Top GOP Pollster To Party: Reverse Course On Gay Rights

[Lakhota]

Below is a remarkable document. It's a memo circulated by Jan van Lohuizen, a highly respected Republican pollster, (he polled for George W. Bush in 2004), to various leading Republican operatives, candidates and insiders. It's on the fast-shifting poll data on marriage equality and gay rights in general, and how that should affect Republican policy and language. And the pollster's conclusion is clear: if the GOP keeps up its current rhetoric and positions on gays and lesbians, it is in danger of marginalizing itself to irrelevance or worse.

Read the bluntness of this. This is the GOP establishment talking to itself. And the Republican pollster who arguably knows more about the politics of the gay issue than anyone else (how else to explain the Ohio campaign of 2004?) is advising them in no uncertain terms that they need to evolve and fast, if they're not going to damage their brand for an entire generation:

Much More: Top GOP Pollster to GOP: Reverse On Gay Issues - The Dish | By Andrew Sullivan - The Daily Beast

 

[Lakhota]

Aw, the wingnut base won't like this.

 

[Dick Tuck]

Those talking points are a hoot. I can imagine Republicans turning on a dime and using them.

 

[Peach]

Aw, the wingnut base won't like this.

The party of liberty will be the party that can reign in the haters.

 

[William Joyce]

This is the GOP establishment talking to itself.

I knew there was something wrong with it.

Homosexuality is dicks stuck up male asses. If the "conservative" party in America can't decline the invitation to worship at this altar, then shit, it was no good to begin with.

 

[Lakhota]

The last paragraph is, to my mind, the most remarkable. It's advising Republican candidates to emphasize the conservative nature of gay marriage, to say how it encourages personal responsibility, commitment, stability and family values. It uses Dick Cheney's formula (which was for a couple of years, the motto of this blog) that "freedom means freedom for everyone." And it uses David Cameron's argument that you can be for gay marriage because you are a conservative.

And the walls came tumbling down.

From the OP link.

This is seriously funny. I can't wait to see how it works out for them.

 

[Lakhota]

The memo:

In view of this week’s news on the same sex marriage issue, here is a summary of recent survey findings on same sex marriage:

1. Support for same sex marriage has been growing and in the last few years support has grown at an accelerated rate with no sign of slowing down. A review of public polling shows that up to 2009 support for gay marriage increased at a rate of 1% a year. Starting in 2010 the change in the level of support accelerated to 5% a year. The most recent public polling shows supporters of gay marriage outnumber opponents by a margin of roughly 10% (for instance: NBC / WSJ poll in February / March: support 49%, oppose 40%).

2. The increase in support is taking place among all partisan groups. While more Democrats support gay marriage than Republicans, support levels among Republicans are increasing over time. The same is true of age: younger people support same sex marriage more often than older people, but the trends show that all age groups are rethinking their position.

3. Polling conducted among Republicans show that majorities of Republicans and Republican leaning voters support extending basic legal protections to gays and lesbians. These include majority Republican support for:

a. Protecting gays and lesbians against being fired for reasons of sexual orientation
b. Protections against bullying and harassment
c. Repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.
d. Right to visit partners in hospitals
e. Protecting partners against loss of home in case of severe medical emergencies or death
f. Legal protection in some form for gay couples whether it be same sex marriage or domestic partnership (only 29% of Republicans oppose legal recognition in any form).

Recommendation: A statement reflecting recent developments on this issue along the following lines:

“People who believe in equality under the law as a fundamental principle, as I do, will agree that this principle extends to gay and lesbian couples; gay and lesbian couples should not face discrimination and their relationship should be protected under the law. People who disagree on the fundamental nature of marriage can agree, at the same time, that gays and lesbians should receive essential rights and protections such as hospital visitation, adoption rights, and health and death benefits."

Other thoughts / Q&A: Follow up to questions about affirmative action:

“This is not about giving anyone extra protections or privileges, this is about making sure that everyone – regardless of sexual orientation – is provided the same protections against discrimination that you and I enjoy.”

