WASHINGTON — Is the GOP leadership weighing a retreat from its defense of traditional marriage?
With the U.S. Supreme Court preparing to hear oral arguments this month for two high-profile marriage cases, more than 80 Republicans have signed a legal brief supporting the repeal of Proposition 8, the ballot referendum passed by California’s voters to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
Jon Huntsman, a former Utah governor and GOP presidential candidate, along with fellow former Govs. William Weld (Massachusetts) and Christie Todd Whitman (New Jersey), and one-time National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman were among the signatories of the brief.
Then Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, reversed his stance on same-sex “marriage.” Portman said his college-age son, a junior at Yale University, who told his parents he was homosexual two years ago, inspired him to reassess his position on the issue.
“It allowed me to think of this issue from a new perspective, and that’s of a dad who loves his son a lot and wants him to have the same opportunities that his brother and sister would have — to have a relationship like Jane and I have had for over 26 years,” Portman said in a March 14 interview with Ohio reporters in his office.
Portman, a Methodist, said he had consulted with clergy members before reversing his position on same-sex “marriage.” In 1996, then a member of the House of Representatives, Portman backed the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as the union of man and one woman under federal law.
Yet the senator’s announcement did not cause much consternation among top-level Republicans, who continue to assess and debate the reasons for their failure to gain the White House and the Senate during the 2013 election.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, who just introduced an assessment of the party’s campaign performance, entitled “The Growth and Opportunity Project,” said Portman had “made some pretty big inroads” into broadening the GOP’s appeal.
The report introduced by Priebus is also stirring fears among supporters of traditional marriage that the GOP may backtrack on its stance, which led the GOP-controlled House to take up the defense of the Defense of Marriage Act in the courts after the Obama administration refused to do so. The report found “a generational difference within the conservative movement about issues involving the treatment and rights of gays — and for many younger voters, these issues are a gateway into whether the party is a place they want to be.”
The report added: “If our party is not welcoming and inclusive, young people and increasingly other voters will continue to tune us out.”
Public Opinion Shift
Some Republicans and political scientists view the GOP’s failure to win the White House and the Senate as the result of a “demographic and public-opinion tsunami on several fronts,” with the issue of same-sex “marriage” as one of those issues, said Stephen Schneck, director of the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies at The Catholic University of America.
“Nationwide, support for gay marriage has strong majority support from voters. Regionally, in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the West Coast, and even in the Mountain West, support is soaring. Demographically, the future electorate that is today’s young people is astonishingly high in its support for gay marriage,” Schneck told the Register, adding that he expects to see more Republicans follow Portman’s decision.
“I don’t think we’ll see the party platform change on this, because the GOP base is strongly opposed,” said Schneck, who is a politically active Democrat. “But, the party wants to win national elections and stay competitive in places outside the South. It probably can’t risk alienating the rising majorities of regular voters who are okay with same-sex unions.”
A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll reported that 58% of respondents supported same-sex “marriage,” an all-time high.
“So, looking at the numbers, I suspect we’ll see lots of GOP candidates either supporting or finding other ways to accommodate gay marriage,” Schneck said.
Overstatement?
Thomas Peters, a spokesman for the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the largest U.S. advocacy group defending traditional marriage, suggested that media reports have overstated the Republican Party’s fracturing on marriage.
Peters, who is Catholic, noted that five of the six Republican presidential candidates in 2012 signed NOM’s pro-marriage pledge, and the one who did not — Huntsman — ended his run early, after finishing third in the New Hampshire Primary.
“It’s about how many people buy into the media narrative that they’re trying to create,” said Peters, who attended last week’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington.
Some high-profile speakers at CPAC defended the traditional definition of marriage, including U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is touted as a possible presidential candidate in 2016, and former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, who is now the president of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.
“Just because I believe that states should have the right to define marriage in the traditional way does not make me a bigot,” Rubio told the CPAC crowd last Thursday.
