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 ...
LLS
Go back to the DUmocrat party you RINOs!
Well, the McCain campaign was run so well, I guess we should do whatever the genius that ran it says...
Also, the GOP risks becoming a religious party mainly because the Democrat party is rapidly becoming the anti-religious party.
I really wish he, his daughter and his back stabbing useless staff would just piss off.
I didn't say Goldwater created the Republican Party. I said Goldwater, and several of his contemporaries created the conservative movement. That movement today has been co-opted by people that actually share very little of Goldwater's or Buckley's philosophical beliefs.
Goldwater laid the foundation on which Reagan built a movement.
I read it twice and did not find the word "principles." And those of us who have them will not stay with a party that has nothing except "positions on 'issues'"
spit!
The article said..
—
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.”
—
This shows the preliminary moves to “kick out the religious right” out of the party, obviously...
They are mistaken if they think that God has nothing to do with what we’re supposed to do in politics... LOL...
The only good response is exactly what the Bible says about it...
Romans 1:16-32
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
If these kinds of Republicans think they are going to kick God out of the Party, then they will really see what “losing” means...
The Democrats are already the Heathen party, so why not? :)
******************
McCain is about as liberal as a "Republican" can be. Yet, he lost in 2008. What does that tell you?
I’m not religious but I am against homosexuals, they should not be married, they should not be getting kids , they should not be getting this attention
they should be told to go in their closets where they will be left alone but seeing as they come out with their agenda then I will fight them to the hilt
The Republican Party has ALWAYS been a socially conservative party, though was not intended to be, and is not a “religious” party per say. Unfortunately the Republican Party drifted towards the squishy center from the 30s - 60s and ran a bunch of Dem-lite candidates. Goldwater deserves credit for moving them back to the right in 1964. Unfortunately, Goldwater himself moved left in the 80s and 90s and embraced legal abortion and special rights for gays (the Goldwater of the early 60s certainly would not have argued that abortion on demand and homo marriage was a constitutionally enshrined “right”). I think his liberal younger wife and his gay grandson affected his views in the end. Sad really.
The homosexual agenda changed him. Once you hook up with that agenda, you lose all your freedom-oriented principles. You must, because there is no greater internal assault on our nation's freedoms than the homosexual “rights” movement.
Liberals are bigots, and are masters of the art of stereotyping. The first mistake we can make is to deal with them on that level. RINO types are so scared of being labeled they run like wusses.
That is where the “compassionate conservatism” crap comes from.
LLS
Same-sex “marriage” is an attack on limited government and personal rights, not a defense thereof.
It is primarily intended to restrict religious freedom.
Big ceegar!!! for Nick right there.
same here, they not understand that many of us are not religious but are totally against queers
they are like liberals and homos as soon as you stand against them and tell them to their face you will not be accepted nor will your agenda they then think right away I am religious
He first handed out campaign materials for Democrat Bill Bradley's 1978 Senate campaign.
He left three credits short of graduating (college) because he couldn't pass a math course; Schmidt has said that he has been diagnosed with a learning disability that makes higher math difficult for him.
In 2006, Schmidt left the White House to become the campaign manager in the re-election campaign for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Schmidt voiced his support for gay rights at meeting of the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay Republican group. Schmidt, when referring to the group, said "I just wanted to take a second to come by and pay my respect and the campaign's respect to your organization and to your group. Your organization is an important one in the fabric of our party."
Schmidt referred in positive terms to his lesbian sister and her life partner: "On a personal level, my sister and her partner are an important part of my life and our children's life. I admire your group and your organization and I encourage you to keep fighting for what you believe in because the day is going to come," said Schmidt.
“Like it or not, it’s sage advice.”
Seconds?
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.