A Stupid, Stupid Decision By CPAC

The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally — not a 20 percent traitor. -Ronald Reagan

 A "funny thing happened" while we were concentrating on the debt ceiling crisis at the end of last week, on Friday it told GOProud the organization for Gay Conservatives that its sponsorship dollars were no longer welcome.

"The American Conservative Union is preparing to open registration and announce sponsorship opportunities for our Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) 2012. As a courtesy to your organization, a previous co-sponsor of CPAC, this letter serves to inform you GOProud will not be invited to participate in a formal role for CPAC events scheduled during the 2012 election cycle."

The letter noted that GOProud "members" are welcomed and encouraged to attend "as individual registrants."

The John Birch Society received a similar letter but it is a different category as GOProud is an organization that will expand the reach of conservative politics, while just the name of the John Birch Society drives people away.

For those of you not familiar with GOProud one look at it's website shows that its priorities goals are the same as any other conservative group.

GOProud’s Conservative Agenda
The so-called “gay agenda” is defined by the left through a narrow prism of legislative goals. In contrast to the approach of the left, GOProud’s agenda emphasizes conservative and libertarian principles that will improve the daily lives of all Americans, but especially gay and lesbian Americans.
1 – TAX REFORM - We support replacing the current tax code with the Fair Tax.  Until then, we support death tax repeal; domestic partner tax equity; cuts in the capital gains and corporate tax rates to jump start our economy and create jobs; a fairer, flatter and substantially simpler tax code.
2 – HEALTHCARE REFORM – Free market healthcare reform. Allow for the purchase of insurance across state lines – expanding access to domestic partner benefits; emphasizing individual ownership of healthcare insurance – such a shift would prevent discriminatory practices by an employer or the government.
3 – SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM - The only way to permanent solvency in the Social Security system is through the creation of inheritable personal savings accounts.  Personal savings accounts would give gay and lesbian couples the same opportunity to leave their accounts to their spouses as their straight counterparts.
4 - RESPECTING THE PROPER ROLE OF THE JUDICIARY - We believe our Constitution should be respected and that judges appointed to the federal bench should recognize the proper and appropriate role of the judiciary as laid out by our Founding Fathers.
5 – HOLDING THE LINE ON SPENDING – Standing up for all tax payers against wasteful and unneccessary spending to protect future generations from the mounting federal debt.
6 – FIGHTING GLOBAL EXTREMISTS – Standing strong against radical regimes that refuse to recognize the basic human rights of gays and lesbians, women and religious minorities.
7 – DEFENDING OUR CONSTITUTION – Opposing any anti-gay federal marriage amendment.  Marriage should be a question for the states.  A federal constitutional amendment on marriage would be an unprecedented federal power grab from the states.
8 – ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP – Package of free market reforms to encourage and support small businesses and entrepreneurship.  Such reforms would create jobs for all Americans – including gay Americans.
9 – REVITALIZING OUR COMMUNITIES – A package of urban related reforms; expanding historic tax preservation credits; support for school choice.
10 – DEFENDING OUR COMMUNITY – Protecting 2nd amendment rights.

In other words they are more conservative than most of the Republicans in office today. So someone please tell me the problem? Heck, the even the group's stance on Gay Marriage is a conservative one, that it is a state issue.

The Wall Street Journal reports on remarks about same sex marriage made by Governor Rick Perry (R – TX) to GOP donors in Aspen, Colorado yesterday -

Perry, who has been weighing a presidential run, said he opposes gay marriage — but that he’s also a firm believer of the 10th Amendment.
“Our friends in New York six weeks ago passed a statute that said marriage can be between two people of the same sex. And you know what? That’s New York, and that’s their business, and that’s fine with me,” he said to applause from several hundred GOP donors in Aspen, Colo. “That is their call. If you believe in the 10th Amendment, stay out of their business.”

Governor, you are absolutely right!  Thank you for staying true to your conservative principles by supporting states’ rights.

Whats behind the CPAC exclusion of GOProud, sadly its because some groups such as the Heritage Foundation, the Family Research Council and Concerned Women of America dropped out last year because GOProud was invited.

The next CPAC convention is a very important one, as it comes just nine months before what has the opportunity to be a turning point American election.  For the future of the country it is crucial that Conservatives become a real force in the Senate, Take over the White House and add to our number in the House.  Fighting the liberal/progressive machine of both parties will not be easy. The only way we can win is to grow the conservative base and to remain united in our purpose.

What the American Conservative Union did with CPAC has nothing to do with true conservative values, because GOProud supports those,  just reread the list above.  Sadly the ACU is trying to divide its ranks at a time when it should be uniting, it is trying to retract the conservative movement at a time it should be expanding.

Not allowing GOProud to sponsor CPAC again in 2012 was a stupid, stupid move. It made achieving our election 2012 goals that much more difficult.

My friend Doug Mataconis has the reaction from Andrew Breitbart and Roger Simon at his site....click here to read