Amendment 2

            I have to agree with those who will vote No on Amendment 2, which would codify into the Constitution a ban on same-sex marriage. But I hadn’t expected to.

            Although some have argued otherwise, marriage is not some “evolving paradigm.” Not at its gendered core. Relationships evolve, of course, but not the institution in its most fundamental form. I’m still surprised, frankly, that needs stating.

            I thought former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney summed it up succinctly a couple of years ago. Marriage, he noted, is “rooted in the history, culture and tradition of civil society. It predates our Constitution and our nation by millennia. The institution of marriage was not created by government, and it should not be redefined by government.”

             But back to Amendment 2. If only it didn’t invalidate other unions — those which are the “substantial equivalent” of marriage. That’s a wording fraught with societal mischief by some future court. Just say no to such legal parsing.

Philly Fans At The Bottom Of Their Game for Series

       When the World Series began, there were several “givens” most observers could agree upon:

* That the Rays were one of the best feel-good sports stories in years.

* That Rays Manager Joe Maddon would charm the media.

* That Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels would be outstanding.

* That Phillies closer Brad Lidge might be impossible to score on.

* That Philadelphia fans would discredit themselves yet again.

            Sure enough.

            By all accounts, Phillies fans lowered their minimal standards for civility by abusing, intimidating and threatening Rays’ family members and employees in Game 3. Including children. As Rays’ owner Stuart Sternberg pointed out, “We’re talking about behavior more suitable for a prison yard than a family ballpark.”

            Alas, that quote was likely taken as a compliment.

There’s a rowdy, obnoxious element anywhere there are games, testosterone and beer. But only in Philadelphia — my home town, I admit — is such behavior not just condoned – but celebrated.

“Yo, Philly’s a tough town,” would be the rejoinder, once cleaned up.  And having besotted, paunchy, mutant vulgarians as fans is simply part of a “home-field advantage.”

Rays officials had to ask Major League Baseball and Phillies management to intercede and do, well, something. Assuming that a culture of crude-and-lewd fandom wouldn’t change over night, many in the Rays’ traveling party didn’t even bother to attend the next game.

That’s a disgrace – only exceeded in its ignominy by the perverse pride the Philly fan base takes in its barbarian-driven, home-field advantage. Citizens Bank Park as Tora Bora.

A number of the Phillies players, a consensus classy lot, were at the top of their game for the Series. Too many Phillies fans were at the bottom of theirs.

Would that they only cared about clinging to guns and religion in that part of Pennsylvania.

Naimoli In Context

            How often in these last weeks of this most improbable of baseball seasons, have we heard folks – and media outlets – say, in effect, “Well, if it weren’t for (original Devil Rays’ owner) Vince Naimoli, none of this (Rays’ success) would have been possible”?

            Enough, arguably, to become a given. Naimoli wasn’t particularly well-liked or baseball astute, goes the reasoning, but he did step up and bring a team here. So he deserves, even if begrudgingly, credit for that. Absent a team, none of this World Series stuff happens.

            Only if you sign on to revisionism.

            Recall that from the late 1980s on, the Tampa Bay market was becoming increasingly viable for Major League Baseball – and a team was coming here whatever the scenario. That’s why Seattle, San Francisco and Chicago all used this market as leverage to get stadium deals at home.

            Also, recall that several ownership groups were in the applicant mix. It was MLB that chose the Naimoli group – and with it the ill-suited dome, a St. Pete location at odds with Tampa Bay’s geography and demographics and a ham-handed principal owner who was a public relations nightmare.

            Had the franchise gone to another ownership group, possibly the one headed by Frank Morsani, it would have come to Tampa, where it has always belonged, to max out on regional marketing and attendance draw.

Granted, we wouldn’t have had the “Hit Show,” but we might not have had a laughingstock decade before success.

Decidedly Undecided

            At this time in the election cycle, this country’s undecided voters once again take on a disproportionate role in presidential politics. They will decide some toss-up states and impact the election of the next president. They are that important.

But the question can’t be limited to: “Who will the “undecideds” ultimately vote for?”

The begged question is: “After two years of rallies, press conferences, debates, position papers, print coverage, internet forums and 24-7 cable and talk-radio overkill, how the hell could anyone still be “undecided”? Where have they been — and have they been there in a conscious state?

Or is it the lure of media attention and possible focus-group recruitment?

“Fast” Track

            Gov. Charlie Crist is fast-tracking transportation projects as one way of addressing the economic downturn. As many as 40,000 related jobs could be jump-started by the scissoring of red tape.

            Only downside: we are reminded yet again that when we say “transportation,” we mean roads. This has nothing to do with mass transit.

Korea si, Libya si, Cuba no

            So, the U.S. has formally removed North Korea from its terror list, this country continues to chum up with Libya, and the counterproductive, Cold War relic that is the economic embargo on Cuba is still in effect.  

One has nuclear weapons, a track record of selling missiles to rogue customers, and a short fuse. One was complicit in killing Americans. And the other has the aging Castro Brothers — and key members of Congress posturing against it and any meaningful change.

If, indeed, change that we can count on is coming after November 4, the new administration need look no farther than Cuba to underscore that it means business – not business as usual.

Get Out The Informed Vote

Another political staple at this point in the cycle is the “Get Out The Vote” campaign.

Now, if it’s helping, for example, the elderly and the incapacitated to exercise their franchise, it is a noble, democratic undertaking. But if it’s a partisan exercise in persuading the otherwise uninterested to show up and vote in lock step, then I say: “If that’s what it takes to motivate you to get to the polls – as opposed to more-than-obvious economic, geo-political and social imperatives – then stay home. That way you don’t offset the ballots of informed voters doing their duty.”