Republican+Stance

Republican Stance 

Republicans are against including gays and lesbians in hate crimes. President Barack Obama and Vice- Joe Biden do not support gay marriage but they do support civil unions. They also hope to repel the "Don't ask, don't tell policy" saying that it is discriminating towards gay and lesbians.

A growing number of Republicans are breaking with the party's traditional stance to publicly state their support for same-sex marriage, a shift strategists say stems as much from demographics as from the renewed focus on economics and the "tea party" movement.

There are large subgroup differences of opinion about same-sex marriage. For example, while Democrats approve 57% to 33%, Republicans disapprove 74% to 21%. While liberals approve 67% to 28%, conservatives disapprove 80% to 16%. Opinions of younger and middle age voters are about evenly divided. Voters age 65 or older disapprove 75% to 19%. A large majority of Protestants and a somewhat smaller majority of Catholics disapprove. Majorities of voters affiliated with other religions or who have no religious preference appove of allowing such unions.

We affirm traditional military culture, and we affirm that homosexuality is incompatible with military service. Source: 2004 Republican Party Platform, p. 18 Sep 7, 2004

After more than two centuries of American jurisprudence, and millennia of human experience, a few judges and local authorities are presuming to change the most fundamental institution of civilization, the union of a man and a woman in marriage. Attempts to redefine marriage in a single state or city could have serious consequences throughout the country, and anything less than a Constitutional amendment, passed by the Congress and ratified by the states, is vulnerable to being overturned by activist judges. On a matter of such importance, the voice of the people must be heard. The Constitutional amendment process guarantees that the final decision will rest with the American people and their elected representatives. President Bush will also vigorously defend the Defense of Marriage Act, which was supported by both parties and passed by 85 votes in the Senate. This common sense law reaffirms the right of states not to recognize same-sex marriages licensed in other states.

We strongly support a Constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage, and we [oppose] forcing states to recognize other living arrangements as equivalent to marriage. The well-being of children is best accomplished [when] nurtured by their mother & father anchored by the bonds of marriage. We believe that legal recognition and the accompanying benefits afforded couples should be preserved for that unique and special union of one man and one woman which has historically been called marriage. Source: 2004 Republican Party Platform, p. 85 Sep 1, 2004 We support the traditional definition of “marriage” as the legal union of one man and one woman, and we believe that federal judges and bureaucrats should not force states to recognize other living arrangements as marriages. We do not believe sexual preference should be given special legal protection or standing in law. Source: Republican Platform adopted at GOP National Convention Aug 12, 2000

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