From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

Has same-sex marriage lost its political power?

Hello again, I'm Armin Alony, and this is To the Poet from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues Americans care about most. In 1996, Congress limited marriage to a man and a woman. In 2004, state ballot measures

on same-sex marriage helped turn out Republican voters. Last month, the Obama Justice Department

called the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. So where are the Republicans now?

Members of Congress and potential presidential candidates have focused almost entirely on enforcing the law,

but not on same-sex marriage itself.

Have they decided that it's the economy stupid, after all?

We'll look at the law and the politics. On' notebook later on spending, taxes, and public opinion.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio International Program Fund,

whose contributors include the Ford Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur

Foundation, and the Skoll Foundation, supporting social entrepreneurs around the world, uncommon heroes

dedicated to the common good. Learn more at Skoll.org. Hello again. Mormon Alney, back with To the

Poet. The Obama Justice Department has reversed its support for the Defense of Marriage Act, which has led to a legal battle with conservative groups and their lawyers.

And Republicans who want to be president are also focused more on enforcing a congressional enactment than they are on same-sex marriage itself.

We'll talk about what that means politically. On reporter's notebook, Republicans are adamant about spending cuts and deficit reduction. Is that what voters care about most? First, this news update. Unemployment dropped below 9% last month for the first time since April of 2009. Private employers added 22,000 jobs, and increased employment now matches other measures of growth in the economy.

Neil Irwin reports on economics for the Washington Post.

Neil, good to have you back on our program.

Thanks for having me.

Should say there was a drop in state government employment, so the net growth in jobs last month was 192,000, but that's still pretty good.

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