LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Capital Letters |
by Hastings Wyman |
Gay Right Expanding
Despite the Bush Administration's poor to middling performance on gay concerns, organizations of non-liberal, non-Democratic gay activists are expanding their activities at an impressive rate. Most gay and lesbian voters fall in the Democratic and/or liberal columnexit polls in 2000 showed 70 percent of us voted for Al Gore and 5 percent for Ralph Nader. But that leaves 25 percent of the gay community voting for George W. Bush, and this minority within a minority is increasing its role in both gay and mainstream politics. While the Log Cabin Republicans are the best known of the groups devoted to a right-of-center approach to gay concerns, other organizations, such as the Republican Unity Coalition (RUC), the Liberty Education Forum (LEF) and the Independent Gay Forum (IGF), are increasing their visibility. Republican Unity Coalition. Formed last year by President Bush's friend and fellow Texanand recent transplant to the nation's capitalopenly gay Charles Francis, this relatively new kid on the block is fast becoming a major player in national politics. RUC has set a goal of raising $1 million for Republican congressional candidates in the 2002 election, 10 times higher than the $100,000 Log Cabin contributed to the GOP's congressional candidates last year. RUC has already held fundraisers in Los Angelesstarring openly gay ex-Congressman Mike Huffington (Calif.)and in Philadelphia. Recently, at the request of Congressman Tom Davis (Va.), who chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), RUC raised $12,000 at a Capitol Hill breakfast for Congressman Rob Simmons (Conn.). "Our highest goal," says Francis, "is to help Tom Davis and the NRCC succeed in helping maintain Republican control of the House of Representatives." Francis notes that RUC can "make a huge difference" in urban and suburban congressional districts. While RUC hasn't raised the money yet, Francis is well-connected in Washington circles and is a good bet to reach his goal. RUC is also expanding its political reach. Ex-Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, who has formed an exploratory committee for the 2002 California governor's race, has signed on as an honorary RUC co-chair. Riordan "will have maximum RUC support" in his gubernatorial bid, says Francis. Other new RUC honorary co-chairs include openly gay Congressman Jim Kolbe (Ariz.) and ex-Congresswoman Susan Molinari (N.Y.). They join ex-Sen. Alan Simpson (Wyo.), who is hosting an August meeting of RUC's leadership in Cody, Wyoming featuringin addition to Francis and HuffingtonNew York developer Don Capoccia, New York Gov. George Pataki's gay liaison for his 2002 re-election bid. Liberty Education Forum. This right-of-the-gay-center think tank concentrates on issues, rather than partisan political activities. LEF has been around for six years, but it has recently taken two steps that will expand its operations significantly. First, LEF hired a full-time staff member, Erick Swenson, who has a work history with non-profit groups. Swenson recently moved from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., to become LEF's vice president for institutional advancement. His primary duty will be fundraising. The group is already off to a good startLEF raised $55,000 in sponsorships for its recent conference in Chicago (where yours truly participated in a panel on the gay agenda), plus an additional $23,000 at the high-rolling group's silent auction. Second, LEF has launched a new Web sitewww.libertyeducationforum.orgthat publishes the group's white papers advocating policies that usually differ from the liberal positions taken by most gay organizations. Samples: "The Death Tax is a Gay Issue" and "Hate Crimes and the Federal Role," which argues in favor of Sen. Orrin Hatch's (R-Utah) alternative to Sen. Ted Kennedy's (D-Mass.) bill. Hatch's more broadly worded approach would cover any crime of violence motivated by hatred toward members of any group, butunlike Kennedy's billdoes not name categories of victims. LEF is officially non-partisan, but it has strong ties with Log Cabin Republicansit shares office space with the GOP group and LCR staffers Rich Tafel and Kevin Ivers both have part-time positions with LEF. Independent Gay Forum. The board of this group of gay writers with non-liberal views is moving ahead with plans to provide wider distribution of its members' output. Of major interest to the gay community is the ability of IGF writers to get their pro-gay views in publications that haven't been sympathetic to our concerns. National Journal writer Jonathan Rauch recently had a column on the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal opposing the proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Rauch and New Republic columnist Andrew Sullivan had letters to the editor in National Reviewfounded by William F. Buckleyon the same topic. Sullivan even drew praise recently from the anti-gay Family Research Council for his pro-life stance, though the group blasted his support for "counterfeit marriage." IGF's guiding light is libertarian columnist Paul Varnell of Chicago. Whether this non-liberal gay activity will benefit the gay community, the GOP, both or neither, remains to be seen. The key will be the record compiled by the White House and Republicans in Congress over the next several years. Stay tuned. Hastings Wyman publishes Southern Political Report, a nonpartisan biweekly political newsletter. He may be reached in care of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth or at HWymanSPR@aol.com. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 11, No. 11, August 10, 2001. |