it as being morally superior to those that support the issue or don't want to state their position. This is a very effective method of operation. Last month when I was in Cleveland for the Redskins/Browns game the Cleveland Plain Dealer ran a “man-on-the-street” segment where they asked people their primary concern this election year. Of the 15 or so respondents at least four specifically mentioned gay marriage and a few more mentioned morality in general.

How can those be primary concerns when American soldiers die every day in Iraq and the leaders of al Quada are at large and plotting to bring more death and destruction to our door step while the President focused on destroying the states that don't harbor them?

The administration has blinded them by talking a good game, by portray the other-side as being evil and morally inferior and focus on the decisive wedge issues that you have blown up to be vastly more important than they really are. Once that is firmly entrenched use that as the hammer to drive home the nail that is their other platform planks.