Do you want to bring down unemployment and stimulate the econonmy? Here's one way.

Legalize same-sex marriage.

It struck me the other day. There is a sure-fire way to jump start our lagging economy and for a true fiscal conservative the issue should be a no-brainer. The financial upside for making same-sex marriage legal is the weddings.

Think of how much money is spent at a typical wedding. Sources vary about what the average amount of money that gets spent on the wedding, but in 2011 the range for average is twenty-five to thirty thousand dollars. We all can grasp that it's a pretty significant sum for each and every wedding.

There is the wedding dress, and bridesmaid's and groomsmen's clothing. They need to be made or rented. Engagement and wedding rings need to be made and sold. The reception hall needs to be booked. There must be entertainment at the reception. Invitations need to be printed. Vehicles rented. Flowers to be grown, delivered and arranged. A cake needs to be baked and delivered. Caterers must be hired, and bartenders to keep the libations flowing … quite a tidy sum of money is spent and it all goes into the local economy. The happy couple have a (hopefully) perfect day, and a tidy number of local small business get a boost of much needed capital.

Now consider this. Who would throw as lavish a wedding and reception as gay couples? Say what you will, but gay men especially tend to have pretty good taste and a willingness to exhibit that good taste. They're not afraid to spend money on what they want.

It only makes sense for an economy to encourage this kind of behavior. Allowing gay men and lesbian women to legitimize their love in the eyes of the law will not decrease the number of “traditional” man-and-woman marriages, and would benefit every single local economy in America with the increased money put in circulation due to all the new weddings every year.

Chances are, these small businesses in the wedding industry will see a pretty good increase in business. It stands to reason. They would have to hire additional help to handle the increased business. Unemployment could drop. Each of these business would presumably have to pay an increased amount of taxes, which would further benefit the local and state governments of areas where they are being starved out of existence by the “something-for-nothing crowd” who hate the idea of paying ANY taxes.

I think it's pretty safe to speculate the increase in business to the wedding industry would be significant. Any increase of business to just about any industry would be a good thing right now. A good thing in any economy, but notable so in this one.

It is a sad commentary on us as a society when we allow the small-minded and withered of heart to dictate our economy the way we do. I for one know that business can be a positive contributor to our society. I know that more money flowing around means a better life for everyone.

I also know how hard it is to find someone to love in this world. How incredibly fortunate it is to have someone who loves you for you. Who am I do deny that to anyone?