However, pro-same-sex “marriage” sentiments were also heard during CPAC’s events and panel discussions. In one panel, Jennifer Rubin, a conservative Washington Post blogger, opined that the Republican Party needed to change its position because “the debate has already taken place in America,” adding, “We cannot be at war with America on issues of fairness, on issues of equality.”
Boehner Holds Firm
Despite these apparent fissures, many leading Republicans still defend the traditional definition of marriage. On March 17, speaking on This Week on ABC, Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, said: “Listen, I believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. It’s what I grew up with. It’s what I believe."
Boehner, who is Catholic, added, “It’s what my Church teaches me. And — I can’t imagine that position would ever change.”
Talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, who still carries great influence among political conservatives, warned that the Republican Party, by changing course on marriage, would not pull “homosexual activist voters” away from the Democratic Party, but would rather anger the party’s base and cause them to stay home on Election Day.
The Family Research Council's president, Tony Perkins, writing in his daily newsletter, said the RNC “autopsy report” called for throwing the party’s social conservatives overboard and had concluded that the only way for the GOP to win elections is to “parrot the left’s policies.”
“It looks like Democrats won’t need to spend a lot of money building a case against the GOP — because the Republican Party is doing it for them!” Perkins wrote.
Indeed, recent polling shows that rank-and-file Republican voters are still more likely to believe in traditional marriage than party leaders and operatives who move in elite circles. The ABC-Washington Post poll found that only 34% of Republicans support same-sex “marriage,” with only 24% support from those who described themselves as “conservative Republicans.”
“When a Republican decides to come out in favor of gay marriage, when they are staring at the lights of the media cameras, their grassroots supporters are quietly going out the back door,” said Peters, who argued that it remains difficult for Republicans who endorse same-sex “marriage” to keep their seats.
Peters added that Portman could lose his seat and that his reversal on same-sex “marriage” had weakened any presidential aspirations he may have had.
Asked Peters, “If the media is so interested in Republicans who disagree with their party’s platform on marriage, then why don’t they tell the stories of conservative Democrats who disagree with their party’s platform on marriage and abortion?”
Register correspondent Brian Fraga writes from Fall River, Massachusetts.
Edward Mulholland: By Any Other Name? The Manipulative Metaphysics of Redefinition
Patrick Lee: The Right to Redefine Marriage?
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It just reinforces what folks have been saying about the GOP for some time which is that they’ll hold conservative positions publically, but privately they could care less.Or even worse, they may hold traditional views personally, but will sell out in a heartbeat for votes.
I don’t believe that’s true for all GOP politicians,many are sincere, but news like this helps the cynics viewpoint gain credence.
Upholding traditional social & moral values is the only reason I vote GOP.I’m really more of an independent & used to vote Democrat.If the GOP sells out, I’m gone.The whole GOP country club, anti-immigrant atmosphere doesn’t do much for me anyway.Unless the grassroots folks take a stand in the GOP, it’s future’s looking pretty dismal.
What the politicians need to do is recenter themselves on principles, and the foundational institutions of Western Civilization. Too many have no spine to stand on these principles, and knuckle under to the pandering to emotion and narcissism.
The real question is: Are Roman Catholics supporting Church teatching? Catholics keep voting for people like Obama and Reid and Pelosi! Abortion supporters as well as “same sex marriage” supporters. The Church in the form of its priests have to educate and speak up about these issues on Sundays instead of talking about football and the Grammys like my priest does.
The GOP is no longer Principled in matters of marality or economic or personal religious Freedom! They have become a Party with no consistent Message and will soon fall into the dustbin of history! It would have been better for them to have allowed a true Conservative to become the candidate in 2012 instead of the left leaning Romney they picked and crowned in 2008! I was disappointed then and now am sickened by their attitude towards Marriage, Morality, and Religious Liberty!
