Talking Points Related to Same-Sex Marriage and the Iowa Marriage Amendment (IMA)
As you are talking with friends, co-workers, neighbors, and your legislators about this issue, keep these talking points central.  Refer, also, to common responses from hesitant legislators as well as background information and frequently asked questions as you attempt to communicate the facts surrounding this issue as effectively as possible.

The IMA’s first passage through the Iowa Legislature in 2008 is critical.  Passing the IMA through the House and the Senate for the first time in 2008 will keep the possibility open for we the people of Iowa to vote on the IMA as soon as 2009.  Failing to pass the IMA through the House and the Senate for the first time in 2008 will delay the possibility for the people of Iowa voting on the IMA until 2011 at the very earliest

Failure to pass the IMA in 2008 leaves the door wide open to same-sex marriage in Iowa.  The Iowa Supreme Court will rule on same-sex marriage no later than 2010.  If they rule in favor of same-sex marriage (not unlikely), and if the IMA hasn’t been passed for the first time in 2008, there’s the possibility of same-sex marriage becoming law in Iowa, without anything in place to stop it from happening until 2011 at the very earliest.

If same-sex marriage is legalized in Iowa, Iowa will become the launch pad for same-sex marriage nationwide.  Iowa’s marriage laws do not have a residency requirement.  Therefore, if same-sex marriage is legalized in Iowa, same-sex couples from all over the nation will be able to come here, get married, and then go home and sue their home states for full recognition.  Launching the future president of the United States from Iowa, by way of the Iowa Caucuses is a good thing; launching same-sex marriage from Iowa to the rest of the nation is not a good thing.

Senator Mike Gronstal and Representative Pat Murphy have the most influence on whether or not the IMA comes up for a vote before the full House and full Senate in 2008.  Gronstal is the Senate Majority Leader and Murphy is the Speaker of the House.  As the leaders of their parties in each chamber, they could get the IMA up for a vote if they wanted to.  If it does not come up for a vote, a majority of the blame will rightly fall on them.  Contacting them is worth your time, and so is asking your Senator and Representative to contact them on your behalf.

It is not unlikely that the Iowa Supreme Court will rule against same-sex marriage in Iowa.  We can’t passively sit back and count on the Iowa Supreme Court to rule in favor of one-man/one-woman marriage.  In 2005, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled to uphold a lesbian divorce granted by Judge Jeff Neary in Northwest Iowa back in November of 2003 – a ruling that, essentially, recognized the lesbian marriage to begin with.  This ruling indicates the Court’s propensity to waver on the subject of same-sex marriage.  For this reason, the Legislature must intervene so that we the people of Iowa will have the opportunity to have the final say in how marriage is defined in our state.