And let's continue the rainbow-tinted theme by examining the latest wacky proposal from the White House: a $1.5 Billion drive to promote marriage! Hmmm, first the race to Mars, now ringing the wedding bells...perhaps next the President will issue checkered aprons and Perry Como cardigans to all Americans, along with a nice pot roast, 2.3 children, and a big bottle of Seconals: bring on the 1950's, again!

OK, let me first admit that in theory, I see nothing wrong with the government helping people form stable, lasting partnerships. Of course, that's not what's going on here -- just look at the language. "Marriage," not partnerships, for "low-income people," i.e. poor minority women with dependent children, and maybe if President Papa can get them married off to one of their babydaddies the government can stop handing out welfare checks once and for all, right? Allow me to quote one tactless White House aide: "The president loves to do that sort of thing in the inner city with black churches, and he's very good at it." Uh-huh -- maybe Al Sharpton can take a break from pestering Howard Dean and mouth off about this for a while...

The White House all but admits in the article this whole scheme is a sop to Christian conservatives, who of course want Bush to drive through an anti-gay-marriage amendment to the Constitution -- and I must give him a point or two for refusing to sign off on that one, as even Karl Rove must know that would be a big, hairy mess. And again, offering programs "to teach problem-solving, negotiation and listening skills" seems only to the good. But it chafes me no end that thanks to the Clinton-signed "Defense of Marriage Act," this will be made available only to het couples -- not even to single people, who one would think might at some point be part of a couple?! It's just got a real Christo-fascist stench about it -- I'm picturing "Got husband?" ads, and big kickbacks from DeBeers...blegh.