"Part of federalism means that states have the right to make bad decisions -- even on the issue of who can get married in the state. Resisting the temptation to use the federal government to meddle in state matters is the test of this conservative principle. Indeed, it is the test separating conservative federalists from hard-line social conservatives, willing to sacrifice the Constitution in their understandable anxiety over the sorry state of modern morality. ... To be clear, I am absolutely not a supporter of granting marriage rights to same-sex couples, which makes my decision to oppose the FMA all the harder. I do not enjoy opposing people who I agree with in substance on matters of process. Yet, the Constitution is worth that lonely stand. ... Federalism means that, unless the Constitution says otherwise, states are sovereign. This pertains to marriage." --Former GA Rep. Bob Barr, author of the Defense of Marriage Act and opponent of a constitutional amendment defining marriage. For the whole speech, go to http://federalist.com/news/barr.asp