Gay marriage bill a ruse

Gay marriage bill a ruse: "The constitutional amendment, passed by the Texas Legislature and needing final approval by voters, is aimed at defending the institution of marriage, proponents say.

At its essence, the amendment says that a marriage in Texas consists of one man and one woman, virtually mimicking current state law.

The reality is that the amendment is aimed at re-election for the lawmakers backing this bill.

During a contentious three-hour debate in the Texas Senate earlier this year, the amendment's chief sponsor, Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine, suggested there was a threat to the institution of marriage. “We should protect the institution of marriage as it is defined in law today,” he said. “We should hold that higher up than any other relationship.”

Staples may have had a point. I think the institution of marriage has been under attack for years.

In fact, Texas has one of the highest divorce rates in the nation, with an average 4.1 divorces per 1,000 people. It is one of 10 Southern states that leads the nation in divorce rates with roughly 50 percent more divorces than the national average, according to an Associated Press analysis of U.S. Census data."