The Same-Sex Marriage DebateLegislation is deeply rooted in language and the ongoing process of interpretation. Laws are created in response to cultural and societal needs, desires, and norms and are restructured and interpreted as those desires and norms evolve over time. The importance of the words chosen and syntax used to translate societal norms into legislation grows over time as they are continually deconstructed, examined, and analyzed. As these laws are enforced and contested by society, policymakers must examine and then modify them through discourse and dialogue. As current sentiments toward marriage evolve, policymakers must begin to examine our nation's laws that dictate how marriage functions in our country. They must attempt to create an ethical and constitutional policy that, at the same time, accurately represents the views of the majority. The issue of same-sex marriage has become relevant in recent elections due to actions by courts and local officials in California and Massachusetts. . President Bush proposed an amendment that would limit marriage rights to heterosexual couples in all states. Many government officials felt this was unnecessary because of the success of the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996, which John Kerry, who would run against George W. Bush in 2004, had spoken out against. The law passed the House and Senate with overwhelming majorities. Because of the media attention paid to the same-sex marriage debate this election year, voters in both parties have considered the arguments made by Bush and Kerry for and against legislation limiting the right to marry. By examining the human element of the marriage debate, liberals like John Kerry can appeal to the portion of the American population concerned with preserving and expanding citizens' rights, but the conservative approach of playing to the weaknesses and fears of the conservative heterosexual faction of the American population can provide a scapegoat. Many people believe that this issue was brought into the spotlight in order to distract people from the deplorable conditions of Bush's war in Iraq. This provided the conservative base with an enemy they could rally against. It provided conservatives around the world with a cohesion that was lost due to the state of war. By examining how each candidate structured their argument regarding same-sex marriage legislation, one can gain insight into the interaction between the two parties on a national and personal level...