The GOP Again Denigrates LGBT Lives and Relationships to Drive ...

Never under estimate the cynicism of some in the Republican Party to trash LGBT citizens and damage lies in the quest to make sure the Christofascists turn out and vote on election day.? We saw this behavior back in 2004 when Karl Rove and his forces of evil pushed to get anti-gay marriage amendments on the ballot to drive Christianist turnout and help secure the re-election of George W. Bush, a man who likely ought to be on trial for war crimes given the torture that was approved and utilized by his regime.? Now, it turns out that the GOP is up to the same old game in Minnesota where gay rights and lives have yet again been cynically put on the ballot.? Here are highlights from WCCO-TV 4 in Minneapolis:

But Brodkorb ? once a powerful Republican insider ? says a big reason it?s on the ballot isn?t family values. Top Republicans needed a way to get conservatives off the couch and into the voting booth.

?It provided a turnout opportunity for Republicans,? he said.? Brodkorb was former Deputy Chairman of the State Republican Party and top Senate staffer, and says GOP Senators knew a driving force behind the gay marriage amendment wasn?t morality. It was political reality.

Top GOP leaders thought they couldn?t beat incumbent Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Republicans would stay home.? ?The belief was, the United States senate race was not going to be close, and that Republicans needed and social conservatives needed a reason to get to the polls in November,? he said.? The marriage amendment brought thousands of protesters to the Capitol, and it passed with all Republicans and only one Democratic vote.

WCCO talked with a number of Republican leaders Monday night who declined to talk on the record.? The main group opposing the amendment, Minnesotans United, made this statement Monday night: ?It?s disappointing to hear this freedom-limiting amendment was pushed solely for political gain. Regardless, in just a few short weeks, Minnesotans are being forced to vote on whether we will permanently limit the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples in our state. This amendment doesn?t represent our Minnesota values or what is best for our future, and we believe that Minnesotans will reject it.?

Brodkorb?s job with the state Republican party and the State Senate was to maximize the vote for Republicans, and he says many Senators saw this as a good way to do that. Ironically, he now says it?s a strategy that could backfire.

Opposition to the amendment is strong in the Twin Cities suburbs, and it could cause some Republican state Senators to lose.?? Republican Senator Warren Limmer, (R) Maple Grove ? the author of the marriage amendment ? acknowledged GOP Senators did discuss some get-out-the-vote efforts ?among many other amendment-related items.?

Thus, the sad truth is that LGBT citizens' lives do not matter to those in the leadership of the GOP.? Meanwhile, the ignorant loons in the Christofascist element of the GOP base are being played for suckers by the same GOP leadership that in truth doesn't give a rat's ass about "protecting marriage."? It's enough to make one physically sick.?

Source: http://michael-in-norfolk.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-gop-again-denigrates-lgbt-lives-and.html

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