What a crazy world we are living in today! The nuclear family is being destroyed on every front by democrats (abortion =kill the babies, Welfare = children out of wedlock to get free money, homosexual marriage = marriage & sex aren’t about procreation but about whatever feels good which is destroying whats left of stable healthy families) and people are eating it up like candy coated arsenic. This country is doomed as is the rest of the world. Next stop legalizing pedophilia. GOD help us who abhor such things!
It’s not a political issue. So the rep party loses votes if their base is fundamentally moral. We need to change the morals in people minds. Aiming your soul going to heaven and pleasing God is much more important than pleasing voters on this earth!
PLEASE GOD ENLIGHTEN YOUR “SHEEP”!
I have never voted for a third party candidate, but I am ready to do so, and in fact, I will join a third party, if it is based on principal and not just on economic pragmatism and strict libertarianism. The Republican party has never really done much for social conservatives; there has been lip service, but not much action. Two notable, and noble, exceptions are the late, great Henry Hyde and the current stalwart, Chris Smith from New Jersey. I turned out to vote in 2012 because there was an important vote on marriage in my state, but next time, if there is a presidential candidate like Mitt Romney, I will stay home. It will be the first time I have done so since I became eligible to vote in 1972.
Eric is spot on. the issue is not politicians or parties but Catholics. If Catholics truly believed, supported the Church and voted, both parties would have a moral awakening. No one could win w/out us and our dominant majority. The problem is Catholics, the problem is within. No one else to blame.
Rush & Perkins are right. If GOP capitulates to liberalism, I’ll be staying home.
We as Catholics need to get all serious Christians involved in speaking out and educating the public on this. On issues of morality, it is often a loud minority to sway the majority, this does not have to happen.
We must remember that our Elders, the Hebrews used to practice plurel marraige [one man with more than one wife] until influence of the Early Church showed them how the Almightly wanted it, one man and one woman.
We do not want to make this a “Christian marriage” issue either as the gift of Holy Matrimony is a gift of the Lord and was given to all, not just Christians.
Pope Francis, according to the Wikipedia section under “same-sex marraige” is quoted as opposing same-sex marriage, and in 2011 referred to it as “the devil’s work”. I agree.
Fathers and Mothers of children with same-sex attraction, such as Rob Portman need to be commended for thier love for their chiodren but at the same time, be warned that they should be looking out for their children’s eternal happiness, not the false happiness offered by the world.
They also need to be educated that God is perfect, never makes mistakes and therefore does not change. The claim from being a Christian and supporting marriage as God intended to justifying so-called same-sex marriage as a"generational” thing is a heresy. Heresy has been around since the beginning, even St. Peter spoke of it in his letters as well as the othter Apostles.
Pray for parents and others deceived by this work of the devil. Speak up , in charity for Christ. If you are called “bigot” reply back, “No, I am a “Christian. My values are from Christ, wher do you get yours from?”
A lot of Catholic kids are coming out of the closet, and Catholic parents have to either accept and continue to love their LGBT children or lose them. Yes, the world is changing, and the Church will have to change with it.
When many Bishops do not do their jobs - of excommunication of obstinate and scandalous grave sinners (Canon 1399), whether intended or not - they give the impression that - those grave sins of: abortion, same-sex marriage, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell reasearch, and cloning are not really that important.
This example by lack of action by many Bishops and merely giving cheap lip service causes further scandal and the errosion of the Faith.
There are Catholic sinners in both the DEMOCRATIC (Party of Death), and the GOP.
Most will lose their way if the Bishops do not act.
As the good Nuns used to say - ‘actions speak louder than words’.
Thank you NCR. Again an issue that will not be covered with fairness in the majority media written about with clarity, insight wisdom. “The wisdom of the world is foolishness to God.”
I wonder if the Church like the senator is also losing its interest in promoting its doctrine on this subject. In my Church on Sunday there are football or local culture type jokes, but nothing said about this topic, life of the unborn and all of the major parts of our Faith that are under attack daily in society.
