Putting my personal and political digust of Patrick Guerriero’s Reign Of Ruin at Log Cabin aside, the fact that Governor Schwarzenegger spoke in front of gay Republicans this week is big news.
BoiFromTroy has a very good summary of the speech plus some photos.
“Whether you are gay or straight, everyone needs someone to love,” he told the crowd in Hollywood. “While we may not agree on every issue, we are united in the values of love, understanding and tolerance.”
Lighthearted and joking at the event, the governor was clearly comfortable with the crowd. He started off by saying: “I love the Log Cabin Republicans. I love this organization. I love all of you.”
Yick… just a little too mushy for me. But I get the intent.
Arnold’s speech has also resulted in one unintended consequence. It appears Michael at GayOrbit has come out of the Republican closet!
And while he and I disagree on what Log Cabin should be doing and how far to the Left it has drifted, his follow-up posting has some great points.
On the other hand, believing the Republican Party will change overnight is definitely delusional. Believing it can and will happen, and working to make it happen, is exactly what this country needs. If the American people admit defeat and don’t tell this administration, Democrat, and Republican members of Congress that they don’t represent what is great about this country, then nothing will change.
“low taxes, limited government, strong defense, free markets, personal responsibility, and individual liberty”…..That’s a good portion of what this country is all about. And people need to be courageous.
They need to take the insults lobbed at them by ignorant people and do what they need to do to change their party, and by extension their country, for the better. And it will happen. The Republican Party will change, and not because of people on the other side shouting insults and invective at people they believe to be sell-outs.
Great points, Michael. Also, welcome to the sunlight! *grin*
But I also think it is worthy to note that those of us that want real change in the Republican Party also have a duty to speak up when the national organization that represents gay Republicans has become corrupted by those who want power and attention for their own agendas that have nothing to do with positive change within the Republican Party.
-Bruce (GayPatriot)
I think that LC is just where LC needs to be. If you confuse the Liberal Left an piss off the Conservative Right, then they are right where they need to be. Otherwise they would br just another group of Sonderkommandos.
LCR are fighting a losing battle. So are gay Republicans who think the GOP has any interest in “low taxes, smaller government and individual rights,” I’m afraid.
#2
And that’s based on what?
“Reign of Ruin”? Now that’s just ridiculous. Under Guerriero, the number of recognized Log Cabin chapters has nearly doubled, from 29 in January 2003 to 50 in October 2005, with nearly a dozen prospective chapters in the works. Total membership has increased almost fivefold, growing from 3,750 in December 2002 to 18,462 in October 2005. The annual budget has increased from $350,000 in 2002 to $1.5 million in 2004. Notably, in the last three years Log Cabin has grown more in conservative “red states” than in liberal “blue states,” all of which helps to give LCR a stronger voice, and to gradually creation a greater national impact. The fact is, Guerriero led the organization that was able to bring in the first Republican governor to speak at a GLBT event, and it is his organization that has carefully cultivated that relationship with Schwarzenegger and other fairminded Republicans around the country. He may not have done it your way, but the man’s been doing a lot right these last few years, and maybe if you’d been there the other night, you’d have seen how truly conservative the organization is. Or do you not believe that the nanny-state hypocritical moralizing that Republicans have been trying to force down the throats of tax-paying, God-fearing gay and lesbians families is a betrayal of conservative values? Patrick spoke about going forward with integrity and demanding our dignity as Americans today – where do you disagree?
Oh, and lest your response be that LCR does not say enough in favor of Republicans, I’ll remind you of last year – Arnold once again makes a great example. Time after time the liberal gay groups (which you consider LCR to be in lockstep with) would condemn the governor – and time after time Log Cabin would stand up to them, not because Arnold is perfect, but because he was making progress. The policy seems to be to reward a politican who is moving in the right direction (like W. in 2000 when he met and made promises to the Austin 12) and to punish one who backtracks (like W. with the FMA). To do anything else is to sacrifice your dignity as an individual to be taken seriously, and your potency as an organization. I can’t see what else you would have had them do.
I’m a conservative. I only vote Republican because “conservative Democrat” is nearly an oxymoron (at least now that I no longer live in Indiana, where it is not an oxymoron).
Arnold is no conservative. I would have voted for McClintock, had I lived in the PRK. I really don’t much care what Arnold does.
3: It’s based on the fact that taxes have only actually been lowered for a small segment (ie upper income earners), that the government has grown larger than it has in decades and that it has been overwhelmingly Republicans who have sponsored legislation and/or referendums designed to make sure that gays and lesbians are not afforded equal rights.
#2 Brian R. Miller — July 1, 2006 @ 4:37 pm – July 1, 2006
LCR are fighting a losing battle. So are gay Republicans who think the GOP has any interest in “low taxes, smaller government and individual rights,” I’m afraid.
You’re correct regarding the GOP’s lack of interest in “smaller government and individual rights.” That should have been evident from the Reagan and the earlier Nixon/Ford administrations.
You’re also correct that the GOP doesn’t have any interest in lower taxes–they believe in deferred taxes. That should also have been evident at least as early as the Reagan administration.
Regarding
#3 ThatGayConservative — July 1, 2006 @ 4:59 pm – July 1, 2006
#2
And that’s based on what?
For me, experience.
So, what, exactly, does this blog do to further the cause of a more pro-gay, accepting, inclusive, tolerant Republican Party? Doesn’t seem that you do shit, really.
Actually, you do alot of shit: shit on Log Cabin Republicans, shit on gay activists that don’t do what you’re not doing, shit on liberals and Democrats that have thrown their support behind gay causes…. Yeah, you shit alot.