Republicans hate the LGBT community. I know. That’s not news. But for some time now, Republicans have been betting on the homophobia that they help instill in their sheeple to help them rise to power. If everyone that has an opinion voted, Republicans would fall from power forever, but what wins elections is getting people to the polls.
Minnesota has a long and potentially polarizing campaign in store after state lawmakers agreed to allow voters to decide whether to limit civil marriage to heterosexual couples – a prohibition that already exists in state law.
The House voted 70-63 just before midnight Saturday after nearly six hours of emotional debate that raised many of the issues likely to resonate in the coming campaign.
Critics of the amendment said it would divide families and neighbors and harm the dignity of gay people, while its supporters said the definition of marriage is important enough that voters alone – not judges or legislators – should decide how it’s addressed in the constitution.
The vote split mostly along party lines, with Republicans in support and Democrats opposed… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Huffington Post>
Now, what this has to do with getting out the vote may not be immediately apparent, unless you understand the timing. The referendum is scheduled for November, 2012. Republicans are working hard to insure that all states, especially swing states, have a gay-hate referendum or initiative on the ballot for all national elections. They motivate Bubba Bagger to get off his ass, goose-step to the polls, and vote, so Republicans are betting on homophobia to give them the edge they need at the polls.
Of course, Democrats do not have a way to motivate voters so easily, because they tend to think as individuals, not in mass. Organizing Democrats is like herding cats. So between now and then, we need to work harder. We need to educate people how votes that help Republicans (and extreme DINOs) are against their own self interest. We need to motivate people with the understanding that Republican rule is the punishment for not voting.
8 Responses to “Republicans Betting on Homophobia”
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It’s a clever idea, to be sure. Gay-haters are in the minority now, but they tend to be much more fervent than the accepting are (tolerance doesn’t lend itself to being intense, but hatred does).
It’s odd, though — in 2010 the Republicans played down “social issues” and claimed they would focus on economics. So why reverse that strategy now? Maybe the polls and town halls on the Ryan plan, etc., have shown them their economic ideas are so toxic that they have no choice but to fall back on bigotry?
If, so, the counter-strategy is clear. Tar them with those toxic ideas at every turn, and urge our people to get out and vote against the threat to Medicare, Social Security, and their unions. Even some working-class social conservatives, drawn to the polls by a chance to bash the gays, might vote our way on candidates because of those issues.
And of course, by playing on this, the Republicans have driven one constituency away irrevocably.
Infidel, they in 2010 they knew they could successfully blame Democrats for the Republican Recession and the recovery delayed by Republican intransigence. So the mantra was Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Now now that they control the House, all of the plans they want to foist on America actually kill jobs, and they want to distract voters with social issues. That’s why they reversed the strategy.
Always amazing how effective these fake- “Straw Man” “issues” are in deflecting attention away from the real problems—
Gay Haters– like Nazi’s are a small percentage of people– but they create a lot of noise and a lot of fear–
Fear is easy to manipulate—of course none of the manipulated want to admit the reality– so they get even noisier—
That’s exactly it. People need jobs, eduction, healthcare, infrastructure, etc,
“so Republicans are betting on homophobia to give them the edge they need at the polls.” – that’s disgusting but true. The gay haters are coming down in numbers but they still make a lot of noise. 😡
And they will show up to vote, unlike the fools who “taught democrats a lesson” in 2010.
Minnesota law already states that marriage is defined as between a man and a woman, but Republicans want it stated in the State Constitution so liberal judges could not redefine, or rule in favor of a gay union.
All this debate about gay marriage while they cannot agree on the Minnesota State budget, so the legislators will have to go into a special session. Something not so special, but usual, in our State.
Tom, could it also be to use controversy to deflect from Pawlenty’s horrid track record?