I read once our Church leaders said they recognize the church goers need more instruction on matters of faith. I have not noticed any difference in my church. Mention of heaven, hell, mortal sin, or purgatory is rarely made. Never do we have any comment on marriage, reproduction, premartital sex, contraception, cohabitation, divorce or abortion.I think it is time for our Church leaders to stop patting Catholic legislators on the back and teating them as buddies. Lets demand more action from them in attacking legislation unfavorable to the Church.I read someplace that we have 25% Catholic representation in both Federal Houses of Congress. It seems we have little actual effect where it counts.
Portman’s switch on the issue illustrates how it’s easy to have values until they’re challenged. Once it becomes an emotional issue, oftentimes the emotions win despite logic to the contrary.
The GOP’s problem with how to win elections is the same as the Church’s problem getting converts and active participation. You can’t make the Church more popular by watering down your beliefs. When you water down your beliefs, you only make the Church less relevant.
It’s nice to see that more and more Republicans are listening to their hearts and doing the right thing for marriage equality. We can all learn something from the younger generation, instead of following the prejudices we were taught against the gay community. Allowing people to love, commit to a partner and raise children should not be regulated by the government.
“What would Jesus do?” Most of you will not do what Jesus would do, you will not because you follow the law and by following the law you fail the faith. Jesus gave two commandments, he didn’t give a catechism weighing a ton, he didn’t give Canon Law. The thing is, you see much Bishop Sheen on EWTN, yet what he says about capitalism should have Catholics running the opposite direction from its support for the Republican Party.
In a way, the Republican Party plays the part of Judas. They quietly hand over Jesus in the hope for money and power. Also, to be in full communion with either political party is to be a serious cafeteria Catholic.
The only thing the politician cares about is keeping his job. This position will go by the wayside no differently than abortion has. It will get a lot of lip service during the primaries and elections cycles, but then COMPLETELY fall off the radar for any REAL legislation.
Time for a third party…...way past time.
“Boehner stands strong”...That’s a laugh!
The GOP party bosses are not principled at all. They cave in on abortion. They’ll cave in on this, too. It’s inevitable. Trust Jesus. It’s a waste of time to trust political parties. The GOPs USE pro-lifers and pro-family Christians in the same way that the Dems USE the unions and the Blacks. Those Republicans who refuse to cave on principle “for the good of the party” will be smeared. The party leadership is committed to winning, not to life, and they are foolish enough not to see how short-sighted that tactic is. They sure didn’t do much winning last time.
The Dems are the evil party—the party of Sodom and abortion. The GOP is the stupid party—tripping all over themselves to prove that: “Hey, WE can be fashionably evil, too, ya know!”
In their eagerness to scape-goat Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock for all of the Republican losses, the GOP “leader"ship looks like a bunch of back-stabbers and bumbling hypocrites, and we pro-lifers can’t see that; we’re like the enabling wife of the chronically unfaithful and abusive husband. She just refuses to recognize that he’s cheating. “But he TOLD me he loves me.” We’re desperate to believe the lies and take the abuse because it’s “better” than nothing. But they promised to help the babies “next time”. Next time never comes.
To anybody who was paying attention at the last election and STILL thinks we “need” the GOP leadership, I’d like to ask them: “How much do you miss the Whigs?”
“Boehner holds firm”...That’s a laugh!
The GOP party bosses are not principled at all. They cave in on abortion. They’ll cave in on this, too. It’s inevitable. Trust Jesus. It’s a waste of time to trust political parties. The GOPs USE pro-lifers and pro-family Christians in the same way that the Dems USE the unions and the Blacks. Those Republicans who refuse to cave on principle “for the good of the party” will be smeared. The party leadership is committed to winning, not to life, and they are foolish enough not to see how short-sighted that tactic is. They sure didn’t do much winning last time.
The Dems are the evil party—the party of Sodom and abortion. The GOP is the stupid party—tripping all over themselves to prove that: “Hey, WE can be fashionably evil too, ya know!”
