Log Cabin Republicans Should Disband

Until now, I have always thought there was a place for the Log Cabin Republicans within the GLBT movement. There was a need for a group that could advocate from inside the belly of the beast and do the dirty work that few intellectually honest people wanted to do. The logic behind this organization was that it made more sense to fight for the soul of the Republican Party than run away and support the Democrats -- which members of this organization have traditionally disagreed with on fiscal and national security matters.

However, the rationale for this organization has significantly eroded, as the GOP has shown itself to be corrupt, inept and incapable of good governance. It has become the party of cronyism, debt and diabolical deceit, while securing its power by enthusiastically pandering to its anti-gay base.

With the stock market plummeting, the real estate bubble bursting, the deficit exploding and gas prices breaking new records -- largely thanks to Republican deregulation of markets and failure to explore alternative energy sources -- the myth of Republican economic responsibility has been fatally punctured.

Log Cabin Republicans also justify their party choice on grounds of national security. But, in eight years of mostly Republican rule, America has grown weaker. Our military is stretched thin, we are still bogged down in the bloody money pit of Iraq, Russia is resurgent, and Osama remains free in the same lawless Pakistani border where Al-Qaeda is plotting. Indeed, the 9/11 attacks took place with Republicans in power, including a president who failed to take seriously reports that an attack on America was imminent.

Based on this abominable record, gay Republicans can no longer say that their party's performance on other matters overrides its unyielding opposition to GLBT equality. Between the sullying of America's reputation abroad and the divisiveness on social issues at home, there is no reason that securing GLBT rights should not be the primary focus of Log Cabin Republicans. The choice they present between our equality and the safety and prosperity of this nation has proven itself false.

The final logic for Log Cabin was that it could create "Big Tent" Republicanism by nurturing friendly Republicans who could transform the party. Unfortunately, this election cycle shows that instead of changing the GOP, it is the "supportive" politicians who reinvent themselves to appeal to social conservatives.

Instead of standing on principle, ambitious Log Cabin favorites -- such as Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani -- made crass conversions and bowed to anti-gay zealots that an earlier incarnation of John McCain called "agents of intolerance." We even had a sophisticated actor, Fred Thompson, who surely must socialize with gay people in Hollywood, act like he just fell off a turnip truck in overalls.

The truth is, Republican politicians who are pro-gay have no future in the GOP. If they did, former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld would have been a rising star. The most famous moderate -- Arnold Schwarzenegger -- has his presidential ambitions chastened by the U.S. Constitution, thus allowing him a degree of autonomy. However, those who want to be president will pander to the preachers.

The Log Cabin experiment to remake the GOP has faltered and they should consider closing shop. At times, it has been a noble project, particularly under the principled leadership of Patrick Guerriero, who refused to endorse Bush in 2004 after the president pushed for the Federal Marriage Amendment.

It is obvious, however, that this organization has outlived its usefulness and has been soundly defeated by much larger, wealthier and influential anti-gay forces. The party is now rotten to the core and thrives on homophobic bigotry, anti-immigrant sentiment, small-minded populism and foolishly mocking our foreign allies at the expense of our long-term national security (remember freedom fries?).

Exactly where does a gay Republican fit into this intolerant scenario?

Log Cabin's tragic endorsement of John McCain exhibits an obdurate denial of his anti-gay record and a stubborn unwillingness to admit that their one-time hero is now hopeless. McCain's VP choice, Sarah Palin, a favorite of the fundamentalist fringe, should have lead to a reevaluation, if not reversal of their endorsement. Like Palin, they didn't blink, and are shamefully in cahoots with destructive forces that would deny GLBT people the most basic rights.

The only chance for gay Republicans to be legitimate players in the GOP is to have the party suffer a string of crushing losses. The defeats have to be so painful and substantial, that they lead to realignment, where the role of social conservatives is significantly diminished. Clearly, the Log Cabin Republicans can only save their party by helping to defeat it.

Both parties agree that this is the election of "change." Log Cabin can take the lead by changing its endorsement of McCain before they further harm the gay and lesbian community. Their suicidal tendency to help a party that despises them is the pink elephant in the room that needs to be discussed. If they can't reform the GOP -- and there is no evidence that they can -- it may be time to disband.

Comments

[cobraxus]

Exactly where does a gay Republican fit into this intolerant scenario? Well let's see:there"s Roy Cohn,Joe McCarthy,J.Edgar Hoover,Westbrook Peglar,Matt Drudge,Mark Foley and all the other"Wide-Stance" republicans.Oh and that ex-gay pornstar former male prostitute turned marine mechanic who won the Jean Kilpatrick Academic Freedom award.Who am I forgetting?Oh,yeah Dick Cheney's daughter and Phyllis Schaffley's son.I'm sure there are plenty more.

[dcg4mn]

Yes the LCRs just made themselves permanently irrelevant. By now it is delusional for anyone to cling to the outdated belief that Republicans are more fiscally responsible. This has not been true for a VERY long time.
There's no question self-loathing, bitterness, and selfishness (not only financial) play a large part in LCRs - the same traits Clarence Thomas exhibits.

