Republican Party Chief
Michael Steele's (pictured) latest comments on
civil unions "marginalize gay and lesbian Americans, and
further alienate" moderate voters, Log Cabin Republican
Chairman Terry Hamilton said in an email statement to
members on Wednesday. But the subject line of that statement
sent mixed signals.
"Log Cabin
Congratulates Michael Steele," the email's subject
line read -- the same subject line of the statement sent by the
organization on January 30 after Steele's win as chair.
Log Cabin currently
faces staffing and budgetary shortfalls. In the upcoming April
issue of
The Advocate
, Log Cabin chairman Terry Hamilton said that the predictions
that the organization will soon see its demise are
"greatly exaggerated." The group was $100,000 in debt
after 2008 proved to be a weak funding year, but donors were
able to accumulate $125,000 to keep the group afloat.
Earlier this week,
Steele responded to a questions by radio host Mike Gallagher on
whether Republicans should start to consider civil unions for
same-sex couple. He said it was out of the question.
"No, no no,"
he said. "What would we do that for? What are you, crazy?
No. Why would we backslide on a core, founding value of this
country? I mean this isn't something that you just kind of
like, "Oh well, today I feel, you know, loosey-goosey on
marriage."
Right after Steele was
selected as chairman in January, Log Cabin Republicans
congratulated the party for selecting a leader who describes
himself as moderate. Steele co-founded the Republican
Leadership Council, which encourages fiscal responsibility and
personal liberties, with former New Jersey Governor Christine
Todd Whitman, and Senator John Danforth. During the campaign to
lead the GOP, Steele stressed the need to cast a wider net in
recruitment efforts, and embracing those who support marriage
equality and abortion, issues that are counter to the
traditional Republican agenda. (Michelle Garcia,
Advocate.com)
