Better watch out Utah. The question is why do some Republicans pussyfoot around this issue. It isn't as if Utah is a place where you have to worry about being too conservative.
Posted on 04/29/2010 11:01:40 AM PDT by Maelstorm
It's doesn't fit the narrative coming from FoxNews where Tea Party rallies are the top story in politics this year, but Log Cabin Republicans have shown new influence in Utah politics in ways never seen before. At a recent debate, the organization hosted six of eight Republican senate candidates--or their representatives--including incumbent Bob Bennett, an impressive feat for a Utah organization that focuses on queer issues. To avoid overestimating their impact, however, note that the organization will not issue a formal endorsement of any candidate for fear that it would hurt rather than help the endorsed candidate.
Nevertheless, 2010 may go down as the year that the Log Cabin Republicans Utah achieved measurable influence in Utah politics--and that could change everything for queer Utahns, says the organization's vice president James Humphreys.
If you're not already familiar with the dynamics of the race, check out Republicans Against Bob Bennett, our Dec. 16 cover story by Katharine Biele. There's now a lot of focus on this race nationally because Bennett might actually lose, which rarely happens to incumbents.Since Biele's article was published, the Republican field has jumped to eight candidates.
"We think in an eight-way Senate race at the state convention that our votes will make a difference," Humphreys says.
Two Democrats also seek the Senate seat, but Humphreys assumes, as many do, that they have very little chance and the real competition in this race is only among conservatives.
Those Log Cabin votes, Humphreys says, include over 200 Republican delegates who have signed on to support Log Cabin Republicans Utah. He says he has a list, but wouldn't release it. There are about 2,500 delegates who will vote at the convention. The organization is aiming to increase their delegate count before the state party convention May 8 and have roughly 10 percent of delegates wearing Log Cabin paraphernalia at the convention. Humphreys admits his delegates may not vote as a rigid block, but undeniable visibility--if the group is as successful as they hope to be--may be impossible for candidates and party officials to ignore.
"We think we'll have 10 percent of the delegate vote," Humphreys said. "These are people who trust our judgment because we share a similar background."
In many cases that's a background in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, says Humphreys, a returned missionary whose husband is also a returned missionary. Many of the Log Cabin-supporting delegates, he says, identify as heterosexual and are loyal Mormons, but have loved ones who identify as gay, lesbian or trangender.
Humphreys says Log Cabin was invigorated in Utah after the failure of several bill sponsored by Equality Utah, called the Common Ground Initiative. Equality Utah is a non-partisan organization, where as Log Cabin, Humphreys says, "is not a GLBT organization. We're a Republican organization that supports GLBT equality." The Common Ground initiative, he says, was good for publicity and seized on just the right issues--hospital visitation for same-sex couples, non-discrimination in housing and employment, etc.--but the effort "slapped" Legislative Republicans in the face, he says, and "it probably hurt us."
He argues that Republicans are vital to LGBT activists in Utah who want change on the state level and says the organization provides a conservative alternative to most LGBT organizations, most of which lean left politically.
The Tea Party brand, Humphreys says, has been co-opted by far-right religious organizations lead by people who "love their religion but they don't love their fellow man," which is to say they're religious and homophobic. He said the anti-gay rhetoric from the Tea Party movement has been relatively quiet and in the background, but over the last year has been creeping up and threatens to take economics off of the movements focus in favor of social issues like gay marriage. He points to the New York district 23 special election and recent developments in the Florida Senate race as evidence that the Tea Party is dividing the Republican Party to negative effect.
Humphreys says his organization in 2010 is focussed on fiscal responsibility. They support repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and the Defense of Marriage Act, but the real priorities for Log Cabin Republicans Utah is to fix the country's finances.
While not a formal endorsement of any of the Senate candidates, Humphreys was willing to share his views and preferences in the race.
