Friends? Enemies?

When I reported the North Carolina House changed the date of the vote on the marriage amendment from November to May I speculated it was because it would draw out more Fundie voters who were also voting on a prez. primary and fewer Dem voters because Obama is unopposed. I was half right. The other half is part of the stated reason to make the vote less political. Yes, it would mean the general election vote wouldn't be politicized over gay marriage. But it was also moved to attract Democrat lawmaker votes to the amendment who didn't want to spoil Obama's chances with an issue that draws out Fundies. That means, yes indeedie, the amendment got Dem votes. It would not have passed the Senate without some of those votes.

I had to think about that for a moment. It means the NC GOP hates gays so much they were willing to increase the chance that NC would go for Obama in 2012.

Contrast that with…

Back in 1992 the GOP Party in Oregon tried to amend the state constitution to say no money could be spent to "promote, encourage or facilitate homosexuality, pedophilia, sadism, or masochism." They put us in such fine company. The amendment attracted some loony supporters who went over the top. It blew up in the face of the Oregon GOP and they have been losing ground in the state ever since. They've been trying to distance themselves from the Fundies, but once tainted, the stain is hard to wash out

The Oregon GOP just had a convention and they are trying to show they are more moderate. Today they voted to remove some of the anti-gay planks from the party platform. It no longer condemns same-sex marriage and civil unions. The statement that gays and lesbians were unfit parents is gone. It still says they support man-woman marriage and try to dodge that by saying the state constitution says it too.

Ready to vote GOP in Oregon? Most of the comments said: not a chance. As long as the national GOP Party does what it just did in NC (could be why that taint of association lingers) -- and as long as that last anti-gay plank remains -- this crowd won't vote GOP.

One commenter said, "Too little too late." That prompted Timothy Kincaid to say:

I demand you change your horrible rhetoric and get rid of your homophobic policies!!!!

Oh, ya know, they really are kinda bad. Okay, we’ll change.

It’s TOO LATE. I will never forgive you for having had horrible rhetoric and homophobic policies!!!!

Care for some grapes? They’re sour.

Alas, the "too little" part remains.


A while back I deleted the "draft" postings in this blog. With those gone I hit 1500 postings yesterday.