Posted on 10/18/2006 9:59:09 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON — In recent years, the Republican Party aimed to broaden its appeal with a "big-tent" strategy of reaching out to voters who might typically lean Democratic. But now a debate is growing within the GOP about whether the tent has become too big — by including gays whose political views may conflict with the goals of the party's powerful evangelical conservatives.
Some Christians, who are pivotal to the GOP's get-out-the-vote effort, are charging that gay Republican staffers in Congress may have thwarted their legislative agenda. There even are calls for what some have dubbed a "pink purge" of high-ranking gay Republicans on Capitol Hill and in the administration.
--snip--
"The big-tent strategy could ultimately spell doom for the Republican Party," said Tom McClusky, chief lobbyist for the Family Research Council, a Christian advocacy group. "All a big-tent strategy seems to be doing is attracting a bunch of clowns."
Now the GOP is facing a hard choice — risk losing the social conservatives who are legendary for turning out the vote, or risk alienating the moderate voters who are crucial to this election's outcome.
--snip--
A recent incident that upset social conservatives involved remarks by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last week. With First Lady Laura Bush looking on, Rice swore in Mark R. Dybul as U.S. global AIDS coordinator while his partner, Jason Claire, held the Bible. Claire's mother was in the audience, and Rice referred to her as Dybul's "mother-in-law."
"The Republican Party is taking pro-family conservatives for granted," said Mike Mears, executive director of the political action committee of Concerned Women for America, which promotes biblical values. "What Secretary Rice did just the other day is going to anger quite a few people."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
an interesting piece, imo.
more depress the vote efforts of NYT west.
A purge will be far easier in the majority.
Remember it is the DEMOCRATS who are tossing the homosexuals under the bus.
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the Republican party was welcoming to gays who believe in what the Republican party stands for. I thought the Log Cabin Republicans, the gay Republican group, was in favor of Republican positions such as tax cuts and individual liberty.
I thought that though Republicans are against homosexual marriage that they are welcoming to gays in other ways. Am I wrong here?
Remember it is the DEMOCRATS who are tossing the homosexuals under the bus.
--
sure seems like the GOP has plenty to spare too. ;-)
But what can be done (if anything should be done)? The Republican Party is a political party, not a private club. Anyone can join who wants to.
Why are the Republicans supposed to be "big-tent" when the Dems won't let pro-lifers see the light of day. Just how Big-tent are the Dems?
I didn't read the whole thing - just your snippets. Does the author name a single Christian who is calling for a "pink purge"? If yes, who? Or is this more of "the archetypal 'Christian' is really POed at the GOP this year" garbage?
Wrong party dumb@$$. We don't purge. They do.
I thought that though Republicans are against homosexual marriage that they are welcoming to gays in other ways. Am I wrong here?
--
No, you're not wrong. Some are able to accept that concept, others are more demanding or vocal in pursuing issues in the LGBT arena with a specific agenda.
It's the Dems who are in complete disarray.
I thought the Dim Party was taking African Americans for granted. Why aren't they reporting that?
I don't want a purge but I also do not want homosexuals within positions of authority in the Repubican Party.
"Now the GOP is facing a hard choice — risk losing the social conservatives who are legendary for turning out the vote, or risk alienating the moderate voters who are crucial to this election's outcome."
What a ridiculous choice.
The RIGHT answer is educate people. Tell them what homosexuality is all about. SHOW them what an abortion is. Be the MORAL and CONSERVATIVE party. In the past it wasn't such a hardship and shouldn't be one now.
Given the recent foley scandal, the careers of homosexuals are DOA in the GOP.
actually calling for a purge per se, No.
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins is in there, also Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, chairman of the Traditional Values Coalition, Concerned Women for America as well
Yeah.
"We like gays before we trashed Foley unrelentingly for (non-existent) political advantage."
More trouble making. The Foley affair got a lot of gay activists mad at the Democrats when it backfired. Now they want to paint the Republicans as vacillating between extreme right wing homophobia or gay activism.
The right place for the Republican party is to say that any homosexuals who want are welcome to join the party as long as they keep their sexual lives private. That means no affairs with pages, just as a married politician would be expected not to commit flagrant adultery in public.
Homosexuals are people, and you don't have to approve of their lifestyle to say that they have rights like everyone else. What we don't need in the party is gay activists. Let the Democrats have those guys.
So, a homosexual congressman? Why not, if he keeps his sex life to himselves and his constituents don't mind.
A homosexual activist chosen because of his sexual orientation to run the AIDS program, with a celebration of his lifestyle? No, that's just stupid. It's playing me-too with the Democrats.
I'll tell you this, I am a Republican and a "values voter" to boot. I was going to vote Republican but this Foley thing has made me want to vote for gay marriage, a bill of rights for terrorists, higher taxes, cutting funding to our troops in Iraq, abortion on demand, and liberal judges being appointed to the Supreme Court. Thanks Tom Foley, you really helped me see the light. /sarcasm
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.