Has that EVER happened? Anywhere? Has anyone ever advocated that?
All of these Democratic announcements note that they don't support that, but shouldn't it go without saying? Isn't it time to stop the inane fearmongering (lying)?
There have been lawsuits over failure to provide services or facilities to same-sex marriages and commitment ceremonies, so the concern is hardly far-fetched.
Were any of the lawsuits targeted at religious groups for religious facilities?
I know of the Ocean Grove pavilion case and the photographer in New Mexico who was sued, but not of churches sued to open their facilities to same-sex couples.
Do you know of cases where a Catholic church was sued by a non-Catholic heterosexual couple to rent out their facility to them, or a similar cross-faith, opposite-sex wedding? In theory, that's the same situation. Has that happened? If so, what was the outcome? If not, what does that mean about the precedent for same-sex couples?
Doesn't virtually every gay marriage bill also include some manner of religious exemption for churches? Has a gay couple ever forced a church to perform a ceremony against its wishes?
A problem isn't really a problem if it doesn't exist.
Torie, are Americans really willing to punish politicians that don't support gay marriage, and gay rights in general? While the number of Americans who support gay marriage is growing, I just don't see nearly as many Americans who consider support for gay marriage a litmus test for politicians (the way, say, opposition to tax increases is for much of the Republican Party. 
) Now, it may be a litmus test for the Democratic Party primaries very soon, but of course, the Democratic Party primary electorate =/= the nation as a whole.
One step at a time. It will happen. The Pub politicians are nearly desperate to get this issue behind them. They know they are on the wrong side of history, and will not be forgiven for just saying no, when 58% of the public, and about a third of the Pubs (maybe closer to half now of those with money), say it is time, to extend equality to those with whom, more and more, they know to be gay, and respect, because we are out, but just as "mainstream" as they are, and responsible and hard working citizens, desiring only the kind of stable family life others have in our private lives. This is going to move very fast now. The dam has been broken. I am quite confident about this.
I know of no Pub in the circles that I run in who opposes gay marriage by the way, and they all know I am gay now. All of them. Is it representative? No. But they have disproportionate influence.
Gay marriage isn't just a Republican/Democrat issue, it's a new generation/old generation one. The old generation is somewhat opposed to gay marriage. The new generation is nearly unanimous in its support for gay marriage -- over 80%.
That's what's forcing the GOP's hand on this. Once Democrats began to embrace marriage equality, they solidified a connection between their values and the values of a new generation of voters. Unless this issue disappears, the younger generation is never going to vote Republican. And the longer the debate rages on, the more permanent damage is done.
