I just feel like that might be damaging to them, though. With one supporting and one not. I suppose there are ways they could spin it though.
Romney/Portman Elected 2012, How Do They Handle Gay Marriage?
- Thread starter Statesman
- Start date
I just feel like that might be damaging to them, though. With one supporting and one not. I suppose there are ways they could spin it though.
If Portman goes public, it will have to be in a carefully controlled way to avoid hurting the administration, but I think that they can at least convince themselves that they can unveil it without damaging.
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
Here's a personal essay the Senator's son Will Portman wrote about his coming out. He's a good and brave young man and I wish him all the best.
http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2013/03/25/portman-coming-out/
So, Vice-President Rob Portman might have a personal story about his own change of views that's quite appealing to conservatives.
Along a similar vein, at the time of the Prop 8/DOMA some 80 plus prominent Republicans signed an amicus brief in support of marriage equality.
http://news.yahoo.com/republicans-supporting-gay-marriage-write-supreme-court-amicus-224207764.html
(It should be noted that the Supreme Court decided the Prop 8 component on rather technical grounds of standing.)
http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2013/03/25/portman-coming-out/
So, Vice-President Rob Portman might have a personal story about his own change of views that's quite appealing to conservatives.
Along a similar vein, at the time of the Prop 8/DOMA some 80 plus prominent Republicans signed an amicus brief in support of marriage equality.
http://news.yahoo.com/republicans-supporting-gay-marriage-write-supreme-court-amicus-224207764.html
(It should be noted that the Supreme Court decided the Prop 8 component on rather technical grounds of standing.)
Last edited:
And Portman will do the same thing Cheney did all through his Vice-Presidency despite his daughter being an out lesbian, and refuse to publicly support same-sex marriage while dismissing it as an issue that should be left to the individual states. As Vice-President in a Republican administration, Portman could not and would not support same-sex marriage.
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
But a big difference is, unlike when Cheney was vice-president, a majority of Americans now believe in marriage equality.
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
In the United States, in a sense lesbian and gay rights is almost the previous civil rights struggle, now solidly in the mainstreaming phase.
The right now civil rights struggle is trangender equality. And most Americans will probably come round, that it's not a particularly big deal and of course a person should be free to live his or her authentic life.
It's interesting to think about what might be the next civil rights struggle. Maybe Spectrum Rights? (as in Aspergers-Autism Spectrum). Or maybe, Fair Shake for Unemployed Persons? (as in realistic understanding of conditions faced, and confident questioning of economic theories and dynamics that deem this 'necessary')
The right now civil rights struggle is trangender equality. And most Americans will probably come round, that it's not a particularly big deal and of course a person should be free to live his or her authentic life.
It's interesting to think about what might be the next civil rights struggle. Maybe Spectrum Rights? (as in Aspergers-Autism Spectrum). Or maybe, Fair Shake for Unemployed Persons? (as in realistic understanding of conditions faced, and confident questioning of economic theories and dynamics that deem this 'necessary')
And a majority of Republicans don't.
Seriously, do you know how many Republican elected officials support same-sex marriage? Four senators including Portman himself. Three Congressmen. No governors. One lieutenant-governor. No state attorneys-general.
Last edited:
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
This poll was taken in late May-early June, 2014:
Now, younger people are somewhat less likely to vote, so a political advisor to a candidate would have to do some heavy duty number crunching. All the same . . . as support among voters starts to nudge up to 60?
didn't really hurt Bush Chaney, I think they'll do what Bush-Chaney did in 2004 while George ran on homophobia Dick would from time to time be seen telling a tiny number of very local press on the porch of some supporters home in a deep red state that he wasn't for banning gay marriage, in such a way that no one really covered it, and Dick was far more powerful then Portman (or any Romney VP) would be, in OTL Romney pulled out Paul Ryan, then locked him in a closet for the rest of the campaign, Portman would get the same treatment
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
I think Romney as a Morman probably made a statement similar to one made by JFK as a Catholic, that he was not going to let his personal views affect public policy.
In addition, he would be strongly motivated to want to say, let's leave questions of marriage equality up to the states. But DOMA is (was) a federal law, and doesn't really allow the question be left up to the states.
So, quite a situation.
In addition, he would be strongly motivated to want to say, let's leave questions of marriage equality up to the states. But DOMA is (was) a federal law, and doesn't really allow the question be left up to the states.
So, quite a situation.
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
The polls have changed. Just in the last couple of years, and certainly since '04.
Change is afoot. The views of American citizens are changing on questions of full and equal rights for lesbian and gay persons.
For comparison, it would be interesting to find, say, a three year period in the struggle for African-American rights in which there's been as much change.
Change is afoot. The views of American citizens are changing on questions of full and equal rights for lesbian and gay persons.
For comparison, it would be interesting to find, say, a three year period in the struggle for African-American rights in which there's been as much change.
1962-1965? though there was a backlash after that
any ways in 2012 support was 53-48% and opposition was 47-42%, today 66% of Republicans (and 68% of tea party Republicans) are still against it, while nationally Gallup holds us at 55% Support and Washington Post/ABC News found 59% support
all by way of saying, support in 2012 wasn't overwhelming and Republicans are overwhelmingly against, still, most of all those voters most likely to vote in primaries
The current GOP is too entrenched on this. They'll tell the Portmans to keep quiet until after November.
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
I think it's already happening, both the issue and the political tension. Pres. Obama signed the repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' in December 2010, although the change had a transition period. In June 2013, the Supreme Court overturned DOMA and confirmed (on rather technical grounds of standing) a federal appeals court ruling which overturned California's Prop 8. All in all, a rather remarkable run for persons who identify as LGBTQ to merely have the same rights as everyone else.
When Republican candidates start running in earnest the Summer of 2015, perhaps sooner perhaps not, it will be interesting how these issues play out. And it's not just the primary. The eventual nominee does not want to find himself or herself out of step with the majority of the American public.
When Republican candidates start running in earnest the Summer of 2015, perhaps sooner perhaps not, it will be interesting how these issues play out. And it's not just the primary. The eventual nominee does not want to find himself or herself out of step with the majority of the American public.
Last edited:
The entire election of 2012 was an uphill battle for Romney and most of the Republican Party only tolerated him. Vacillating on gay marriage is just going to make him look indecisive or opportunistic to the public while giving him, at best, no gain whatsoever to the GOP, which only got behind him thanks to big money realizing he was the only decent challenger and because the conservatives in the party have no unifying figure. He and his handlers would realize all of this most likely. Portman himself? It depends what he cares most about.
Outright supporting it is going to result in pushback. Maybe a primary challenge in 2016, even if it's a weak one. Cheney came out in support as a lame duck at the very end of his term and before the reactionary rise took hold.