Same-Sex Marriage Update

[dreadgeek]

Originally Posted by iamkeri1

Toughy and dreadgeek,
I can not imagine a female, a poc or a queer folk of any kind BEING a republican. There are of course, at times, good republican candidates for office who deserve our votes. For me, I will "dance with the one what brung me." I have been a democrat since I was 8 years old. and I will remain one till death.

See, my problem with the Democratic party is that they KNOW we have no place to go so they never have to go on record or actually keep any campaign promises. It's not so much policy (although I have problems with both the far conservative and far liberal wings of the Democratic party) that I differ with. Rather, I want the Democratic party to have to work for my vote. Last night on The Last Word, O'Donnell asked Howard Dean a very penetrating question "to what degree do Democrats just *say* that they not in favor of marriage equality when they are actually only saying that for electability reasons". Dean was manifestly uncomfortable with that question because, I believe, it hits very close to where the Democratic party lives. I am willing to bet that most Democratic politicians, and EVERY one that isn't in the South, is in favor of marriage equality but will not say that for one reason: cowardice.

It's a very simple calculus for the Democratic politician: Yes, hemming and hawing will piss off the queer base of the party but where else are they going to go? The GOP? Not hardly. The Greens? Probably not. So at the end of the day, they'll still get our vote no matter how much they evade. I want that to pass. I want the Democratic party to have to worry that if sell us out time and time again, we'll take our votes elsewhere.

As far as being a Republican, if certain conditions were met I could see myself voting Republican. Those conditions would have to be met before that could happen. The GOP would have to decide that they want MY vote more than want the vote of some racist. They would have to decide that they want MY vote more than they want the vote of some homophobe. If that day ever comes, I might consider it.

I remember a very different GOP than the current party. Thirty or forty years ago, the GOP was not the haven of crazies and bigots it has become now.

It is said that elected Democrats hate their base and elected Republicans fear theirs. I would like to give the Democratic party a moment of pause.

However, it seems our president has preceeded you in joining the republican party.

Naw, he's just a typical Democrat (i.e. spineless).

My hope is that next year, with the Tea Party pulling the GOP to the extreme fiscal right and the religious right pulling it to the extreme social right, the coalition will tear itself apart in the aftermath of a humiliating loss.

Cheers
Aj