In their eagerness to scape-goat Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock for all of the Republican losses, the GOP “leader"ship looks like a bunch of back-stabbers and bumbling hypocrites, and we pro-lifers can’t see that; we’re like the enabling wife of the chronically unfaithful and abusive husband. She just refuses to recognize that he’s cheating. “But he TOLD me he loves me.” We’re desperate to believe the lies and take the abuse because it’s “better” than nothing. But they promised to help the babies “next time”. Next time never comes.
To anyone who was paying attention at the last election and STILL thinks we “need” the GOP leadership, I’d like to ask them: “How much do you miss the Whigs?”
Posted by Kathleen on Thursday, Mar 21, 2013 10:47 AM (EDT)
Re: Repubs:,
Where you going to go Kathleen? To the Dems? they’re even worse, having nothing whatever on common w the old Dem party. Politics is a cesspool (w a few scattered good pts), always has been. You have to deal w reality, however disgustingly off putting that may be.
Amen to Eric and Lisa above especially. I am finding that priests are worried about paying bills and filling pews, God love them - who can blame them, except the true teachings of the Church on social issues as a result are getting watered down. Lay people need to seek out speakers aside from pastors to teach the flock. Find NFP-only MD’s and invite them to explain the scientific evils of contraception, one example. We have to be part of the solution instead of waiting for that magic homily to change everyone.
Andrew Eppink ,
Truthfully, I’d rather go back to voting Democrat but the party platform’s not one I can support in good conscience. It doesn’t look like the GOP may be either for very long, so-I don’t really know.
Practically speaking, it might be better to just get more involved politically & replace the GOP politicians who’ve caved in & have no backbone.Starting a new politcal party from scratch is impractical, I agree.
Posted by Buddy Sorrell on Thursday, Mar 21, 2013 1:09 PM (EDT):
A lot of Catholic kids are coming out of the closet, and Catholic parents have to either accept and continue to love their LGBT children or lose them. Yes, the world is changing, and the Church will have to change with it.”
***********************************************
buddy,
Do you think we’d stop loving our children if they had any kind of disorder including homosexuality? There’s a whole host of disorders kids can suffer from. Parents love their children no less but pray for them to be made well in God’s perfect time.
Jennifer it is better to have to close a parish due to TRUTH, rather than lose the Souls of the Priest and the Parishoneers.
All Priests should promote the reading of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” in entirety.
For more info on the CCC, on the net go to: “What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE”.
It seems several posters about this article are Democratic Party Operatives, and supporters of same-sex marriage. They use every opportunity to bash rather than try to improve.
The Church can not and will not change the TRUTH.
Too many of these so called politicians are really like reeds blowing in the wind. Whatever the country wants, they’ll change their mind and principles if they even had them in the first place. I feel that faithful Catholics and Christians are in the minority now. We will be persecuted just as Jesus said we would but by name calling if we don’t agree with same sex marriage, abortion, etc. But I don’t see what we as a body can do, when most Catholics either out of ignorance or pride keep voting for these people. I don’t see a viable 3rd party in the works either, only a libertarian one. Just maybe with our new Pope Francis, things will begin to change, but unless our bishops and priests unite and preach against these things like they should and maybe excommunicate some Catholic politicians, I only see the same or worse in the coming years. May God have mercy on us all.
It’s sad this politician does not realize his professed homosexual son will never have the kind of relationship that he has with his wife, or the relationship his other children have with their spouses. He is concerned about “happiness” for his son, not about happiness for whatever grandchildren he may have, resulting from the unnatural union of his son and another man.
Children deserve a mother and a father. Children ought not to be deprived of either one, by design. Children must come first, and not the ‘happiness’ of adults, particularly those in same sex unions.
We all need to grow up and recognize that. Priests need to preach and teach about this, from the altar on Sunday at Mass. Getting this wrong makes us like Sodom and Gomorrah, and we know what happened to them. God is watching.
