As a gay marriage ceremony was about to start in Washington DC a flash of light streaked across the skies above and came to rest beside the happy couple.

Was it an air traveller going it alone after refusing to be groped or scanned at the airport or an alien from another planet? No it was Palinpower from Alaska.

‘Stop this ceremony immediately’ said Palinpower ‘gay marriage is an outrage’

‘How dare you Palinpower’ said Rodney who was about to get hitched ‘this is a perfectly legal private ceremony and you’re not invited so piss off’

‘I am here’ declared Palinpower ‘to restore honour in the sanctity or marriage. Two guys getting married is as unnatural as me having a sensible conversation with Nancy Pelosi about Obamacare’

‘Listen Palinpower’ said Eric the other fifty percent of the happy couple ‘you’re nothing but a silly old bigot who should be on permanent display in the George W Bush museum’

‘What’s the point of you two getting married?’ asked Palinpower ‘It simply degrades the institution of marriage with no hope of children as a redeeming feature’

‘There’s no need for us to have children’ said Rodney ‘because you’ve had enough for all of us. What you have to understand Palinpower is that marriage is about love and not your antiquated prejudices’

‘Marriage is about couples like Todd and I’ said Palinpower ‘doing things together like moose shooting, igloo building and holding hands’

‘Well we hold hands all the time’ said Eric ‘but our interests are more solar than polar. Now why don’t you get your lycra-covered ass out of here and let us get on with the happiest day of our lives’

‘Please reconsider before it’s too late’ said Palinpower ‘I mean which of you two is the bride? Which one will toss the bouquet to the unmarried guys? Which one will do tea mornings with the minister and the ironing and the nagging? Stop before you both become totally confused’

‘Well here’s a revolutionary marriage concept for you’ said Rodney ‘We’ll share everything fifty-fifty and we won’t have heterosexual marriage problems like wife beating or a battle of the sexes’

‘But you’ll never experience true wedded bliss like Todd and I’ said Palinpower

‘That’s right’ said Eric ‘but we’ll experience true wedded bliss like Rodney and I. You may find this difficult to understand but Todd’s just not my type. Look we can’t waste time talking to you any longer because we’re due at a Tea Party rally right after the wedding’

‘Don’t tell me you’re members of the Tea Party’ said Palinpower

‘Of course’ said Rodney ‘we believe in small government and freedom from politicians like you telling us what to do’

In a flash Palinpower was gone utterly gobsmacked by the thought that the future of the Tea Party could depend on the tea leaves.