I think the most condemning part of the article comes in the last couple paragraphs:
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During the 18 years I served in the Senate, Republicans often disagreed with each other. But there was much that held us together. We believed in limited government, in keeping light the burden of taxation and regulation. We encouraged the private sector, so that a free economy might thrive. We believed that judges should interpret the law, not legislate. We were internationalists who supported an engaged foreign policy, a strong national defense and free trade. These were principles shared by virtually all Republicans.
But in recent times, we Republicans have allowed this shared agenda to become secondary to the agenda of Christian conservatives. As a senator, I worried every day about the size of the federal deficit. I did not spend a single minute worrying about the effect of gays on the institution of marriage. Today it seems to be the other way around.
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I couldn't agree more with Danforth's article. This is the exact problem I find with most people who align themselves with the Republican party these days. I've even discussed it on the campus Republican organization's message board, to my own dismay at finding that most are Reps. because of these hot button religious issues.
To quote a reponse to my question, "Why are you a Republican?":
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I'm a republican because 1) I believe this country should be ran on what roots it was founded on and what has helped us become the most prosperous nation over the last 150 years 2) I don't believe in murder, abortion is just that, a fetus has brain development in early stages and also can feel what is happening 3) I think all public airways television and radio should be censored because when I have children I dont want them to see and hear this and learn from it. 4) im not a bigot, homophobic or anything like that but i believe that marriage is a special sacrament between a woman and a man...do you need more?
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And judging from the other responses my question received, I wouldn't be surprised to find this one as being the typical answer if a national survery were done.