Why public attitudes might be changing:

“As more people have become aware of friends and family members who are gay, attitudes have begun to shift at an accelerated pace. This is not about a generational shift in attitudes, this is about people changing their thinking as they recognize their friends and family members who are gay or lesbian.”

Conservative fundamentals:

“As people who promote personal responsibility, family values, commitment and stability, and emphasize freedom and limited government we have to recognize that freedom means freedom for everyone. This includes the freedom to decide how you live and to enter into relationships of your choosing, the freedom to live without excessive interference of the regulatory force of government.

From the OP link.

 

[rdean]

The truth is Republicans don't want gays to have jobs.

They don't want gays to have families.

They don't want gays to get married.

They want gays to die or go away. Better if they die.

This is how Republicans feel about gays. Period.

 

[Peach]

The memo:

In view of this week’s news on the same sex marriage issue, here is a summary of recent survey findings on same sex marriage:

1. Support for same sex marriage has been growing and in the last few years support has grown at an accelerated rate with no sign of slowing down. A review of public polling shows that up to 2009 support for gay marriage increased at a rate of 1% a year. Starting in 2010 the change in the level of support accelerated to 5% a year. The most recent public polling shows supporters of gay marriage outnumber opponents by a margin of roughly 10% (for instance: NBC / WSJ poll in February / March: support 49%, oppose 40%).

2. The increase in support is taking place among all partisan groups. While more Democrats support gay marriage than Republicans, support levels among Republicans are increasing over time. The same is true of age: younger people support same sex marriage more often than older people, but the trends show that all age groups are rethinking their position.

3. Polling conducted among Republicans show that majorities of Republicans and Republican leaning voters support extending basic legal protections to gays and lesbians. These include majority Republican support for:

a. Protecting gays and lesbians against being fired for reasons of sexual orientation
b. Protections against bullying and harassment
c. Repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.
d. Right to visit partners in hospitals
e. Protecting partners against loss of home in case of severe medical emergencies or death
f. Legal protection in some form for gay couples whether it be same sex marriage or domestic partnership (only 29% of Republicans oppose legal recognition in any form).

Recommendation: A statement reflecting recent developments on this issue along the following lines:

“People who believe in equality under the law as a fundamental principle, as I do, will agree that this principle extends to gay and lesbian couples; gay and lesbian couples should not face discrimination and their relationship should be protected under the law. People who disagree on the fundamental nature of marriage can agree, at the same time, that gays and lesbians should receive essential rights and protections such as hospital visitation, adoption rights, and health and death benefits."

Other thoughts / Q&A: Follow up to questions about affirmative action:

“This is not about giving anyone extra protections or privileges, this is about making sure that everyone – regardless of sexual orientation – is provided the same protections against discrimination that you and I enjoy.”

Why public attitudes might be changing:

“As more people have become aware of friends and family members who are gay, attitudes have begun to shift at an accelerated pace. This is not about a generational shift in attitudes, this is about people changing their thinking as they recognize their friends and family members who are gay or lesbian.”

Conservative fundamentals:

“As people who promote personal responsibility, family values, commitment and stability, and emphasize freedom and limited government we have to recognize that freedom means freedom for everyone. This includes the freedom to decide how you live and to enter into relationships of your choosing, the freedom to live without excessive interference of the regulatory force of government.

From the OP link.

The hate division terms this "worshiping at the altar". THAT is how far off the edge the extreme right has gone.

 

[Lakhota]

President Obama is playing chess; wingnuts are playing checkers (poorly).

 

[Peach]

The truth is Republicans don't want gays to have jobs.

They don't want gays to have families.

They don't want gays to get married.

They want gays to die or go away. Better if they die.

This is how Republicans feel about gays. Period.

rdean, tell that to Cheney, as Republican as you can get. It would be best if Republicans lost the hate brigade come Tampa. There will be a lot of guns, and, as usual, booze for most of the Pubbies. Mix that with more than the usual protesters, and it is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Peach]

President Obama is playing chess; wingnuts are playing checkers (poorly).

