Gay Marriage Good For The Economy: UCLA Study

The California Supreme Court overturned the state's gay marriage ban in May, and a new study from UCLA says that gay marriage will be good for the economy:

A new study says same-sex weddings will provide California's economy with a substantial boost, creating thousands of jobs and much needed revenue.

The study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law says direct spending by same-sex couples will add $684 million to the state's wedding industry and $64 million to the state budget over the next three years.

The study estimates that half of California's 102,639 same-sex couples will marry over the next three years and another 68,000 will come from out-of-state. As many as 2,200 additional jobs will be created.

Comments

[Hirnlego]

http://marriage.about.com/cs/generalhistory/a/marriagehistory.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage

Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

[Crozier]

Bigotry and hatred, ignorance and homophobia will extend beyond the societal changes necessary for equality. Years later, when the SCOTUS had allowed for interracial marriage in 1967, the arguements against God's law dividing the races were still used to harbour hatred with couples that produced children like Senator Barack Obama, the DPN and hopefully our next POTUS.

Nations throughout the world, from Canada to the Union of South Africa, to the Benelux to Spain, and countless similar rights without the "m" word is the legacy of the mature and civilised nations.

Same-sex couples in the thousands are together monogamously for decades. Many, like us, raise our children. Elderly couples marry without children as the reason. The theocratic bigots think that marriage is a religious term - in its core, it is a secular term.

[adamsmith]

Divorce lawyers are the immediate beneficiaries. As a Neo-Libertarian, I say let people choose their private lives for themselves. The sanctity of marriage argument is stupid, a 40% or greater divorce rate proves me right....An amendment banning gay marriage is ridiculous. The government needs to re-read the 10th amendment and many of these problems would go away.............

[CoffeeCat]

But, but but..the Bible is God's word and the bible says that being gay is a sin........what a crock of crap..Live and let live..I plan on attending many gay weddinds. Money talks Christians walk..

[musselmanm]

Sorry, 72% of Republicans disaprove of gay marriage while 75% disaprove of George Bush.

[Crozier]

The majority of American citizens approve civil rights for same sex couples and their families.

[musselmanm]

Chris Mathews just announced on MSNBC that 75% of Republicans disapprove of George Bush. &2% of Republicans disapprove gay marriage!
Well I would guess we should change our Constitution to outlaw the beliefs and term of George Bush.

[AfterReflection]

Hmm... I didn't realize all that about the money. I became gay for the cuisine.

[Abaddon]

Is it good? Deeeelicious!

[Avantdan]

rich white gay men have money... lots of it.
can you imagine some of the lavish weddings? come on we're talking gays here!
this should have been the argument in 2004. i mean don't repubs love a robust economy?

[hypnotoad72]

It's a perpetuated myth; the claim being gays don't have children. It's not like gays are discriminated against lower paying jobs like everyone else isn't.

Given the number of divorces and basic lack of care for an institution deemed archaic (by some) in this country, it's increasingly difficult to believe why anyone wants to fight for such a throwaway institution.

[DRaymond]

I agree that the number is probably conservative. Because of the possibility of a constitutional ammendment in November there is a deadline pushing things.

It is going to be inetersting to see what the effect the one (a flood of gay wedding ceremonies) will have on the ballot measure. The ultraconservatives will certainly see each and every one as some sort of mockery. Others will see them as nothing threatening. That they seem to want the same things in the same way as anybody else and aren't looking to subtract anyghing from anyone.

Which will win out? who knows, stay tuned.

[musselmanm]

Will my hetero life be changed due to gay marriage?
I bet no!

[kgrdem]

Has anyone out there ever read a personnel column? Men looking for short, tall, fat (husky), skinny, redhead, brunette, blonde, Asian, black, Anglo, women...women looking for short, tall, husky (fat), hairy, clean-shaven, white, Asian, black, men...full beards, long legs, long hair, short hair, 'meat on', etc., etc.
Ever had a friend point out a girl or guy (let's assume hetero here) across the room who says, "Isn't she (he) cute?" and all you can think is, "What the hell?". There is something in our brains that says to each of us, "That's attractive". We don't know why...many times we think our friends are crazy to think such a thing.
So, if a girl finds a girl attractive or a guy finds a guy attractive, well there's something in their brain that finds it so. I can't disagree, debate or have a fit about it because I can't change it. You can't tell me what to find attractive and I'm not going to tell anyone else what to find attractive. LET IT BE. This is part of the human brain and part of the human mystery. And more power to it, otherwise we'd all be after the same thing and nobody would be happy.

[jimdog1954]

Spot on!! This is God's work, not mine, not yours. I can't control who I find attractive any more than I can control the date on which I was born, or the color of my skin. It's called "variety", and, generally, variety is the spice of life.

[ChicagoBlackRainbowWomen]

Come to think of it cali could wind up being the gay mecca of the US just like Vegas. Betcha after a few years other states will grab for the gold ring, because in the end money talks and bullchit walks.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

UCLA Study says gay marriage benefits economy. Well DUH! 12 place settings of Wedgwood, 12 of Gorham Sterling, 12 of Orrefors crystal, espresso makers, liquor for the reception, every guest going to Neiman's to buy a new Armani suit...

[ChicagoBlackRainbowWomen]

As a lesbian american I simply want the same rights that hetro americans get for their tax dollars. I dont plan running right out and getting married, but it would be nice to know that if I wanted to I could.

They (the crazy right religious wing) always want to play symantics with words like civil unions vs marrage. Who cares what they call it as long as I am not denied what other americans take for granted.

Heck most of the lesbians I know come with a U-haul anyway so Im used to cold feet, which is perhaps why I live alone lol...

[hypnotoad72]

I think you mean "semantics". Symantec is a software company. What does an anti-virus company have to do with anything, especially as they pertain to only computer viruses?

[kgrdem]

It's not just good for the economy, it's good for one's soul. Enough of the hate, already. We've heard from the "Moral Majority" the "Silent Majority" and every other right wing haters for 20 years now. And what has that gotten us? Hate. Unvarnished license to hate. The right wing cannot win on the issues so they 'create' issues, and whether it's Welfare Queens or Drag Queens, they are dead, dead, dead and good riddance. I am a 61-year-old grandmother and I never want to hear another homophobic or racist word again as long as I live. ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

[desthmoneses]

Good god woman if your not the voice of my heart and soul then no one is.

[chin075]

Amen, and amen. From a straight Hispanic male.

[UncleJimbo]

Trying to couch any explaination of Homosexuality or anything pertaning to it in "religious" terms is a non-starte­r....Becau­se I simply say....I don't believe in your "religion"! Get it? Got it! Good!

[chin075]

Yeah, I think we're starting to realize that "My God doesn't like your kind" isn't a real argument anymore, or a logical one.

[missionimpossible]

If there is ANY gay marriage ammendment in CA, or any other state, the evangelicals will come out en masse, and Obama will be toast just as Kerry was toast in 2004. NOT A GOOD IDEA.

[jjasonham]

Its kind of hard for them to come out en masse and vote against Obama when they've lost their jobs, half of their interest income in the market, and can't afford the gas to get them there.

[situationcritical]

So true. But I would add that - it's already been hard for them to come out unless they're caught with gay meth dealing prostitutes.