Politicians have much in common with chameleons and straw bending with the wind. When it comes to abortion and homosexuality, in particular, the failure is one of understanding that God did not create nor write the U.S.Constitution and Bill of Rights. He wrote and gave to mankind the TEN COMMANDMENTS which take precedence for the governance of nations and individual behavior. Will Democrats and Republicans leave their respective parties and join Independents with compatible common political viewpoints to unite and create a single unified political party with moral backbone and courage.
While many valid points are made here, let’s not forget that it is not the role of the federal govt to rule on this issue. The feds will do anything to usurp the sovereignty of the states.. It has been happening for years, dems and gop. Sadly, most believe that homosexuality is something one is born with, instead of acknowledging the decades of research which demonstrate the contrary. We are what we believe is possible. I do hope Catholics hold true to their faith, and all Americans remember the true role of the federal govt in its limited and enumerated powers, as DC is out of control and filled with DCvers. We must also remember that most media is biased and inaccurate.
In the land of my parents, Ireland, during the great hunger 1845/50 Catholics were starving to death by the thousands. Some Protestant Ministers set up soup kitchens to feed the starving Irish. All you had to do to get a bowl of soup was to renounce ones Catholic faith. To their credit, the great majority did not. Those who did were known as “soupers” for the rest of their lives. During the 20th century in The USA, virtually all politicans were pro life. That is until they saw the change in the air as well as votes. One by one they drank the soup of abortion! Just a few years ago virtually all politicans were pro traditional marraige. Now they are witnessing a change in the air and the votes and they are lining up one by one to drink the soup of homosexual marraige. I’m all but certain that many of those who are pro same sex marraige do not understand the consequences
Excellent article. Defending life and protecting marriage are the two most important issues to me in American society. I’ll be following closely.
Eric: Practicing Catholics are following Catholic doctrine. Those responsible for voting for Obama and his increasingly immoral government have automatically excommunicated themselves and cannot speak for Catholics. Don’t blame the Church for those who refuse to obey its doctrines or honor the God our nation once trusted.
Is the GOP caving in? The majority Catholic voters, most priests and Bishops have caved in a long time ago. I’m in my 60’s and I can’t remember when I heard a priest at the pulpit talk about the Holy Sacrament of Marriage or the HHS Mandate. These are serious issues but I hear silence.
Buddy Sorrell is right, and I beelieve as more people who are children of Catholics and the GOP come out,DOMA will not make any more sense.The American Academy of Pediatrics came out today(no pun intedned) that they back up same-sex marriage;therefore,more children will be adopted because the courts will have no other reason to prevent it from happening.Boehner need to follow VP Biden’s advice:“I will not force my beliefs on ther people.“Not only will this logice make Boehner a better human being,but a much better Catholic.It’s time for Prop.8 & DOMA to be reversed-and put an end to this nonsense once and for all.Our Lord Jesus Christ told us to preach the Gospel to all nation-not demand that the whole world follow the Catholic faith as a dictatorship.Allowing the GOP to let the metter be will start improving their image.
I think the real problem is a matter of definition. Marriage is the union of a man and a woman.
There should be a definition for a legal figure of a gay union but it never should have the name “marriage”
I suggest: “Homo Union”, “Marrigay”, “Lesbiwed”,etc…
I understand¨gays are proud of their sex choice. Why they should pretend to be what they are not?
If the Supreme Court approves gay-marriage, it will only enhance the immoral legacy of a court that no longer believes in the Declaration of Independence or the God our nation once trusted.
If the politicians followed Peter’s advice, women would not be voting and segregation would be the rule of law. As in Ireland and thankfully, the U.S., the people are seeking their civil rights.
We have given up so much of our liberty that today government actually takes the role of defining marriage. They also assume the role of the parent in some cases. When will people wake up to understand that this should be a moot point, as government should not define marriage and government should have limited powers given to them by the people and the states. While we debate such provocative issues as GOP position, DC life goes on as usual.
