prop 8 decision to save California budget

The California Supreme Court, with tremendous wisdom, did not rule on the validity of Prop 8 until after last week's special election. In that special election, Californians smacked down several measures that would have levied temporary additional taxes to cover the current state budget shortfall. Because those measures failed, the state will likely lay off thousands of workers, cut social services to almost nothing, and reduce education funding.

Today, the California Supreme Court possibly saved the entire state by upholding the validity of Prop 8. You may recall that Prop 8 famously outlaws gay marriage by defining marriage, directly within the state constitution, as being between one man and one woman. Today's ruling simply answered the question, "Is the constitutional amendment passed by the voters a valid and legal constitutional amendment?" Their answer: Why, yes, it is a valid amendment.

The court's decision has paved the way for the next lawsuit, which of course will declare that marriage, by the constitution's definition, is by its very nature discriminatory. With marriage itself deemed unconstitutional, all the hundreds of thousands of married heterosexual couples (like me and my wife) will have to rush to register for a civil union. Imagine all the paperwork fees, the printing required! Many will take this opportunity to renew vows, possibly with Pagan ceremonies involving catering. The benefits to the California economy will be staggering.

So thank you, Supreme Court, for saving the California economy. And thank you, Justice Moreno, for supplying the dissenting opinion that so clearly articulates that even a "narrow exception" to equality is inequality and is not to be tolerated.