Yesterday, Ohio Senator Rob Portman
became the first among current Republican senators to support same-sex
marriage. Portman disclosed in an opinion article he wrote in the Columbus
dispatch that he has reversed his position on same-sex marriage, “I have come
to believe that if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to
love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldn't
deny them the opportunity to get married.” Portman said he changed his mind
after his son Will, now 21 years old, told him two years ago he was gay. His
announcement comes at an interesting time, when acceptance of same-sex marriage
is growing incredibly quickly. Do any of you think this could be an opportunity
for the Republican Party to move more toward the middle on same-sex marriage?
6 comments:
I think this is a prime example of parenting over politics. I think we will see more Republicans shift their stance on gay-marriage as it is becoming more and more socially-acceptable, and without shifting their stance, they will undoubtedly lose voters. Society naturally is becoming a more socially liberal state and maintaining some of the hardline stances part of the Republican platform does not appear to be successful long-term strategy.
I agree with you, Marshall. And I do believe we will see the Republican Party come toward the middle on gay rights. However some of the big hitters in the Republican Party (Boehner and Rubio) reiterated their stance on same-sex marriage shortly after Portman released his note.
I doubt it. The republicans are always fearful of angering the christian right as this group provides them with a lot of money and support so it would be tough to see the party taking a position that would so fundamentally disenfranchise them. However, I do believe the governors support is a step in the right direction and hopefully one day the republican party will support same-sex marriages.
The consensus on gay marriage is certainly changing and will continue to change over the next few years. Republicans opposing gay marriage are fighting a losing battle, and I see only a small, ultra-conservative core opposing it in the next 5 years.
I agree with Andrew. I think the problem the Republican party has faced in the last two elections is an unwillingness to concede on social issues. Many of their economic policies speak sense to a lot of people, but their harsh stance on issues such as gay rights and women's rights is what alienates a lot of people, especially the youth. With the increasing acceptance of gay rights and people, I think the Republican party will be forced to shift its stance on social issues and may even adopt a less "Christian" social platform.
I think that the Republican Party will do whatever it can to keep close ties with the Christian faith while also giving way to some less conservative views on social issues. Even many churches are looking to change their ways in order to reach out to the younger generations. More liberal interpretations of the Bible are becoming accepted in society while strictly conservative versions have been receiving more criticism. This may be the Republican Party’s chance to loosen up without losing too much support from the Christian church. This compromise could allow for more middle ground voters to side with the GOP; but it may, however, cause a split within the party where some people (such as most members of the Tea Party) could decide to disassociate with the larger group.
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