January 20, 1999

Marriage as a public issue has been growing in visibility in the U.S., but it has never moved to the center of public discourse. Policy wonks occasionally refer to the "m" word; this is their way of acknowledging that marriage should not be brought up in polite (or politically correct) discussions of public policy.

At no time is the legislative process more frustrating than during the congressional "silly season," the last six months of the legislative cycle when members are up for election. Scads of bills are introduced for no other reason than to be able to tell the folks back home, "Look what I tried to do." Some of the most popular measures are the "votes for God," as members sometimes refer to them off the record. Prayer amendments are perennial favorites. So are the many schemes to funnel tax dollars to private and parochial schools.

A century ago the bone weary must have come home from their labors and relaxed by watching the flames dancing in the hearth. But since the invention of the television, weary Americans have been sinking their self-consciousness into the riot of unpredictable images flitting across their television screens. I am no exception. The other night I came home in a haze of weariness, did a swan dive onto the couch and hit the power switch on the clicker.