Romney pledges to 'defend marriage, not try to redefine it' at Values Voter summit

The Hill ^ | Sep 14 2012 | Justin Sink

[scottjewell]

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney emphasized his anti-abortion rights and anti-gay marriage positions in a videotaped message to the Values Voter summit Friday in Washington.

"We need a president who shares our commitment to conservative principles and our respect for traditional values," Romney said. "We will uphold the sanctity of life, not abandoned or ignore it and we will defend marriage, not try to redefine it."

Romney went on to argue that "culture matters," pointing to a Brookings Institution survey often cited by former rival Rick Santorum on the campaign trail that found families who waited to have children after they got married were less likely to be poor.

"In short, culture matters and this president will protect her culture and preserve the values of hard work, personal responsibility, family and faith," Romney said. Above all, we must preserve the American spirit of one nation, under god, as president, all support the expression of religious faith in the public square."

Taking a swipe at a comment made by President Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign, Romney also spoke of meeting voters who "are proud to cling to their religion and to the constitution , the american dream and the principles our nation was founded on."

Earlier in the day Romney's running mate, Paul Ryan, addressed the convention in person. Romney was campaigning Friday in Ohio.

While the event was billed as a celebration of conservative social values, Romney tied social issues to the economic messaging that has dominated his campaign.

"We need a president who understands we will not have a stronger economy unless we have strong communities and strong families," Romney said.

The GOP hopeful said that while the economy might be "the best the Obama Administration can do," it was not "the best America can do."

[scottjewell]

I understand and it’s true in theory. In practice, Gov’t has an interest in marriage because it has an interest in the changing generations, and in the social order. Hence, why the gays want in on both the gov’t and religious aspects - they know marriage is a fusion of both.

[fatnotlazy]

I gather you haven’t looked at Romney’s record.

Well, go ahead and trade one socialist for another. I bet you of the Anyone But Obama crowd will be crowing five minutes after Romney’s inauguration.

[Persevero]

“Marriage is a sacrament of Faith. Granting this kind of authority to the state is sacrilegious.”

No, it is a civil as well as a religious institution. With many legal ramifications relating to criminal law, legal obligations for dependents, and inheritance.

[OrangeHoof]

It’s a twin-edged sword. Healthy social values lead to a strong economy but if the economy collapses, so will social values.

We’re looking at economic collapse very soon and I guarantee you that if that happens there will be more abortions, more apostasy, more infidelity, more murders, more robberies, more rapes and more of every type of sin under the sun because when the economy becomes “every man for himself”, man will become more craven and more desperate.

That’s why I’m voting for Romney. Whatever else his flaws, he’s our only hope of rescuing the economy that Obama will surely bring to collapse. I don’t like it. I wish the GOP had made a better choice but he’s the only hope we have left and we had all better be praying to Almighty God that He rescues us from this collapse because, under Obama, it will surely come and nobody will be spared.

[Christie at the beach]

Man, you have an odd problem and personality.

Get over yourself; eekk..

[MNJohnnie]

Romney or Obama will be the next President. Spending all your time screaming in hysteria about Romney does one thing, help reelect Obama

That might not be the intent of the ABR posters, it is the outcome.

[Viennacon]

I can’t believe we still have stuff like this being posted. Are you not watching the news? Look at what Obama is doing to the world!

[fatnotlazy]

Yes, I pay attention to what goes on. I know that Obama is evil. I know GE is hell bent on destroying America. And thanks to his cozying up with our enemies, a number of Americans are dead.

But Romney is not an improvement. Heaven help you if you think he is.

[Viennacon]

So, you think Romney will ally the Muslim Brotherhood like Obama.

[fatnotlazy]

I really don’t know.

[Gene Eric]

You’re incorrect in dismissing my assertion which is factually and historically correct.

I have no problem with civil contracts as long as those contracts do not oblige third parties into the service of those engaged in the contract. Think about the Christian photographer that is persecuted by the state for refusing to record a homosexual event that, allegedly in the opinion of the photographer, masquerades as the sacrament of marriage.

Let’s say a homosexual couple decides to purchase a home and throw a party about their joint obligation — should they have the right to sue a photographer that refuses to videotape their party?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks scottjewell.

[Unam Sanctam]

And so you reject voting for someone who at least says the right thing and is moving in the right direction against someone who is and whose party is completely in the tank for the redefinition of marriage? It is just blind foolishness to say that Romney and Obama are exactly alike. That is just objectively not true. And people like you sitting on your hands will help Obama be reelected and will hasten and solidify not on the universal redefinition of marriage, but the criminalization of beliefs and statements in favor of traditional marriage. Romney is not the one saying that businesses should get permits based on whether they toe the liberal line on “marriage”. Yes, Romney was not a profile in courage on this issue in Massachusetts, but he was not the instigator, he simply followed the court. Yes, he should have fought against it, but he was not a gay activists as some make out.

[OneWingedShark]

If so, then a certain socialist will win. psst... it’s the one who just got four people killed.