Jill: God defined it. Our nation needs to follow His will and support it.
I read the AP article in my local paper that, in essence, praises Portman for his courageousness. And what did it take for him to flip? His son is homosexual. So, jettison what one would be perceive was a core principle of the Senator, exampled by his prior endorsement of DOMA, for the sake of some supposed personal gain. The injustice he and other Republicans are perpetrating along with dye in the wool fundamentalist, relativist liberal Democrats will lead to our end as a once great nation. That is if we haven’t already passed the point of no return.
Mr. Peters seems to have forgotten that we squeezed a major election in there, and his side lost. Any “media narrative” is being informed by the popular votes in Maryland, Washington, and Maine. More and more Americans—including Republicans—are realizing that they’re not “supporting”, “protecting”, or “defending” marriage by opposing somebody else’s.
I’ve said numerous times, this entire “debate” and issue hinges on language .. and we have done a poor job of corraling the proper language centered around “sacremental marriage” vs “cival unionship”. Yes, we religous “own” the true term of marriage—but we long ago lost that to the likes of justices of the peace, drive in marriages, etc. Now that there are somewhat legit undertakings around the cival equality push (tax laws, etc.) .. we have little to stand on with the generic term of “marriage” in the societal discourse. Get back to a sacremental vs non sacremental discussion.
Robert Rowland,
I agree. perhaps you took my post out of context. I was merely making a statement about the role of our government. I believe it is not the role of government to define marriage or life. in fact I believe a federal government should have limited and enumerated powers, given only by the states. I also support the founding fathers and compact theory. That is, we are a compact of individual states within the union vs. a nation. We are not nationalists per se. Lastly, I do not believe DC has the ability to right any wrongs. thus while we engage in discussions regarding marriage etcetera, DC continues to conduct business as usual. DC is filled with corruption, and I believe that they do not hold themselves accountable to God the Father.
As usual, the liberal media make up the “facts” of widespread support for immorality, and the politicians follow. But it’s all lies and sham, people. And the collapse of this country will render the whole issue moot.
Posted by John B. on Saturday, Mar 23, 2013 12:37 PM (EDT):“Mr. Peters seems to have forgotten that we squeezed a major election in there, and his side lost.”
John if that were the standard, which it certainly isn’t, there was another major election called the 2010 Obama midterm, and his and your side were roundly defeated. Apparently, that didn’t keep the Democrats in Congress from passing ObamaCareless by means of an underhanded use of house rules. Even to this very day, almost 1 ½ years later, we’re still trying to “know what is in it” a la Nancy Pelosi. HHS just added another 700 pages of regulations to the act’s original 2700 plus, and the entire plan doesn’t completely kick in until 2014.
So how do you like the amoral mandates, the 2 1/3 % excise tax on medical devices, and the up and coming private insurance tax that’s estimated to ultimately double the cost of current premiums on all the people for whom the Commander-in-Thief said he wouldn’t raise taxes and increase insurance premiums. What will it take before your celebration dance ends and the truth of the so-called Obama victory begins to settle in among his worshipers?
To EJ Weber
Only problem with your analysis is the ACA is that it lacks moral evaluation. The Church, for decades, has insisted that medical care is a RIGHT of every human being, flowing out of their inherent dignity as humans. Now, perhaps the ACA does a poor job of attaining that, but I have yet to hear a conservative alternative that even attempts to meet the Church’s standard of universal coverage.
Morals and tradition don’t mean anything any more. I have heard from Gladd people I have contact with that marriage for them is just about love only. They put me down for standing up for traditional marriage by sayings that they are only half right. they don’t like it when I defend marriage by pointing out the marriage is also about the raising and continuation pf humanity. The GLADD types are so much distorted in their views that it is not surprising to find out that some Republicans are caving to the pressure of these groups and the supporters. It almost sounds like what happened to the Whig party in the 1840’s through 1860’s can and will happen to this party soon.
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