RNC Nixes Proposed Anti-Gay Resolutions

While the Christofascist elements of the party base will likely be outraged, perhaps the Republican National Committee ("RNC") has finally realized that homophobia and anti-gay extremism is not good for the GOP's long term viability as a national political party.  At least that is one possible take away from the RNC action today killing two controversial anti-gay resolutions that were proposed for consideration during its summer meeting this week in Cleveland.  It is also possible that the RNC did not to fuel a furor ahead of its first presidential circus debate event tomorrow after the Democrat National Committee had jumped on news that the proposals were up for consideration.  One can almost imagine the shrieks and howls - and sheets of flying spittle - that must be occurring in the headquarters of hate groups like Family Research Council, NOM and The Family Foundation here in Virginia.  Here are highlights from Time.com on the development:

The Republican National Committee’s resolutions committee quietly rejected a pair of resolutions critical of homosexuality Wednesday.

The controversial resolutions dealing with sex education and same-sex marriage threatened to cast a shadow on the first GOP presidential debate Thursday in Cleveland, as the party looks toward expanding its base in the key swing state. According to a member of the committee, both failed to gain support to be recommended to the full 168-member party governing body on Friday.

The first resolution, introduced by embattled Michigan national committeeman Dave Agema, would have encouraged “schools that are teaching the homosexual lifestyle in their sexual education class also include the harmful physical aspects of the lifestyle.” The second, which would have encouraged Congress and states to pass laws in an effort to nullify June’s Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, was introduced by Louisiana national committeeman Ross Little, Jr. The Washington Blade first reported on the proposed resolutions over the weekend.

The proposals quickly garnered attention and criticism from the Democratic National Committee and same-sex marriage proponents. The Human Rights Campaign launched a digital ad campaign Wednesday to encourage candidates to support the plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges, Ohioan Jim Obergefell.

But the resolutions committee also failed to approve a counter-proposal that would have called for the party to respect differing opinions on the Supreme Court case among its presidential candidates.

According to a person familiar with the resolutions committee meeting, only four resolutions were sent to the full Republican National Committee for a final vote on Friday: one condemning Planned Parenthood amid recent controversial videos about fetal tissue, another condemning President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, a resolution on judicial overreach, and a fourth honoring a recently deceased former RNC member.

While it is possible that the resolutions could be offered once again at the general session on Friday, such a move is seen as unlikely, and would almost certainly fail.

Another take, of course, is that perhaps the GOP is learning that whenever the party takes new anti-gay stands, GOP elected officials tend to get outed - ask former Virginia 2nd district congressman Ed Schrock what happened to him after the Virginia GOP began its anti-gay jihad.