* Illinois Review…
Eleven of the 18 members of the Illinois Republican Party platform committee reportedly are agreed that the one-man, one-woman marriage plank should be removed from the 2016 platform. […]
Wednesday night, the committee is expected via conference call to confirm the platform they will be recommending to party delegates this weekend IL GOP State Convention in Peoria. […]
Committee members that support removing the section say the IL GOP’s position preferring one-man/one-woman marriage over same sex marriage is viewed negatively by younger voters that are more libertarian on the issue.
Others argue that since the Supreme Court ruled on same sex marriage, states are not allowed to hold positions differing from the decision, thus the position is irrelevant. Still others insist the Republican Party boasts a “big tent” that should welcome anyone with any position on the sanctity of marriage.
* The language targeted for removal…
* The new language, according to IR…
VII. STRENGTHENING ILLINOIS FAMILIES
A. We recognize that a strong family, based on the institution of marriage, sanctified by God and strengthened by the legal protections afforded to that institution by government, is the basic building block of society. Accordingly, we support public policies that promote the formation, endurance, and autonomy of the nuclear family and that empower parents to provide a safe and nurturing home environment for their children.
B. We recognize that religious freedom is the “first” freedom, as enshrined in the First Amendment. While we oppose discrimination in any form, we also oppose public policies that seek to compel or coerce individuals, businesses, religious institutions, or other organizations to violate their core religious beliefs, including, without limitation, by participating in ceremonies that run contrary to their core religious beliefs.
C. We believe that parents—not bureaucrats—are best-positioned to make decisions regarding the health and welfare of their minor children, and we support public policies that preserve and strengthen parental rights.
D. We believe that the disintegration of the nuclear family is a leading cause of generational poverty and that a connection exists in this and other respects between “social” and “fiscal” public policy issues.
E. We recognize that the states reserved to themselves—implicitly throughout the U.S. Constitution and explicitly in the Tenth Amendment—the power to legislate on matters related to marriage and family, and we oppose efforts by the federal government to encroach on that reserved power.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:23 am:
Pat Brady beat Jim Oberweis in the end… Hysterical.
Jim Oberweis’ stain in the ILGOP is finally tryibg to be cleaned and the ILGOP will come to grips with what Slytherins hope would never come… a big tent.
This will help the 4-62 vote tally that was the GOP GA record on SSM. Won’t wipe away Oberweis and his statements, but it does move the ILGOP far away from Jim Overweis’ Litmus Tests.
Glad to see this happening, kudos to Pat Brady.
- MSIX - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:24 am:
Their new language is still backward-looking claptrap.
- Keyser Soze - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:29 am:
Politicians are well advised to stay out of bedrooms….and bathrooms, the latter being a more recent battle zone.
- Fred - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:30 am:
Small steps toward a more humane world.
- Ahoy! - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:35 am:
Well the State GOP has come a little closer, but they still have a long way to go, but the journey of a thousand miles begins with one footstep.
- Saluki - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:35 am:
Illinois. Where Republicans are Democrats. Wonder what the next domino to fall will be?
- Wensicia - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:36 am:
Progress, even if dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
- Commander Norton - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:39 am:
Interesting that they eliminated the “while not universally achievable” language with regards to any of this family stuff.
- Indochine - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:41 am:
I can only imagine the pearl-clutching at going on with Illinois Review, Caprio, IFI, etc.
This made my day.
- CLJ - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:54 am:
It’s a tiny step in the grand scheme of things. It is also a recognition that the language of souther social conservatism that has infiltrated the generic “national conservative platform” does not play in Illinois.
I just finished reading Colin Woodard’s (author of American Nations) latest book “American Character.” It is another great read by him and provides insight on why this is a significant move for the Illinois GOP.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 12:03 pm:
===I can only imagine the pearl-clutching at going on with Illinois Review, Caprio, IFI, etc.===
Some of the comments are pretty hilarious. My personal favorite: “More proof the Illinois GOP is controlled by Mike Madigan”
Talk about full circle.
- cdog - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 12:09 pm:
When conservatives have to think progressively in order to perceive that they will survive as conservatives…..priceless.
- Archiesmom - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 12:19 pm:
Wensicia +1
- wordslinger - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 12:32 pm:
–E. We recognize that the states reserved to themselves—implicitly throughout the U.S. Constitution and explicitly in the Tenth Amendment—the power to legislate on matters related to marriage and family, and we oppose efforts by the federal government to encroach on that reserved power.–
Yeah, well, tell it to Justice Kennedy.
Curious, though, that the Illinois GOP is now proposing to go all states’ rights when it comes to marriage, as the current platform supports the former federal DOMA and calls for its “enshrining” in the federal Constitution.
Good thing, though, I guess, that Quinn signed a state SSM bill that passed with the resounding support of three GOP GA members. If I recall, Bruce thought two dudes getting married was “weird.”
Does anyone know what the following is trying to say? Is it about the welfares?
–D. We believe that the disintegration of the nuclear family is a leading cause of generational poverty and that a connection exists in this and other respects between “social” and “fiscal” public policy issues.–
- DGD - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 12:45 pm:
This is the kind of nonsense that gave birth to trump.
- Last Bull Moose - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 12:51 pm:
There is now a glimmer of hope that my daughters could become Republicans. Change positions on abortions and climate change. Then we have a new world.
- Jorge - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 2:11 pm:
The GOP should replace these old school thoughts with “Jesus was a zombie.” Thanks to AMC, the party of the old may be able to get a couple of extra voters.
- Christopher - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 2:45 pm:
The revised language may be less “harmful,” but it still fails to recognize the separation of church and state, that there are LGBT people (like my husband and me) in our society who are just as worthy as anyone else, and love makes a family (not the gender of the people in it). In other words, the language has no effect on us either way (we’re married, once and for all), and we couldn’t care less what Republicans think.
- Lomez - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 3:52 pm:
==Politicians are well advised to stay out of bedrooms==
Determining the types relationships the State will formally recognize/incentivize is going into someone’s bedroom? Interesting. Kind of like how not agreeing that mandated birth control is “insurance” is also going into people’s bedrooms / bodies.
A necessary move politically. We lost. Decades ago, actually. Gay marriage proponents are right that it will have little impact on marriage overall. Recent and future developments are and will be a symptom of the state of marriage rather than its cause.
- Lomez - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 3:59 pm:
==There is now a glimmer of hope that my daughters could become Republicans. Change positions on abortions and climate change. Then we have a new world.==
“Hey take up more Democrat positions so we can become Republicans”
lol
- walker - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 4:03 pm:
==We recognize that religious freedom is the “first” freedom, as enshrined in the First Amendment.==
Rights in the First Amendment were placed in priority order. Who knew?
- anon - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 6:40 pm:
Just another example of how the GOP (with the exception of 3 mavericks) oppose reforms when they are enacted, but before long drop their opposition.
Religious freedom is the first freedom? To listen to the GOP one would thing it was gun rights.
- Harvest76 - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 7:15 pm:
I can’t help but insert “interracial marriage” into all of those points and recognize how incredibly Antiquated the GOP platform is. And they wonder why they can’t make progress with young people.
- PENSIONS ARE OFF LIMITS - Wednesday, May 18, 16 @ 11:02 pm:
A change in policy doesn’t mean they aren’t homophibic. Rauner is done. This BS will be done in February 2017.