[alvdh1]

The main reason the Log Cabin folk have hung around resides in economic issues. Perhaps the butt spanking they have gotten on the market recently will have their rectums screaming for change.

[benne]

Thanks for the article. Everything you say about Log Cabin Republicans can be said about feminists faced with the good ol' boy Dems. Without a crushing defeat, they will not learn that they can't take women for granted.

[LizzyTish]

Not true. The Democrats have merely not elected a hero of so-called feminist Dems. But for all women in the party, the Dems fervently support, with votes and lip service, the feminist agenda. Feminist goals are still being pursued and met, no matter who is one the ticket.

This is a fundamental distinction from the argument above, where LCRs are repudiated publicly by their party, and the stances of fiscal conservatism that kept them around are clearly a sham. They can't meet their goals that way.

[odoreida]

Obama repudiated women when he didn't include Hillary on the ticket. So now a lot of us plan to return the compliment.

[lletaa]

i dont get those guys. how any glbt could go with the gop is out of my mental capacity. really!

[ProudLiberalDan]

I am glad there are Log Cabin Republicans.

However, they are in denial about John McCain and Sarah Palin.

I find that Log Cabin Republicans frequently contort themselves and go to great lengths to convince themselves that the Republicans they support are more progressive than they are.

Candidate McCain of 2008 has sold his soul to the anti-gay wing of the Republican Party. He is unworthy of their support.

Even if he were still the semi-tolerant, but not really, candidate of the past, his appointing outright homophobe Palin onto the ticket should have rendered them unable to support McCain.

It's sort of like turkeys voting for Thanksgiving. But it's denial. They dont' want to admit to themselves that they haven't made the progress within the Republican Party they want to think they have.

Also, some are just more worried about their trust funds being taxed away than being made a second class citizen in their own country.

[raiffer]

True, the Log Cabin Republicans have slipped their moorings. Whether or not they even had a reason to exist within the party has always been at question. Perhaps, however, the Democrats in general won"t be any more tolerant and inviting. Bigotry based on orientation is deep-seated and noxious. Both parties can claim it. The Democrats have not promulgated any legislation favorable to the GLBT community in some time. They, at best, do blocking tactics, which might be all that is possible but not all that is preferable.
In essence, the GLBT community has no party. We dream of a paradigm shift like the racial revolution in this country. That is not possible. Like most things, changing minds is a matter of one-to-one persuasion learned through familiarity and gradual acceptance.
We pray for nondiscrimination laws. We assume that we have the right to them promised somewhere and somehow in the Constitution. There"s nothing there, folks. The only hint of sexual freedom lies in the Declaration of Independence and it"s preamble concerning life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Even then, I doubt that the finding "fathers" had orientation in mind, even though one or two, given the percentage odds, undoubtedly were gay.
I could debate ad nauseum the merits of GLBT equality. "We want it and we want it now" worked for integration, but it won"t fly here.
The Log Cabin Republicans are an anachronism. Good luck in finding a suitable political home.

[marignymitch]

I can't for the life of me figure why the Log Cabins endorsed a virulently antigay--and corrupt--ticket. Stockholm syndrome? Self-loathing? Lack of principles? Lack of spine? Lots of possible answers; none of them pretty.

Because they refuse to fight homophobia in the GOP it's time for them to hang it up.

[CornSyrupAwareness]

Cenk from the Young Turks did a 20 minute interview with the leader of Log Cabin Repubicans. Its on youtube. Its great! In it he totally destroyed the guy's logic. Cenk pretty much laid out the perfect case that this guy should be a democrat. Every comment about why he wouldn't be a Democrat is because he kept saying....
"I don't want government to help with everything."

Cenk destroys this common fallacy of the right wing. They think we, as progressives, want Gov't involved in everything. Wrong! We only want it involved where it's needed and where it performs better than the private sector. As this week's economy has proven, the private sector can't do everything on its own.

[oafishcad]

The GOP is happy to have them. It "proves" how inclusive they are. Sure they hate them, but they're glad they're there. They're a perfect tool for propoganda (lies).

[dadele]

Log Cabin republicans just make me sad and confused.

[Wilbur]

Talk about voting against your own interests....SHEEEEESH!!!

Wilbur

[Biracial1]

They are simply choosing their wallet over their beliefs.

[bigfated]

And now we know for sure that even your wallet is in danger with these slime in charge!

[BADEN]

They would rather vote their wallets than their loved ones.

Typical kool aide drinking Republicans.

Just goes to show - you can lead a horse to water, but the stupid beast will die of its own accord if it refuses to drink.

[martymartymarty]

They definitely need to re-think what they think they are doing. I have always seen them as misguided while respecting their ideals (unlike so many others who demonize them and use disgraceful epithets to describe them), but I think this time round they should have rejected outright McCain and what he stands for because it is so far removed from what being a "Republican" is supposed to be about. They align themselves with the ideals of Goldwater et al, but the status of this party *calling* themselves Republicans cannot be farther removed. Bringing Palin into the mix only cemented how far the party has strayed from its ideals, and the Log Cabin folk should be loudly asserting a return to the original ideals as their goal instead of plodding on like blind lemmings off a cliff.