* Tim Bridgewater and Bob Bennett top Humphrey's list, not entirely because of their position on LGBT issues. They also have the right priorities, Humphreys says, and focus more on fiscal not social issues in their talks and literature * Bennett opposes a Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, Bridgewater has been quiet on the issue, while others in the race support it. * Mike Lee is too unpredictable and inconsistent. Humphreys accuses Lee of wanting it both ways with states rights and the Constitution: Lee wants gun manufacturers and buyers to be exempted from federal gun regulations so long as the gun was made, bought and sold in one state; but is opposed to giving states the right to regulate gay marriage * Cherilyn Eagar, Humpreys complains, inappropriately focuses on social issues more than any other major candidate, but he applauds her for being the most forthcoming among the candidates regarding her positions on a wide variety of issues.
The only question remaining is whether the Log Cabiners will make their presence known--will the buttons be ubiquitous or rare on the convention floor?--and whether their visibility will have any impact anyway. Will 2010 be their year? In some ways, it already has been.
Better watch out Utah. The question is why do some Republicans pussyfoot around this issue. It isn't as if Utah is a place where you have to worry about being too conservative.
Placemark
I thought that the “Log Cabin Republicans” had been exposed in 2008 as Democrats endorsing Barack Obama.
There is a new gay Republican group but LCR doesn’t fit the bill.
Here is Mitt Romney’s letter to the Log Cabin Republicans.
To the Members of the Log Cabin Club of Massachusetts:
I am writing to thank the Log Cabin Club of Massachusetts for the advice and support you have given to me during my campaign for the U.S. Senate and to seek the Club’s formal endorsement of my election. The Log Cabin Club has played a vital role in reinvigorating the Republican Party in Massachusetts and your endorsement is important to me because it will provide further confirmation that my campaign and approach to government is consistent with the values and vision of government we share.
I am pleased to have had an opportunity to talk with you and to meet many of you personally during your September meeting. I learned a great deal from those discussions and the many thoughtful questions you posed. As a result of our discussions and other interactions with gay and lesbian voters across the state, I am more convinced than ever before that as we seek to establish full equality for Americas gay and lesbian citizens, I will provide more effective leadership than my opponent.
I am not unaware of my opponent’s considerable record in the area of civil rights, or the commitment of Massachusetts voters to the principle of equality for all Americans. For some voters it might be enough for me to simply match my opponent’s record in this area. But I believe we can and must do better. If we are to achieve the goals we share, we must make equality for gays and lesbians a mainstream concern. My opponent cannot do this. I can and will.
We have discussed a number of important issues such as the Federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which I have agreed to co-sponsor, and if possible broaden to include housing and credit, and the bill to create a federal panel to find ways to reduce gay and lesbian youth suicide, which I also support. One issue I want to clarify concerns President Clinton’s “don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t pursue” military policy. I believe that the Clinton compromise was a step in the right direction. I am also convinced that it is the first of a number of steps that will ultimately lead to gays and lesbians being able to serve openly and honestly in our nation’s military. That goal will only be reached when preventing discrimination against gays and lesbians is a mainstream concern, which is a goal we share.
As we begin the final phase of this campaign, I need your support more than ever. By working together, we will achieve the goals we share for Massachusetts and our Nation.
Sincerely,
W. Mitt Romney
Allow me to pat my own back: I predicted that the TEA party will be changed and altered into something ugly. It will be the first to be pushed under the bus when RINOs come marching in.
I also stated that the TEA Party is a movement that is meant to die. And it will die, so that a more powerful phoenix will rise from it’s ashes.
Support the TEA movement, but don’t bank on it being around for much longer.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2229749/posts
Log Cabin splinters as gay conservatives exit
The Washington Times ^ | April 15, 2009 | S. A. Miller
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2226438/posts
Gay Republicans split (insert own jokes)
Politico ^ | 04/10/09 | Ben Smith
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2197695/posts
Log Cabin under Democratic control? - Rich Democrat, Tim Gill, is dictating GOP group’s direction
Alliance Defense Fund ^ | February 27, 2009 | Chris Johnson
The amount of money that the Gill Action Fund has contributed to the Log Cabin Republicans — about one-third of its total budget in some years — is raising questions about Democratic influence over the GOP organization and its search for a new president.
