Posted on 09/09/2004 2:36:42 PM PDT by presidio9
THE LOG CABIN Republicans, an organization for gay and lesbian members of the GOP, announced Tuesday it would not endorse George W. Bush for re-election, even though the group endorsed Bush in 2000. This reversal largely reflects the president's support for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. As Log Cabin Republicans Political Director Christopher Barron said in a statement issued from its Washington headquarters, "An organization's endorsement is worthless if it does not have to be earned."
In 2000, Bush worked for it. He met with gay Republicans and proclaimed himself "a better man for it." Bush was also a better candidate, as he eschewed the politics of exclusion that soured his father's re-election effort in 1992, in favor of politics that welcome all comers to the party. Log Cabin activists point to a Voter News Service exit poll that shows Dubya garnered 25 percent of the gay and lesbian vote in the 2000 election. That figure represents 1.1 million votes.
Enter the Massachusetts Supreme Court, which ruled that a ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Such judicial activism -- the sudden legal finding against a long-practiced distinction -- rankled the social right. Thus, in December, Bush said he would support a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, "if necessary." After San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom flouted state law -- and a voter-approved measure banning same-sex marriage in California -- by allowing same-sex marriages in City Hall, Bush was cornered. He endorsed a constitutional amendment.
Log Cabin Rs believe that the Bush position was based on a decision by political guru Karl Rove to get out the vote of some 4 million evangelicals who stayed home in 2000. Tracey Schmitt of the Bush campaign disagreed. "President Bush makes his decisions based on sound policy and principle rather than politics,"
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Why does the cultural left always assume that they are on the cutting edge of the future ? Wasn't the future supposed to be free love and open marriage ?
Looking at demographics, the future lies with cultural conservatives because decadents barely reproduce.
Ironic, ain't it? Conservatives are now the ones promoting progressive new ideas and reforms, and the entrenched left now finds itself in the role of the reactionary keeper of the status quo.
It's nice to think of that ol' lying trickster Karl Marx spinning in his thrice-cursed grave for once, isn't it?
Seems to me that the whole Log Cabin Republican idea is a sham intended to discredit and split the Republican Party - agents provocateur planted by the DNC itself.
I don't agree 100% with the RNC platform, myself. BUT - you will NEVER see me turn my back on my principles and embrace what amounts to the European Socialism / Soviet Communism of the Democrats over a slight difference of opinion with the RNC.
Better Dead Than Red - that's what I say.
I think the job of the log cabin republicans was to give the press a ready story every campaign year about how social ultra-conservatives alienate much of the Republican base and hurt the reelection prospects of blah, blah, blah.... You have to wonder how much influence they got in proportion to the amount of press exposure they received.
howdy! I don't think W really needs this endorsement, I am glad to say.
Couldn't this group have picked a more ::ahem:: palatable name for themselves.
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