Posted on 02/19/2014 8:42:04 AM PST by kristinn
Meet the kinder, gentler Conservative Political Action Conference.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, snubbed last year after palling around with President Obama, is coming. So is GOProud, the gay rights group that was banned for the past few years amid noisy boycotts from critics and supporters. There's even a panel debating the merits of medical marijuana.
"CPAC is about finding conservative solutions to every challenge in America and not just saying 'no'," said Al Cardenas, chairman of the American Conservative Union, which runs the conference in Washington, D.C. "We're determined to win the majority of American support."
The annual debate over CPAC's participants and focus reflects the broader, ongoing dialogue over growing the conservative movement and the Republican Party without compromising core principles. Gay rights are a major part of that debate, as conservative groups remain firmly opposed to gay marriage despite polls showing increasing and majority support.
The dispute with GOProud dates back to 2011, when a number of socially conservative groups, including the Heritage Foundation and the Family Research Council, objected to the group's involvement and declined to participate. Insults were traded between GOProud leaders and ACU board members, culminating in the group's exclusion.
Two former GOProud summer interns, Ross Hemminger and Matt Bechstein, took over last summer and sought to repair the bitterly frayed relationship. Under a compromise reached last week, they will attend the March 6-8 gathering as guests, without sponsorship or a booth. GOProud sees the lower-profile role as an important first step.
"We really just want to be part of the conservative movement," said Hemminger, a veteran of the losing Senate campaigns by Scott Brown and Gabriel Gomez in Massachusetts. "We want to establish a fruitful and respectful relationship."
(Excerpt) Read more at nationaljournal.com ...
Sure, but when they come to us as a gay organization, then no. When they do that, they are looking to use their combined contributions to sway our agenda.
I could not agree more, Norm.
Well, here’s where I think you go wrong.
The demnic-rats are united.
The GOP needs some weeding.
It’s up to us, the voters, to send more Mike Lee’s and Ted Cruz’s to the US Senate to replace the likes of McCain, Cochran, and Miss Lindsey, to name a few.
So we are reaching out to gays to take care of An America in their custodies...
Once again, reaching out to parties instead of voters. Another plantation, Democrat, Islamic, communist, terrorist, what have you, owns us.
When in the name of equality they are going to say my sister can be my dad and the government anything it wants?
More like a plowing and salting of the earth.
I do not understand how you think that an enemy at your back is preferable to one in front of you. I have to assume it’s just a case of sentimental attachment to the party.
But that party just went illegal, gay and fully Lib Onyx. The literally 5 people worth a damn do not mean the other couple hundred are fixable.
Just like the ELCA becoming infected!
Onyx, I respect you. But if you think a refusal to repeat the same insanity is crying in a corner, you might need to adjust your priorities.
Only in Bizzaro World can continuing to empower our collective problem be called “Standing and fighting”. Unless you are talking about standing and fighting to maintain the status quo. Which I doubt you are.
So the reality on the ground of this particular battlefield is that you have all kidding aside, less than 10 people in the House/Senate that are Republicans in the Reagan sense. And you have several Hundred toy cannot trust any farther than you can throw.
Now if you intend to figuratively die on a hill that has long sense been overrun by liberalism, that’s your call. Personally I will predict that Cruz and the other good men will be shortly forced from the party of they do not leave by choice. And then what?
Well, those of us that see things clearly are working to give them a place to go. And we could use your help.
I've already stated my R/x: term limits.
Ye of little faith: 2014’s mid terms just might send TEA Party patriots to both the US Senate and more reinforcements to the House.
If a conservative is gay, or otherwise non-heterosexual, they must accept that nearly all issues pertaining to gay rights are reserved for states, and in some cases localities, to address. A Federalist approach requires a rather difficult to imagine discomfort and objection (by gay conservatives) with federal courts throwing out “Defense of Marriage” laws duly passed by the legislative process of a state(s). Could a gay conservative imagine themselves fighting to overturn a federal court's decision to impose gay marriage upon a state by throwing out state laws or amendments which recognize marriage only as a one man and one woman union? It is difficult for me to imagine, I suppose.
Furthermore, the fact that the single identifying mark of this group is their gay sexuality leads me to believe that it is more likely the intent of GOProud to convert the party on issue pertaining to homosexual rights than to advance classical Federalism.
They really need to change their name
The rainbow flag is NOT an American flag!
Right, Kozy??
Well, that isn't conservatism
exactly
They can vote how they like, we do not have to change anything.
exactly right, there is nothing normal about that kind of stuff
Oh I’ll do my part to elect Conservatives whether or not they come with an R attached. Don’t misunderstand. But I’ll never again help elect someone outside the 80% rule.
...and if that person loses, well, I guess more people should have joined me and helped elect him/her.
It is way past time to drop the initial ‘C’ from the organization’s designation. LRPAC for Left Republican PAC.
How about any conservative homos who want to attend CPAC do so as conservatives, not homos?
Why does CPAC, or any Pubbie group, have to kowtow to their (homos) sexual proclivities to get their votes?
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