Posted on 04/17/2009 1:01:30 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
McCain Strategist Warns GOP Risks Becoming 'Religious Party' Steve Schmidt urges Republicans to begin voicing more support for civil unions and gay rights.
FOXNews.com
Friday, April 17, 2009
John McCain's top adviser from the presidential campaign urged fellow Republicans on Friday to warm up to gay rights and warned that the GOP risks becoming the "religious party" with its opposition to same-sex marriage.
Steve Schmidt, in his first political appearance since the election, spoke at the Washington, D.C., convention for the Log Cabin Republicans -- a grassroots group for gay and lesbian Republicans.
He urged Republicans, in the near-term, to endorse civil unions and stop using the Bible as rationale for gay-marriage opposition.
"If you put public policy issues to a religious test, you risk becoming a religious party," he said. "And in a free country a political party cannot be viable in the long-term if it is seen as a sectarian party."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I am not fond of McCain in any way, but this statement is already a truism. The leftist media has already stereotyped the Republican party, and their strategy has been overwhelmingly effective.
You're right about it resonating in the black and Hispanic communities. One needs look no further than California's Prop 8 last fall. Without the Blacks and some Hispanics, it would've failed by some 12%.
But, you're wrong about it translating into some larger political success for the GOP. Those blacks and hispanics gladly and with unity voted for Obama at the exact same time they voted for Prop 8.
Gay marriage does well for the GOP as a stand-alone issue when it's on the ballot as a stand-alone issue. It means virtually nothing to the GOP on a broader, political scale. The demographic trends are clear. People under the age of 35 overwhelmingly support gay marriage. The writing is on the wall.
He urged Republicans, in the near-term, to endorse civil unions and stop using the Bible as rationale for gay-marriage opposition
These people use their love of trees and polar bears as a rationale for environmental regulation, but I can’t use my love of God as to guide any of my views. Makes a whole lot of sense to me. And we wonder why McLaim lost. I wonder if this guy has been hooking up with Meghan McCain.
Oh pray tell how? Seems to me we tried the McCain way and what did it get us. A socialist instead of a RINO.
China, Russia (formerly SU) and a host of other Communist (ie. Athiest) countries also ban (nor have ever considered allowing) gay marriages. It’s not a religious issue.
Why? The so-called “gay lifestyle” is simply about sex, on-demand, without consequences. There is nothing else to it. Recognizing it, by pretending “marriage” is possible, is simply detrimental to society as a whole.
I guess this could explain the mishandling of Sarah Palin huh?
GOP risks becoming the "religious party"
Christian of Islam, you pick.
LLS
Goldwater ran on a federalist platform supporting small, limited government and personal rights and responsibilities. That's what the GOP needs to get back to. If it doesn't it will become an irrelevant, regional party of rednecks and hillbillies.
Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Indeed. The trend line is from overwhelming majority votes against, to merely decisive votes against, to close votes against. I hardly need to draw a diagram to predict the next steps of this progression.
Here’s some sage advice for the GOP—take the pro-family, anti-gaystapo message to the Black and Hispanic communities where it will resonate like nobody’s business.
Or we could take the pro-gay marriage to our new Islamic friends. And tell them to put the Koran down and their love of Mohammed, and embrace the gay marriage movement, see what they say.
I missed the part where Goldwater said he was for changing the definitions of words to appease your opponents.
Is that what you are saying Goldwater stood for?
Then we can kiss America goodbye as a free nation because there is no internal threat to liberty that is greater than the homosexual agenda.
I think we identified the problem.
There ya go... one of the big reasons why McCain won’t talk about Palin. Someome got McCain to put Palin on his ticket just so he could try and fool the people in the Republican Party who *do happen to believe that God has something to do with this country”.... LOL...
And that’s why McCain would prefer to see Palin disappear forever...
In addition, what this top strategist of McCain says reflects what some in Free Republic say, too. There are some here who would like to see all “religion” (as they might put it) thrown out of the politics of the Republicans. I’ve seen it argued here before, so I know it’s *here*... LOL...
It’s no wonder the Republicans are going nowhere with people like this in the party...
Anything that p!$$es off the Islamofundie terrorists has at least one thing going for it....
Ewwwww....now isn’t that interesting. He knows full well that he wouldn’t have drawn 10 people to one of his campaign rallies...if he hadn’t USED Sarah Palin to pull in the crowds.
I betcha Sarah realizes that too. He USED Sarah Palin the Christian.
But, McJerk is behind the times. These Tea Parties are the beginning of all sorts of people coming together...”calling in the clans”. And the McJerks and McLosers had better get out of the way. He speaks for no one.
We all saw him suspend his campaign and race to Washington to sign that first bailout...McCain has his hands all over what is wrong.
Actually, the data has no support for this contention.
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