Hagel, a no show

The following letter was sent to Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) following his absence during the vote on the Senate version of an amendment to the Constitution defining marriage.

Hagel has written me in the past indicating that he felt this was a state issue that he was not anxious to have the Senate engage. Even though I rarely agree with Republican Senator from Nebraska, I am always sure of the man's conviction. He's a good guy who believes in good government doing good work. While I cannot speak for the Senator, the fact, as I state below, that he had better things to do than vote on a cloture motion on debate over an amendment to ban gay marriage is good enough for me to know that he has the right priorities some of the time.

Senator Hagel,

I would like to thank you for not voting on the Gay Marriage Amendment to the Constitution this week. Whether your absence was by coincidence or design, I was delighted to see that at least three Senators had something better to do with their day than consider an amendment designed only to divide our nation and single out a group of citizens already maligned.

Your non-vote communicated to me that you are a gentleman of tact with the issue of federal intervention in state issues correctly prioritized.

I appreciate your service to our state and our nation, and I thank you for your time and consideration on this issue.

Yr. Obt. Svt.
k.michael.f.f