[UPDATE: Let's not forget that the new-and-improved anti-gay platform plank comes less than one day after Dick Cheney said he opposed the Federal Marriage Amendment and that "freedoms means freedom for everyone." This platform plank was a direct response to Dick Cheney's comments. The question is whether Cheney knew this was coming, or at least knew SOMETHING anti-gay was coming, and wanted to distance himself from it (or at least send a warning shot that he wasn't on board), OR did Cheney make his statement for some other reason and this was Karl Rove's and the religious right's response to show that THEY'RE in charge and not Dick Cheney. Whichever, this issue is about MUCH MORE than gay marriage - there is an all out war going on behind the scenes between the rabid religious right and party moderates.]
Never put it past the GOP to one-up themselves in terms of how bigoted and nasty they can be. To wit, the proposed anti-gay platform plank has been strengthened from its earlier draft form and now says, according to the Wash Post:
Unless rewritten by the full 110-member platform committee tonight or Thursday, the marriage section will condemn "a few judges and local authorities" who presume to change "the most fundamental institution of civilization." It will say same-sex couples should not receive legal benefits set aside for married couples, and it calls on the Senate to join the House in voting to strip federal courts of the authority to overturn state laws banning gay marriage.What that means is that the Republican platform now:
1. Opposes gay marriage.
2. Supports a federal constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
3. Opposes civil unions for gays.
4. Oppose gay couples getting ANY OF THE BENEFITS that married couples get, meaning inheritance, partner visitation in the hospital, insurance benefits, adoption rights, etc.
5. Opposes gay partners of victims of September 11 receiving any of the funds given to surviving partners, as they would be receiving benefits akin to those given married couples.
6. Supports making it so gays can't even appeal to our own federal courts for redress on this matter.
This language pretty much echoes the incredibly bigoted legislation passed in Virginia a few months ago that ripped ALL LEGAL RIGHTS away from gay couples, and could even threaten private sector benefits for gay couples. The GOP just told gay Americans (and apparently the entire Cheney family) to go fuck themselves. It's gonna be a fun week next week in NYC.
