Obama’s Only Hurting Himself

Gay marriage is arguably the most divisive social issue in the United States. Millions of Americans, especially those who adhere to the Christian faith, believe that marriage ought to be restricted to one man and one woman. Others, namely liberal Democrats, believe that marriage should be open to everyone, and that this issue is one of equality. Personally, I am against gay marriage, on the grounds that the act itself of sacramental nature. However, I don’t care to discuss my views on this topic. Instead, I want to focus on President Obama’s ignorant behavior over the past week. He seems convinced that this issue will single-handedly propel him to victory in November. He’s in for a rude awakening when millions of emboldened social conservatives show up at the polls to vote for Mitt Romney.

Obama’s decision to make gay marriage a wedge issue in the upcoming election betrays the incompetence of both himself and his campaign. Sure he may have used the announcement to net $15 million in donations at an exclusive Hollywood fundraiser, but at what cost? The President has nothing to gain from this announcement; he already has the “gay vote”, and few liberals are agonizing over whom to support. Essentially, Obama had nothing to gain and everything to lose. Now, he risks losing the vast number of Christians and Catholics who voted him into office in 2008.
Don’t believe me? A USA Today/Gallup poll released on Saturday shows that the announcement made 26% of Americans less likely to vote for  Obama in November. Only 13% said that his announcement made it more likely that they would vote for him. Also, a recent Pew Research Center poll showed that 25% of Americans now view Obama less favorably than before. 19% of voters they view Obama more favorably and 52% said his announcement made no difference.
These numbers speak volumes. Obama’s purely political decision to come out in support of gay marriage has done far more harm than good. Social conservatives are now emboldened to go to the polls and support traditional marriage. Republicans who may have been concerned about Mitt Romney now have a reason to vote for him: he’s the only one who will protect the sanctity of holy matrimony.
The President thinks that his announcement will make voters forget about the economy. If he truly believes that gay marriage is the best way to win this election, he’s delusional. Every time someone pay $4.00 for a gallon of gas, they will be reminded of Obama’s failures. No matter how much he tries to distract people from the real issues, the President will fail. In the end, people vote on the economy. Gay marriage won’t change the facts. Our economy is failing and the President has no answers.