That's not my problem - I can't change that, because a vote for anyone besides the democrat or republican doesn't count. (Or so we would be led to believe.)

What I can do is vote in a way that will not cause my conscience to eat at me. Voting for a socialist would undermine that goal, so I will not be voting for either of them. If the GOP wanted my vote they wouldn't have anointed Romney (and let's be serious, he was anointed far before the primaries).

[OneWingedShark]

There are no safe margins for the pacifists especially the outspoken.

I'm not falling for the "but X is worse!" this time around; the GOP did that with 2008 and are doing it now: why should I allow them to push "slightly less worse" on me and tell me it's "good"?

Further, the office of President is extraordinarily limited in power... if Congress would do their job. I'm not saying President doesn't matter, but that Congress's dereliction of duties [and accountability] is orders of magnitude greater a problem.

[OneWingedShark]

>I'm not voting for either of the socialists.
>
There is only one but I know you "Conservatives for the Reelection of President Obama" (CREEPO) posters don't like having that inconvenient fact pointed out to you.

Look, I'm done with "hold your nose and vote for X" candidates; McCain was the last time that I'll do that. As much as I dislike Obama, I believe that electing Romney would be a far greater danger. Why? Because Obama now has polarized a large number of people against him, and has woken some up to the abuses of government. the change of 'D' to 'R' next to the President will encourage many of the population to "go back to sleep", believing that they did something. (i.e. it will allow a lot of things to be passed that otherwise wouldn't be, because "our guy's in.")

[Persevero]

“Let’s say a homosexual couple decides to purchase a home and throw a party about their joint obligation — should they have the right to sue a photographer that refuses to videotape their party?”

No.

I think marriage is a legitimate institution which has both civil and religious repercussions. Like having children. There are religious and civil components to that. Marrying, conceiving, rearing, providing and protecting them has a religious implication, but also a civil one.

So I think the state should recognize that marriage is between one man and one woman, and that no one should be sued for refusing business.

[brightright]

Romney will ally anything that will help get him elected just as he did with the gays

[brightright]

This election we are voting for Hope and Change. Voting for Romney and Hope he Changes. What were the names we called the Hope and Change crowd? God Bless America,we need it.

[OneWingedShark]

And so you reject voting for someone who at least says the right thing and is moving in the right direction against someone who is and whose party is completely in the tank for the redefinition of marriage?

From wikipedia:

When he ran for governor in 2002, Romney declared his opposition to same-sex marriage. "Call me old fashioned, but I don't support gay marriage nor do I support civil union," said Romney in an October 2002 gubernatorial debate. He also voiced support for basic domestic partnership benefits for gay couples. Romney won the endorsement of the Log Cabin Club of Massachusetts, a Republican gay-rights group, who in 2005 accused him of reneging on his 2002 campaign commitment to support some benefits for gay couples. He also opposed an amendment, then before the General Court, that would have banned same-sex marriage and outlawed all domestic partnership benefits for gay couples. When campaigning in 2002, Romney's stated position was that "All citizens deserve equal rights, regardless of their sexual orientation. While he does not support gay marriage, Mitt Romney believes domestic partnership status should be recognized in a way that includes the potential for health benefits and rights of survivorship."

IOW: I'm against marriage, but we'll offer something that's exactly legally equivalent... don't be surprised if, for convenience's sake, we call this new thing 'marriage.'

Simply put, I do not trust the man. At all.
I can respect one thing about Obama: he's made it clear where he stands.

It is just blind foolishness to say that Romney and Obama are exactly alike.

I didn't say they were exactly alike... but I don't believe there's any significant difference in the two, politically speaking.
"Lokai is white on the right side. All of his people are white on the right side."

And people like you sitting on your hands will help Obama be reelected and will hasten and solidify not on the universal redefinition of marriage, but the criminalization of beliefs and statements in favor of traditional marriage.

Who said anything about sitting on hands? I usually sit on my butt. (And the problem is more pervasive than President; for example that NM photographer who was taken to court and reamed because she refused to participate in a homosexual wedding... all despite the State's Constitution [Art II].)

Romney is not the one saying that businesses should get permits based on whether they toe the liberal line on “marriage”.

Romney's also not one saying that hell limit the size and scope of government. There has never, in my political lifetime, been a republican push fo smaller, more limited government. (More limited government solves this problem, as well as many economic problems).

Yes, Romney was not a profile in courage on this issue in Massachusetts, but he was not the instigator, he simply followed the court. Yes, he should have fought against it, but he was not a gay activists as some make out.

And, looking at WaffleMaster Romney, I have to say that he'll do little to no good for advancing any of the stated Republican-party planks.

Then again, the Republican party has no intention of pursuing its stated party-planks any more than absolutely minimally necessary.
How many republicans, in office, are making a push to eliminate abortion?
How many are working to repeal the NFA and/or GCA?
How many are seeking to limit the abuses of the commerce clause?

I'm tired of always hearing excuses for them not pursuing the party-planks.