Log Cabin Chicago Blog

Disclaimer: Log Cabin has not endorsed any candidate for President, yet. However, straw polling suggested that a lot of our members were leaning towards Rudy.

It seems like his “9/11 terrets” is what did him in, he branded him self as a “National-Defendo” so many primary goers never really saw his other core beliefs, especially as they related to self-reliance/small government. I have to admit i started to cringe in anticipating of the next sentence that would inevitably include “9/11.” Sure, he played up leadership a great deal, but what the public heard was leadership during crisis (terrorism crisis). American’s doesn’t vote for one issue politicians, and Rudy became one of them.

Hindsight, Michael, hindsight.  Then why were log cabinites so enamored by Rudy?Maybe because many of us are one issue voters? We try not to be, but we all do have GLBT rights, marriage equality, gay marriage, marriage amendments on the brain. And in Rudy, we saw a President that had an aura of machismo that would be able to squash anti-gay sentiment, anti-gay constitutional amendments, a President that understood the role of “Big Government” was to be as small as possible, and battle against Christian conservatives looking to institutionalize bigotry and discrimination.

Thanks Rudy, for throwing your hat into the ring, fighting terrorism, wearing drag, and being inclusive. We hope you stay in politics, and we never minded that you took such large speaking fees, you deserve it.

John McCain anyone?

Join Log Cabin members this Saturday to collect signatures for Christine Radogno, a long time friend to Log Cabin.

We’re looking to leave Chicago and head out to Lemont between 8-9 in the morning, and work for an hour or so.

email David at chicago@logcabin.org if you are interested. So far its just David and I, we’d like a few more volunteers!

The Spirit of Lincoln Awards was a success! View the photos from this event on our Flickr page!

I had the opportunity on Sunday to speak to the Chicago PFLAG group. The talk was titled, “How can you be a gay Republican?” I thought of recording it and posting it in podcast format, but the setting was so intimate that the “speech” was fairly informal. This was my first PFLAG meeting, not only did I present, but I was invited to participate in the small group discussions. The Chicago group is made up of a diverse set of parents handling the “gay issue,” young people seeking guidance on the coming-out process and older people wrestling with non-acceptance by family members.

Republicans are “republican” for many reasons. I’m a Republican because I identify with the party on Libertarian economic policy (free trade, low taxes and limited government). Stemming from the limited government tact, government has no role managing social policy. Sexuality is a private issue that doesn’t need government interference. What I attempted to do was shine some light on why the party seems to ostracize the GLBT community. And in doing so bring to the surface that Republicans do actually support GLBT issues, its just that the Christian Right is very vocal minority. The other segments of the GOP pie are supportive of GLBT rights, its just that they are so splintered its hard for their voices to be heard. I also assured the PFLAG group that the strength of the Christian Right is weakening, and that they are loosing their stranglehold on the voice and direction of the Republican Party, its just a matter of time.

The data and observations of who make up the GOP come from Tony Fabrizio of Fabrizio McLaughlin and Associate. Tony presented his findings while I was in DC for a Log Cabin Trustee “fly-in.” He delivered a condensed version of the presentation, “The Elephant Looks in the Mirror 10 Years Later”.

Among the poll’s findings (excerpted from LCR email/ press release): Continue reading ‘“Gay and Republican” My Speech to PFLAG’

You know, I risk saying this as a stalwart Republican, but I really like one thing about Governor Rod Blagojevich – his hair.  Of course that is about all I like about Governor Rod.  Maybe it’s because he’s got a great head of it and I’m starting to lose mine.  It’s kind of like the old adage, “People always want what they don’t have”.  Well, that is precisely what the governor tried to do through his gross receipts tax.  He wants what the state doesn’t have – lot’s of cash.  So instead of raising it the old fashioned way and cutting back on expenses like you and I have to do, he wants to rob it from those who have had to earn it and cut back on their expenses – Illinois business. Continue reading ‘We Like Rod…well at least we like his hair.’