Posted on 05/12/2012 7:44:19 AM PDT by markomalley
A memo sent out by a Republican pollster has been making the rounds online for its conclusion that the party needs to embrace gay marriage as part of its platform because of recent trends showing increased support for this important social issue. Jan van Lohuizen, who worked as a pollster for George W. Bush in 2004, made the case that the GOP should be fighting for gay marriage as a conservative issue, by emphasizing that “freedom means freedom for everyone.”
The memo contains polling data showing that not only is support of gay marriage steadily increasing with the American people at large, but that a majority of Republicans now support “extending basic legal protections to gays and lesbians” like the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and hospital visitation rights for gay and lesbian partners. Van Lohuizen stresses that this position does not mean gays and lesbians would be given special treatment, but instead ensures they are given the same protections under the law as everyone else.
“People who believe in equality under the law as a fundamental principle, as I do, will agree that this principle extends to gay and lesbian couples; gay and lesbian couples should not face discrimination and their relationship should be protected under the law. People who disagree on the fundamental nature of marriage can agree, at the same time, that gays and lesbians should receive essential rights and protections such as hospital visitation, adoption rights, and health and death benefits.”
He also explains how the GOP can frame support of gay marriage as a conservative issue.
“As people who promote personal responsibility, family values, commitment and stability, and emphasize freedom and limited government we have to recognize that freedom means freedom for everyone. This includes the freedom to decide how you live and to enter into relationships of your choosing, the freedom to live without excessive interference of the regulatory force of government.”
Does anyone really believe Romney when he says that he's against gay marriage, given his previous history on gay agenda issues?
Elections are the ultimate polls. Gay marriage has lost every time it's put before the people, even in Blue states. The Left has not been very successful in their efforts to tie "gay marriage" with larger liberty issues.
Lev 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Jan van Lohuizen is politically unrealistic. The fact that somebody like this can take propaganda like that so close to the top levels of the party so fast suggests that getting rid of the 2006 crowd didn't eliminate the problem at all.
BTW, this is coming hot on the heels of the North Carolina vote IN FAVOR OF NO GAY MARRIAGE.
My thoughts exactly. Kinda like Jonathan Capehart of the WAPO embracing Gay Marriage. DUHHH!
“If you saw the neighbor boy trying to mate with a knothole in the fence, or his cat, you’d scream and demand that he get therapy. But if he tries to mate with the anal canal of another male, it’s OK. Trying to mate with another male’s anal canal is as insane as trying to mate with a knothole or cat. What kind of baby are they trying to produce.....a pencil?”
Frankly, arguments like these are not helping. First, they will point out that animal sex is different than human. Second, since you are too fixated on the anal part, which will be ridiculed. Third, you assume sex is about “producing” babies, which will get your labeled as a nut, fair or not.
I think the logical and valid argument against homosexual marriage is what Ron Paul proposes. Just get rid of the government involvement in marriage! When you hand the marriage power back to the churches/religious groups, they will define what it is. And homo groups’ definition of their own version of the marriage will be pointless.
jobs, taxes, jobs, spending, jobs, borrowing, jobs, regulation.
That is what the GOP should campaign on.
Contraception, gay marriage, global warming, war in the Sudan, polar bears and baby seals are distractions we should not get into either pro or con.
When will the pedophiles demand marriage to babies?
Then come marriage to animals.
There goes all morals and that’s the end, folks!
That or he's a scumbag rat masquerading as a "Republican pollster".
The particular GOP Jackass ought to be informed that engineered polls of a few thousand may indeed show that but the millions who have voted on this very subject in 32 states are 65-35 AGAINST it.
I agree that the GOP should not debate this issue. They should say, that there are very important public issues that need to be addressed (e.g. economy etc.) and that the private sexual lives of American citizens is not an issue for the government or politicians. They should then point out that the gay marriage issue appears to be an attempt of some to make a private issue into a political one, and to get government involved in peoples private lives.
Homosexuality is a lifestyle choice, and merits no special rights under the law.
Two days ago the Washington Post ran an article identifying virtually all of Romney’s big money guys as being supporters of gay marriage, et al. I referenced that article last evening ~ it’s at http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-treads-lightly-on-gay-marriage-issue/2012/05/10/gIQAk4LtGU_story.html
His claim is to doing work for Bush ~
It's a party devoid of principals and it's all about the party, not the nation, an idea, or some principals. The GOP will jump onto the big government bandwagon, sign up on gay rights, or support measures that go against the most basic Constitutional rights (Patriot Act) because at the end of the day it's simply about winning an election, not a principal.
The US GOP has devolved to a Euro style conservative party (Sort of like the German CDU). A big government party that simply embraces a few free market ideas, some minor social conservative ideas, and a more pro defense position.
I never heard of this idiot before...I doubt he is a top pollster...
I don’t think there’s much doubt that this guy is a closet gay activist.
According to an article at Daily Kos that I found in a Bing search, he “teamed up” with the Obama’s leading pollster and top campaign adviser to find these results. The rest of the media seem to have omitted that odd point, since this “news” obviously sounds better coming from a GOPer.
The Daily Kos article is at:
But I don’t recommend anyone giving them a hit unless you disbelieve me.
They keep harping on the dubious "fact" that support for queer marriage is at about 50% but in the 30 plus states where it's been voted on the numbers are more like 2 or 3 to 1 against it.
Figures don't lie but liars do figure.
One of those is Bisexuals.
Giving any of the sick bastards the right of marriage leads directly to plural marriage. How could it not, you can't in their eyes discriminate against Bisexuals by not offering them the variety of sex partners?
Never heard of the guy. Why am I supposed to fawn over the pronouncements of a spineless nobody.
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