The Republican Party & the Gay Community Make a Great Pair

You won't find an argument from me. I've said similar things for years. I firmly believe that BOTH parties have become WAY too beholden to the lunatics of the far opposite ends of the spectrum. MOST Republican/Conservatives don't want everyone to be pigeonholed into the "uber-Christian" point of view that considers gay marriage not only wrong but an absolute abomination that will end you up rotting in hell.

By the same token, MOST Liberals/Democrats don't want the country to turn into a Communist Dictatorship.

Unfortunately, the "leaders" of both parties are absolute sellout pantywaists and can't say no to the loud, screechy voices that scream at them and push them to the fringes. So here we are.

I heard an interview with someone today, and i wish to God I could remember who it was, because he said that we (as citizens) would be absolutely amazed at how many cuts could be made in spending - he was saying billions - without touching a single "popular" entitlement. Things like crack-monkey studies and other idiotic wastes of money. It made me sick to hear just how much could be cut, and then that nobody would actually cut anything for fear of being smeared by the other side.

Our whole government is pathetic.

DH works with two gay republicans and a gay, black libertarian, and this in an historically democratic stronghold. My BFF is a gay, conservative in the top of his field, and my SIL is a libertarian lesbian. Most people, Dems especially, would be surprised to learn just how many gay conservatives there are. It is less dangerous in some circles to come out as gay than to admit being a conservative. Outspoken SIL, for instance, was passed up for promotion twice because she refused to toe the "party" line. That's just how it is now.

As far as marriage goes, I think MARRIAGE is a spiritual covenant anyway, and is no concern of the government beyond protecting citizens from arranged marriages against their will, child brides, etc. My SIL married her longtime girlfriend a few months ago, and it was a religious ceremony. They've been living together as any married couples do for years. They pooled their resources, had medical power of attorney for each other, and owned property together well before they had a marriage. They were alrwsdy recognized as a couple for years and years before the marriage. They just decided eventually to have it recognized in their church.

*BFF is a gay, Christian conservative that should have said

Whoops, brain breakdown. That shouldn't be saying that young people don't care about those hot-button topics. As this election showed, they do. The large majority of them, however, don't appreciate Republicans trying to redefine rape. They don't appreciate having committees on birth control that only involve male religious leaders. They don't appreciate people blowing them off when they try to have a serious discussion about gay marriage or drug legalization. I do not agree with Obama's fiscal policies. However, I cannot bring myself to vote for a party that consistently marginalizes or degrades women, gays, atheists, Muslims, Latinos, African Americans, or anybody, for that matter. If Republicans want to give up the bible-thumping, "defending the constitution" bs, then let me be the first to say awesome. However, it's going to take a lot more than a last-ditch effort to save the party for me to accept the Republican politicians as anything other than a bunch of stubborn, intolerant bigots with superior ideas on fiscal policy.

"They’re called priorities, people. Let’s get them straight."

You mean "gayly forward."

Cass, perhaps you should get to know some REAL republicans and stop throwing around the stereotypes that the press so eagerly paints for the general public. Those "redefining rape" idiots? An absolute MINORITY in the party. But their words were inflammatory, especially when the gasoline of the press was added. Biden and others made equally ignorant and inflammatory remarks, but they were either wholly ignored, or the press nearly broke a leg tripping over themselves to defend/cover them up.

It's like i said in my first statement. Most of the country is moderate and level-headed, willing to give and take a little. It's the freak fringes that run the country, and it's ripping us apart. Unfortunately, the press is gleefully participating.

Ponychaser, again, I think I love you. Will you enter into a Republican-approved, gay civil marriage with me? ;-)

"A person can absolutely be personally against gay marriage for religious (or other) reasons, and still not want the state to regulate it"---absolutely. People can be, and often are, morally opposed to things and don't feel the need to legislate against them. For instance, I presume a large percentage of the US believes infidelity is wrong, however no one is fighting to make it a criminal offense.

I'm curious to see if the Republican party as a whole embraces this concept though...even though it makes perfect sense, it would probably really ruffle the feathers of their Christian Conservative base.

Those "freak fringes" are why Republicans are faring so badly among youth. Fact is, Romney said about 400 offensive things that made me (a former Romney supporter) facepalm and accept his loss months before election day. If the Republican party really wants to change, wonderful. However, that starts with ending the support of anti-gay, anti-woman, anti-minority "idiots". Todd Akin lost his support in a move that nearly brought tears to my eyes (Hallelujah, FINALLY). However, how come Boehner is allowed to form a committee composed of entirely white men without anybody in their party raising an eyebrow? Those men may have been the best for the job. However, the republican party does not have a fantastic history of treating women as equally capable. You're completely correct in saying that the majority of Republicans (including, some might say, myself) are mostly moderate and reasonable. However, until Republicans stop treating those loud-mouthed outliers as the equivalent of a crazy old uncle, people will continue to paint them as bigoted and racist. I'd say that argument is at least somewhat valid. To not oppose a cause is to support it, at least somewhat.