Civil war rages in Iraq; the debate over immigration simmers at home. High gasoline prices infuriate.

It's time for resolve, for Capitol Hill to confront pressing issues. Yes, it's time to debate...bans on gay marriage and flag-burning.

In honor of cookout season, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is bringing out the raw meat this week, hoping the smell of barbecue will divert Americans from a house on fire.

Frist knows a constitutional ban on gay marriage won't pass. Last time it came up, it didn't get a majority in the Senate behind it, not to mention the two-thirds vote needed for a constitutional amendment. That won't stop senators from prattling on about gays and activist judges threatening the sanctity of marriage.

And never mind that the Supreme Court already has knocked down a congressional ban on burning the American Flag as a violation of speech. Never mind that flag-burning incidents have been few. (The ones we found involved drunks and run-of-the-mill vandals.) Republican senators are desperate to run an issue up the flagpole to campaign on in November.

Frist and fellow Republicans are determined to stop the bleeding — not in Iraq but in the polls. Even conservatives are turning against the president over the federal deficit and immigration. Without rousing their core — the ones who get more riled up about flags and gays than wars and deficits — Republicans know their chances of retaining control of Congress are rotten in November.

Clearly, many Republicans aren't so cynical. Asked about gay marriage, Laura Bush told Fox News recently, "I don't think it should be used as a campaign tool. It requires a lot of sensitivity to just talk about the issue."

A first lady that wise should be in the Senate.