Poll: Americans divided over antigay constitutional amendment

Americans are deeply divided over the proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would ban same-sex marriage, according to a poll released Friday by the gay political group Log Cabin Republicans. "This new poll clearly shows American voters want states to have the authority to decide this difficult issue," said the group's executive director, Patrick Guerriero. "Voters are concerned about creating jobs and jump-starting the economy. They don't want our politicians using the Constitution as a political tool to discriminate against gay and lesbian families." Out of 1,000 respondents, half oppose a constitutional amendment that would take away individual states' power to pass laws governing same-sex unions. Forty-two percent support the proposed amendment. Even among frequent churchgoers and Bush voters, almost 40% oppose the antifamily amendment. Among those voters who describe themselves as most concerned about moral issues, one third are opposed to an amendment. Almost 75% of likely voters, including two thirds of Bush voters, believe this amendment is being used only as a political football. Only 3% of voters cite "banning gay marriage" as an issue priority for them in deciding their presidential vote. Nine other issues are more important to voters. "The president would be wise to focus his reelection campaign on the issues that matter most," said Guerriero. "Clearly this amendment isn't one of them."