Amid an otherwise great night for American liberals with a historic presidential victory and victories and the subsequent increased majorities in both the House and Senate, the Left did suffer one setback: the fight for gay rights.

Gay marriage is a highly charged issue in America. Most American favor some form of civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, but most oppose gay marriage. In recent years, the issue had become a wedge-issue for Republicans and somethings Democrats run away for the Left could not easily oppose gay marriage without alienating large segments of its base.

The California ballet measure was unique in that it would ban gay marriage after the state had already made gay marriage legal through a ruling by the State Supreme Court. Unlike the other dozens of states that have banned gay marriage (including two more this past election day: Florida and Arizona), the state had already married over 18,000 couples. Many couples rushed in to marry when it appeared that the measure would probably pass. The couples already married will not lose their rights, but future ones will be barred.

Proposition 8 (as the constitutional amendment was called) was put on the ballet earlier this year after the State Supreme Court ruled in favor of gay marriage. The ballet measures attracted strong support both pro and con. A vote for ‘Yes’ would have defined marriage as a union between one man and one women, banning gay marriage. Supporters and opponents raised a total of $73 million for their respective campaigns, making it the most expensive ballet measure ever. It was also the most expansive election contest after, of course, the presidential election. A lot of the money was raised out of state, particularly among Mormons in Utah.

The measure passed on a vote of 52%-48%. For now, opponents of the measure intend to challenge the new constitutional amendment through the State Supreme Court as the Los Angeles Attorney General made clear on Wednesday November 5 2008.

I say: “Live and let live.”