Posted on 03/06/2015 12:11:32 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
As Matt Welch noted Wednesday, pediatric neurosurgeon and next Republican president of the United States Ben Carson both "lived down to stereotype" and articulated some truths about the GOP field for 2016 when he argued that gay sex among heterosexuals in prisons proves that being gay is a "choice." (Carson's very existence, by the way, proves my general about Republicans' "long love affair" manifestly unqualified candidates.)
Here's something else to think about while mulling over whether any of this matters more than a tinker's ding-dong: Ben Carson has apologized for his comments and is already being taken to the woodshed by conservatives for backing down and issuing a formal statement. "Ben Carson Caves to Gays," runs one indicative headline.
More interesting, Hot Air's Allahpundit writes that
"for all the heat Carson took [for both his original statement and subsequent apology], he’s open to legalized gay marriage insofar as he’s a federalist on the issue. “I support the right of individual states to sanction” the practice, he says, which puts him in line with Ted Cruz and puts both of them quite a ways away from social conservative orthodoxy as recently as 2008 or so in calling for a Federal Marriage Amendment to ban gay marriage nationwide. The media’s holding Carson up as an example of how retrograde his views are, but meanwhile even the right wing of the GOP field is ready for gay marriage coast to coast so long as it’s being enacted by state legislatures."
Allahpundit muses on how the Santorum/Huckabee types in the GOP field will respond to any or all of this, noting that Carson may well end up being seen as too hard on gay issues by people on the left and too soft on gays by social cons. But his position will almost certainly be the position of the GOP presidential candidate, who will definitely not be Dr. Ben. Or Rick Santorum or Mike Huckabee, either.
Read the whole thing.
This opens up a larger question that the GOP would do well to grapple with head-on: If the vast majority of presidential wannabes are good with gay marriage—or are at least good with the federal government staying the hell out of the issue—what will they do to take it off the table for discussion among their prospective candidates and national figures?
Polls routinely show 55 percent to 60 percent of Americans approve of gay marriage. The quickness with which the issue went from not even being on the radar screen to majority and growing acceptance indicates that no political party is ever going to do well because of an anti-gay marriage position (though a party might still flourish despite an anti-gay marriage stance). Of course, the gay marriage issue resonates perfectly with all the things that conservatives say they favor, such as long-term commitment in adult relationships, devolving power out of Washington, etc. Other than a religiously based opposition to homosexual activity—and most conservatives would agree that there is and should be a separation of church and state—nothing about the issues surrounding gay marriage presents a problem for conservatives.
Conservatives and Republicans should also consider how the belief that they are homophobic hurts them with the general population. Regardless of what presidential candidates might think on the issue of gay marriage, the national and many state-level GOP platforms are anti-gay.
There are large numbers of voters who are neither Republican nor Democratic loyalists. Call them moderates, independents, whatever. Like most voters, these people care first and foremost about issues such as "the economy," "the availability of good jobs," and "the way the federal government is working," to name the top three concerns among registered voters according to Gallup last fall.
While these voters may not vote with gay issues in the front of their minds, to the extent that Republicans are seen as intolerant and spiteful if not hateful toward gays, voters will likely go the other way. Or, same thing, not feel comfortable voting for a Republican. Especially if that doesn't reflect the feelings of the party's presidential candidates, the GOP should work to change the way it operates in the court of public opinion.
Here's Ben Carson apologizing on CNN:
(VIDEO-AT-LINK)
I hope everyone, black and white realize how much damage that Obama has done to the black race....Had he been an extraordinarily good president, even an above average one, he would have boosted respect for black people over the roof....instead he verified all the stereotypes of blacks being incapable boobs, evil thinkers, whatever other bad things that you can think of....very sad.
EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY, strong penalties for crimes involving guns....many years for having one, many more if it is fired, and life if it INJURES someone. MANDATORY
I hate to be the one to have to inform you, but normal men don't share your sexuality.
Is this what you believe?
To the last cell in my body. If we had a black Scott Walker, Ted Cruz, Ronald Reagan or Sarah Palin, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. None of the men I listed is qualified to be the leader of the free world. Show me where I’m wrong.
Not believing what I'm reading here. The men I know would take a bullet before engaging in any kind of queer act.
I think he's smart enough..and savvy enough.
That’s not my sexuality, and I’ve never been in prison. But I think I’m being more realistic about it than you or Dr. Carson. Put people in an unnatural situation, some do things they wouldn’t otherwise do. Some don’t.
One term congressman and Lieutenant Colonel, which is middle management in the Army. I’m almost as qualified. The other three are two businessmen and a low-level Reagan official who hasn’t done much since. No governors, senators, cabinet official or flag officers.
Doesn’t change my answer..........
What unnatural position, not getting to have sex for a long time makes normal men want to have sex with men?
How long does it take before a man suddenly desires homosexual sex, is that length of time the same before he wants to have sex with children, or 8 year old girls?
Huh? Your biography is that close to Congressman West's?
I was a state managerial official and an intelligence analyst for the Carter and Reagan administrations, including briefings and reports for both those gentlemen. I’ve never been an elected official.
Carson spun around so fast on gay marriage I thought it was a scene from the exorcist.
What do those titles mean?
For instance I thought you were just an NCO in the Army that worked in MI, is that what you mean by “an intelligence analyst for the Carter and Reagan administrations”?
What kind of of “state managerial official” were you, and what does being a sergeant in MI have to do with being a Lt. Colonel leading combat troops into war, and being in politics and a being a Congressman?
Carson has been a Republican for a few monthd or something, he is not a conservative. As for manifestly bad candidates, nobody comes close to the Libertarian party
Prison or not it is still homosexuality
Yep
I was an NCO and later a civil servant. Believe it or not, NCOs, specialists and even private soldiers hold highly responsible positions in military intelligence. Where did you think PDC Bradley Manning got all that information to leak to the Australian, off of Reddit or 4chan? I wrote daily reports and briefings for both presidents, even as a lowly no stripe, buck private. At the state workforce department, I was in charge of a large, region-wide (central part of the state) program to get veterans back to work or into business and self-employment opportunities. I also coordinated and ran large job fairs, workshops and how-to-find-work classes and seminars. So comparing an entry-level worker at a private company or non-profit to a lower-level person in the armed forces (especially in intelligence) can be misleading. My FIRST job in the Army was early warning and intelligence for the Korean DMZ, which included the “DMZ Report” that went straight to the White House from I Corps.
That’s PFC, not “PDC” oops.
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