As the Log Cabin Convention (this Thursday through Sunday in San Diego) approaches, I’ll be doing a series of posts on Log Cabin at 15, this being the fifteen anniversary of the opening of the national office.
When I learned that my candidate for Secretary of State will be speaking, I resolved to go and look forward to leading a standing ovation for this good man and hearing his remarks.
First, could you let me know if you’ll be attending and are interested in setting up a cocktail hour for GayPatriot readers. Thanks.
Second, please feel free to use the comments section to this post to offer general thoughts about the organization, address the more specific ones to the various pieces I’ll be posting. Unfortunately the convention agenda does not allow for members or clubs to introduce resolutions or vote on the group’s policies.
I encourage you to suggest resolutions you believe a gay Republican organization should consider. Perhaps, I’ll distribute these in San Diego and wonder why this convention does not have the aspects of a typical organization’s convention where members gather from all over the country to elect officers and set the agenda for the following year.
Were there something to vote on, members might feel they have a stake in the organization and be more likely to spend the money and take the time to attend.
While I’m sure that the members-present will be focused on the upcoming 2008 Presidential election; I’d really wish that the LCR would look beyond it’s dreams of being a Beltway-player at the National-level and recognise that they need to taking a play or two out of the Social-conservatives’ play book and concentrate on the grassroots and the State and County-levels via the Chapters. Yes, it strokes the LCR-Nationals’ leaadership when they get to be invited as talking-head pundits on cable and invited to the Beltway cocktail parties….but the reason the conservatives dominate the GOP is they can get out the vote and they can mobilize both money and volunteers at the local-level that demonstrates their power-base. The LCR-Natl must do a better job at organizing and assisting the local Chapters.
They also need to make some strategic-allies within the broader GOP circles amongst the Progressives and the Business-friendly factions like the influential Club for Growth. Many gay Republicans are also small business-owners or entrepreneurs…and the LCR-Natl. should be out building bridges to these like-minded factions within the Party.
…And they desperately need to address their internal issues of financial accountability and governance.
I’m a small business owner and after belonging to the LCR for a few years I stopped about 5 years ago. For a simple reason….they were just too liberal on most issues. To every year contemplate whether to even support the Republican nominee got old. I wanted a gay Republican organization that was for low taxes and small government. Small government that stayed out of peoples lives.
GPW, let us know what Bolton says! (Jealous here 🙂 )
In terms of "resolutions they should consider", I couldn’t say. I would love to see – or let’s say, I would be willing to give some measure of support to – a gay organization that tries to spread conservative-libertarian principles to gays, rather than trying to spread the same whining, victim-y doctrines of the Gay Left to Republicans. So I have more questions than anything.
– Why won’t LCR take a principled stand against so-called "hate crimes" legislation? Could any legislation be more Orwellian and *against* essential human freedom and dignity?
– Why can’t they bring themselves to support President Bush in the GWOT?
– Why do they whine, whine, whine about the Religious Right all the time? Jeez, change the freaking channel already. (Or I will. Or I have.)
Resolution, here is one, disband the organization. We already have enough gay groups and somehow they all end up becoming liberal mouthpieces.Â
Years ago I gave up on the LCR because they completely disregarded the R part of their name.
DKK
Perhaps they would best suite their identity as “The Mary Todd Lincoln Brigade” and align themselves as Libertarians.
The only problem with that is the Libertarians have no structure.
For about twelve years in Massachusetts they earned for themselves a reputation for ‘Machlust’ and nepotism toward any Democrat donor that would shell out.
They got off to a good start with a guy who really ran for office, Mike Duffy, a guy whose word was good, but then went bad. They eventually became a liability.
<blockquote cite="">Perhaps they would best suite their identity as “The Mary Todd Lincoln Brigade†and align themselves as Libertarians.</bq>
"So Mrs. Lincoln, otherwise how did you enjoy the play?…"
Many of the folks bashing LCR are as bad as gays who employ a “wide brush” to bash all Republicans. LCR is the single gay group that has connected me to politics and inspired me to become involved at all levels. It’s not perfect, but change comes FROM WITHIN, not from non-members playing armchair politics, saying what they would do if they were in charge of the organization, when they’re not even members. Politics is a participation sport, people. Get involved and make the changes you see necessary.
Wish I could join you for the Gay Patriot cocktail hour but, unfortunately, I’m not able to get to San Diego this weekend. Last year in Denver was a blast, though. More fun than a gay cruise. (Oh, and educational as well.) Seriously, the folks who participate in LCR are some of the best of the best.
OK Mike, then on behalf of pro-LCR people, you might be kind enough to take a shot at answering my questions at #3.
Here is one. Supporting Sen. McCain and the War Against Islamofacist Terror. Ok, that may have to be two! But, unless the LCR realizes that the REAL threat to them and all of us is Islamofacist fanatics, not fringe Christians, they might as well disband and join the Democrats. I can not support reaching out to this "Republican" group if it will not stand up for true, basic Republican principles.
every once in a while I like to check out this blog to see how some people can be so divorced from reality, i used to get angry because your collective mindset has consequences such as warmongering, elimination of constitutional rights and a bankrupt economy but it has all become so tragic and surreal that all one can do is laugh maniacally, I know it’s hard for people in denial to seek help but please, you need help, look at the world the way it is, at least look at your historical counterparts, gays were prominent in the facist party in europe and were literally killed for dramatic facist effect, you are fools being fooled by fools…
[Seems like someone’s engaging in projection here. We divorced from reality? Can you provide examples from sites other than left-wing websites of those consequences you contend? Thanks. Seems someone’s engaged in extreme exaggeration and misrepresentation. –Dan]
#10 – Steve, a couple of questions:
a. What planet are you from?
b. How long have you been suffering from psychosis?
c. What types of drugs are you taking?
Not that I expect an answer from you, but your blather is the reason why the DNC views people like you as "useful idiots."
Regards,
Peter H.
oh, and Steve, do you have any thoughts on Log Cabin as its “convention” approaches? I mean that was the subject of the post to which you chose to attach you rant, er, comment.
You mean rights and freedoms like:
The right to keep and bear arms,
To say what’s on our minds,
To listen to whatever talk show we want,
To smoke wherever we want
To eat whatever we want, including trans-fats,
To drive whatever we want,
To have our thermostats set wherever we want,
To buy whatever lightbulbs we want,
To defend our country without Congress trying to steal Constitutional powers from POTUS, etc. etc. etc.
Sorry, but it’s the liberals pushing for all of that AND MORE. You’re just the kind of ignorant type that would gladly hand your life over to them for the smoke they blew up your ass.
The smarter, more informed of us aren’t buying it and won’t allow it. We choose to have control over our own lives and destinies rather than letting Big Government decide for us, thank you very much.