Tim Gill, founder and chair of Gill Action, is widely known for funding the campaigns of pro-gay politicians, many of them Democrats. He’s a wealthy entrepreneur and founder of Quark who has donated tens of thousands of dollars to various Democratic causes and candidates, including to the campaigns of Sens. John Kerry, John Edwards and Chris Dodd, as well as New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. Gill is viewed as publicity shy, but made a rare public appearance at last year’s Democratic National Convention in Denver where he lives.
Sources familiar with Log Cabin, who spoke to the Blade on the condition of anonymity, said Gill Action’s contributions last year comprised $250,000 of Log Cabin’s $750,000 budget. The sources said in 2007, Gill Action’s donations constituted a similar percentage of Log Cabin’s budget.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2190661/posts
‘Gays’ put ‘terrorist’ label on Christians
WorldNetDaily.com ^ | February 20, 2009 | Bob Unruh
A leader of a homosexual faction of Republicans is lobbying the new party chairman, Michael Steele, to ignore the suggestions of a pro-family Christian group to support traditional marriage, because the Christians are “terrorists.” The attack comes from Jamie Ensley, president of the Georgia “Log CabinRepublicans,” who also compared the Illinois-based Americans for Truth to Germany’s Nazi party.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2188048/posts
McCain Daughter to Address ‘Log Cabin’ Group
ABC News, The Note ^ | 02/17/09 | Teddy Davis
Equality Utah is a non-partisan organization, where as Log Cabin, Humphreys says, "is not a GLBT organization. We're a Republican organization that supports GLBT equality."
Log cabin republicans IS a "gay" group. Their defining characteristic is their chosen sexual behavior. If they were not a "gay" group they'd have no reason to exist.
The Common Ground initiative, he says, was good for publicity and seized on just the right issues--hospital visitation for same-sex couples,
This can be done through contractual law already.
non-discrimination in housing and employment, etc.
This is discrimination against the property owner and the employer
He argues that Republicans are vital to LGBT activists in Utah who want change on the state level and says the organization provides a conservative alternative to most LGBT organizations, most of which lean left politically.
LCR is a leftist organization. It agitates for sexual perversion which is a leftist staple
The Tea Party brand, Humphreys says, has been co-opted by far-right religious organizations lead by people who "love their religion but they don't love their fellow man," which is to say they're religious and homophobic.
Is it more loving to enable, even encourage, someone to stay in their sin , live in the chains of perverse sexuality and go to hell or to make it easier for them to abandon their sin and have a chance at a normal life and heaven? Seems to me it's far more loving to see people set free from their perversion.
All of the LCR statements line up perfectly with the second law of homosexuality:
To the mentally healthy (heterosexual), sex is something you do.
To the mentally diseased ('homosexual'), sex is everything you are.
Wow, and they are endorsed by Romney and Bennett. What is this world coming to?
None of that PC crap here
Ok ok ok ok .. Hang on ...
I’m not a troll. Perhaps I didn’t express myself correctly.
The TEA party IS gaining momentum. It has fought off attacks, trickery and flat-out assaults.
To get rid of the TEA party, it’s enemies (The Marxists) will need to demonize it, and try to get it to disband. They won’t stop until this happens.
After much thought, the response in my heart is : Let them kill it.
It will be replaced with another group - one who not believes in fair taxation with representation, but who also now recognises that the Marxists and Communists should also be a target.
I say “Don’t hold to tightly to the TEA party” because it will be vilified and demonized, and ultimately rendered inconsequential. I say, Let this new form of peaceful protest, a new form of resistance grow and take it’s place. One that is tempered against it’s enemies.
Lets face it, Most Tea partiers ARE angry that our own president won’t produce a birth certificate. They are angry about a lot of things that are being illegally performed in the white house. But the TEA party is not about Birthers or conspiracies, or is it about the stop of Communism. It is about un-constitutional behavior and that alone.
It will be brought down. But I’m not afraid, because the NEXT “tea party” movement will be about all these and MORE. It’s how something is tempered.
I'll just bet!
Groans!
Thanks for expounding, I now agree with you somewhat.
They... they loved ‘im up and turned him into - into a HORNY toad!
Splitting threads works sometimes. LOL
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