I will have to look into the platform debate more since you did provide an interesting perspective and some facts I hadn’t known on this. As to the Marriage Amendment, Fred has his own unique one. However, he opposes the federal marriage amendment as it has been drafted and argued by social conservatives in the past. This is the primary reasons that Dobson gave for opposing his candidacy. Basically Fred supports and amendment which says that judges cannot force any state to accept gay marriage but opposes any amendment which would define marriage as only between a man and a women because he wants to leave state legislatures the ability to adopt gay marriage and/or civil unions if they choose to do so.
I still don’t see how you get non-support out of the words, “I support a Constitutional amendment” but so be it.
You have an issue with state’s rights on social issues. Fair enough. Ideally I’d like to see all of these issues put to rest once and for all with Constitutional Amendments, but with a Dem congress it’s a nonstarter for now. But there is always more than one way to accomplish a goal, and as some states outlaw gay marriage and others don’t, we’ve got an interesting case to take to the Supreme Court over the full faith and credit clause. Get one more, just one more strict constructionist on the court, and it’s very easy to see where we will have a decision in favor of defense of marriage, putting into place de facto national defense of marriage.
I’m a pragmatist. I don’t want to change the Republican platform and Constitutional Amendments should be the ultimate goal, but in the meantime you fight the fight you can win, and the states’ rights fight is one conservatives can win, and then look toward the next battle.
I have a question for you. You’re a conservative Christian. At least I get the feeling you are. So am I. And one of my main problems with Huckabee is that he has changed so many of the positions he had as governor of Arkansas just in time for the Republican primary. He was LULAC’s best friend, now he’s Mr. Border Security. He was Mr. Tax and Spend, now he wants to abolish the IRS, etc. It’s all just a little too perfect, a little too calculated for me.
It could be genuine, I suppose, but the timing is highly suspect. Huckabee is a Baptist minister. I hold Christians to a higher standard than other people, and I have a real problem with all the flipflopping. It strikes me as dishonesty, the sort of dishonesty I would expect from a Rudy or a Romney, but not from a man of God. Does that bother you at all?
It’s a real speed bump for me, and the reason that although he seems like a decent man, I don’t support Huckabee. Hunter’s my first choice and Fred is my second. Neither is perfect, but they are honest, consistent conservatives who haven’t changed their positions to appeal to their current audience.