Dylan Byers gives us the “Top Ten Media stories of 2012” over at Politico. Byers says that the men and women who are tasked to report the news are increasingly making themselves a part of the news. In Byers’ own words: “The biggest political media stories of 2012 portray a fourth estate whose members are stepping off the sidelines to become players in the game.” What struck me about Byers’ list is how many of them end up cutting against conservatives in one way or another. I’ll include the list below, but you’ll have to read Byers’ article for the full commentary on each one.
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Gingrich reverses his stance on gay marriage
What a difference 11 months makes. In January when Newt Gingrich was running for the Republican nomination, he compared gay marriage to “paganism” and said that it was a “fundamental violation of our civilization.” Now at the close of 2012, he’s saying that it is “inevitable” and that Republicans must recognize reality and accept it. In his own words: I think that this will be much more difficult than immigration for conservatism to come to grips with. It is in every family. It is in every community. The momentum is clearly now in the direction in finding some way to … accommodate and deal with reality. And the reality is…
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Michael Gerson writes in favor of gun control
As the NRA’s Facebook and Twitter accounts go dark, another prominent conservative commentator has come out in favor of new restrictions on gun ownership. This time it’s Michael Gerson, columnist for The Washington Post and former speechwriter for George W. Bush. Gerson writes:
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Should we be talking about gun control right now?
I heard Bill Bennett say yesterday that we need to “let the tears dry” before we launch in earnest into political debate about gun control. I agree. The proverb says, “Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances” (Proverbs 25:11). Discerning the right time to say the right words requires wisdom. Before the victims are even buried seems a little quick to me. Doug Wilson illustrates this brilliantly:
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Emotional Joe Scarborough revises view on gun rights
Joe Scarborough received the highest possible rating from the NRA during his four terms in congress. In his subsequent years as a pundit, he has always supported gun rights. But this morning on “Morning Joe,” he did an about face: Nothing can ever be the same again… I knew that day that the ideologies of my past career were no longer relevant to the future that I want, that I demand for my children. Scarborough gave an emotional 10-minute speech explaining his feelings. He expressed support for restrictions on assault weapons. He says that his changed views are not merely to do with guns but also with mental health services.…
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Glenn Beck comes out in favor of gay marriage
In the video below, Glenn Beck takes an effectively pro-gay marriage position. To put a fine point on it, Glenn Beck tells his audience that while it’s okay to be personally opposed to gay marriage, conservatives shouldn’t oppose gay marriage as a matter of public policy. In other words, he believes that gay marriage should be legal.
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The U.S. debt visualized in $100 bills
If you haven’t seen this yet, you need to watch it. (HT: Tim Challies)
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How will the Supreme Court rule on gay marriage?
As I wrote last week, the Supreme Court has decided to hear two cases on gay marriage. SCOTUS will likely hear oral arguments in March and render a decision on the matter by June. Everyone is speculating at this point about how the court will rule. Gay marriage advocates are feeling the wind at their backs, and many of them are expecting a decision favorable to their cause. They may very well be right, and gay marriage may be the law of the land by the beginning of next summer.
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A Curious Headline about Gay Marriage
Politico and George Washington University just released a poll showing that 40 percent of Americans favor gay marriage. The same poll also says that 30 percent support civil unions but not gay marriage, and 24 percent oppose any kind of legal recognition of gay unions.
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Supreme Court will hear gay marriage cases
The news is just breaking that the Supreme Court has decided to take up two gay marriage cases: the legal challenge to California’s Proposition 8 and a review of the Defense of Marriage Act. They will render a decision on this by June 2013, and the result could be every bit as momentous as Roe v. Wade was in 1973. That means that in less than a year laws banning gay marriage could be overturned in every state of the union. Or maybe not. It’s all in the balance now. Here’s the report from the Associated Press: