Paul Ryan

[keito_f]

I don't much about other stances he has taken regarding LGBT, but ABC reports this:

Ryan is "notably further to the left on the issue of lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender rights than the base of the party. He broke with a lot of his party to support the Employee Non-Discrimination Act in 2007. He explained his reasoning for the vote in this way

Comments

[redstar826]

He is only to the left of Republicans if you look at ENDA and nothing else

He voted against ending DADT, voted in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment, voted against including LGBT people in hate crime laws, he voted in favor of banning same-sex couples from adopting children in the District of Columbia

http://www.advocate.com/politics/election/2012/08/11/here-lgbt-rights-record-paul-ryan-who-reports-say-romney-pick-veep

[tko_ak]

That's all true, but those are also all things that the party - especially in the House - expected everyone to be in lock step with. And only DADT was recent.

Considering how quickly the tide is shifting in our favor, even a few years can make a big difference.

[keito_f]

Well as I mentioned I didn't know much about the other stances; I just thought it was positive that he he supported ant-discrimination laws. And that is rather sad I know, that supporting anti-discrimination laws is seen as a positive rather than a given.

[tko_ak]

I feel the same thing, but I see it as a bigger deal than I used to, after seeing the viciousness when Anchorage tried to expand its anti-discrimination laws this previous spring...and it went down by 20% in the polls.

I guess I had always assumed that most people were on board with that, even if they had issues with marriage equality. I guess we lost the PR war.

[tko_ak]

Well, he's hardly an advocate for equality, but his forte is the budget and economic issues. That's what he focuses on, and always has, not social issues. Even before it was chic in the party.

Support of ENDA is promising, and considering his youth, I think there's potential. Even though he's on record in other anti-gay ways, that may be more out of waning political necessity than genuine conviction. It's the nutter die hards who are worrisome.

[keito_f]

And you! You're getting sloppy!

[tko_ak]

I know not of what you speak, but I embrace my slovenly ways.

[keito_f]

I didn't tag it with ENDA

[violentdragking]

His hatred of women "makes up" for whatever tolerance he may show on LGBT issues. This guy is horrid.

[somniumdraconae]

This.

[keito_f]

Well the more I hear about him, the less positive there seems to be. I guess I was just hopeful.