Hate is a strong motivating force; the extreme right has it, in barrels.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

I know you Clintonites think polls are everything. The GOP just needs to hold to it's values and let wisdom prevail.

 

[Dick Tuck]

Now if Romney wasn't a spineless lump, he'd do his Etch-a-Sketch moment today at Liberty U, and come out for same sex unions.

 

[rdean]

The truth is Republicans don't want gays to have jobs.

They don't want gays to have families.

They don't want gays to get married.

They want gays to die or go away. Better if they die.

This is how Republicans feel about gays. Period.

rdean, tell that to Cheney, as Republican as you can get. It would be best if Republicans lost the hate brigade come Tampa. There will be a lot of guns, and, as usual, booze for most of the Pubbies. Mix that with more than the usual protesters, and it is a disaster waiting to happen.

Yea? Go tell that to Richard Grenell. Oops!

 

[Peach]

I know you Clintonites think polls are everything. The GOP just needs to hold to it's values and let wisdom prevail.

Have a "drink or two, maybe" at brunch, then pick up a gun & shoot somebody; split the scene, and pretend it didn't happen. Those are your 'values'.

 

[tinydancer]

The truth is Republicans don't want gays to have jobs.

They don't want gays to have families.

They don't want gays to get married.

They want gays to die or go away. Better if they die.

This is how Republicans feel about gays. Period.

Dick Cheney came out for gay marriage in 2009.

Years before Obama. Obviously he "evolved" quicker.



I love this from the Daily Kos:

It is sad to watch everyone jump for joy over the Presiden't's eventual realization that gay couples should have the same rights as everyone else.

He didn't take this stance until now. Meanwhile the dark lord, the arch criminal Dick Cheney did 4 years ago.

Politics in this country is nothing more than team fandom.

Jump for joy, but don't make this into something it is not. The President is a political opportunist and you have been played. Yeah yeah yeah he's got my vote.

But don't lie to yourself. Obama is four years behind Cheney on this issue. Explain that.


Daily Kos: Dick Cheney Endorsed Gay Marriage in 2009

 

[Dick Tuck]

The truth is Republicans don't want gays to have jobs.

They don't want gays to have families.

They don't want gays to get married.

They want gays to die or go away. Better if they die.

This is how Republicans feel about gays. Period.

Dick Cheney came out for gay marriage in 2009.

Years before Obama. Obviously he "evolved" quicker.



I love this from the Daily Kos:

It is sad to watch everyone jump for joy over the Presiden't's eventual realization that gay couples should have the same rights as everyone else.

He didn't take this stance until now. Meanwhile the dark lord, the arch criminal Dick Cheney did 4 years ago.

Politics in this country is nothing more than team fandom.

Jump for joy, but don't make this into something it is not. The President is a political opportunist and you have been played. Yeah yeah yeah he's got my vote.

But don't lie to yourself. Obama is four years behind Cheney on this issue. Explain that.


Daily Kos: Dick Cheney Endorsed Gay Marriage in 2009

Yet, in 2004, Kerry's mere suggestion that gay rights ought to be on the table, and mentioned the fact that Cheney's daughter was a lesbian, had the right wing going totally ape shit. In 2004, that was a dirty word for Cheney. Then when he's out of power, he does a 180?

Obama has the balls to state his position while he's in office. Let's see if Mitten's shakes the Etch-a-Sketch today at Liberty U.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

I know you Clintonites think polls are everything. The GOP just needs to hold to it's values and let wisdom prevail.

Have a "drink or two, maybe" at brunch, then pick up a gun & shoot somebody; split the scene, and pretend it didn't happen. Those are your 'values'.

Thanks you for dictating my values in true liberal fashion. I've never even owned a gun. But I do support gun rights.

 

[Avatar4321]

too bad. principle is more important than elections.