Prev Next
Featured Quizzes
Politix Daily Headlines
Featured Debates
Issues

See all 17 issues

People
White House

See all people

WEDDING PARTY

Illinois GOP Chairman Rejects Calls for Resignation After Endorsing Same-Sex Marriage

Pat Brady stands firm, says GOP needs to change on social issues to improve image

Next>

by Lisa Fine

Staff Writer t

A family testifies on behalf of a same-sex marriage bill in Illinois. Image: AP

lllinois GOP Chairman Pat Brady's endorsement of a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the state has gotten slammed by other party leaders, with some even calling for his resignation.

"I can only express my disappointment in the way this has come about and the manner in which the Republican platform of Illinois has been completely disregarded," said committeeman Gene Dawson, as he read from the resignation request he emailed to Brady, reported WBEZ Chicago Public Media.

"Pat Brady is a total disgrace," said Bobbie Peterson, a Republican state central committeewoman told WBEZ. "What's coming out of his mouth is not what the Illinois Republican party is about."

Brady said he did not consult with other leaders before he decided to speak out for a pending bill to legalize same-sex marriage. He is standing firm in his position.

"If people want to throw me out because I took a stand on an issue of discrimination [as] the chairman of the Republican Party, the party founded by Abraham Lincoln, then that's - " that's up to them and they're free to do it," Brady said. "But I'm not backing down."

The controversy comes at a critical juncture for the Illinois GOP, having lost the majority in the sate's congressional delegation in the last election. Democrats won supermajorities in both chambers of the General Assembly.

The timing is partly why Brady said he chose to speak up. "We need to change the brand or the image of the party of this group of angry, old white guys," Brady said. "And that's what we look like right now."

Via WBEZ
Like this article? B Vote Up
?

Should the GOP support same-sex marriage?

View results

Comments (view in Forum)

  • stepped_in_it
    !
    A Republican in Democrat clothing? Time for a bunch of angry, old men to look at themselves in the mirror (and please don't throw kisses and make googly faces at yourselves when you do).......LOL
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    @DARSB actually your charecterization more acturate then mine. These guys are trying to save the repub party. I prefer to ser it go down. But a lot of repubs go crazy at this, just like they did with the bush tax expiration deal and at christe for making sense...
  • DARSB
    !
    @PoliticalSpice Like it or not (and many don't) we have a two party system that requires two functional parties. If I thought a get well card would help I'd have one in the mail to Reince Priebus in the morning.
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    @DARSB You are so much more reasonable then I. You focus on well thought post that foster intelligent dialouge, I just try have fun...

  • View all 14 replies >

  • u
    SmedleyButler
    !
    Who FREAKING cares? If these two parties would just look at this as a constitutional issue. There is NO reason for government to be involved in marriage. If bridzillas straight or gay want it recorded, come up with a standard domestic business agreement form. Religious people can go to their houses of worship. The more government gets involved in our lives, the more of a failure it is. Marriage is nothing but slavery anyway when it ends and MOST do.
  • mimi57
    !
    I agrre with you often, not this time...you must have had a really bad marriage, some are actually very good. ( :
  • Thunderchicken
    !
    I voted you up but you only have me till the last line of your post. Sweetie's and my marriage isn't perfect but I'm happy with it.

  • View all 16 replies >

  • u
    BelinKS
    !
    Republicans as a whole are against same sex marraige. He ran for office as a republican and was voted in as one. That means he is supposed to stand for the republicans that put him there. He chose not to. If he does not hold republican stances, he should have run his campaign as an independent or a democrat. I am not stating my own views about same sex marriages. I am stating my opinion of a man that is not a republican running for office as one.
  • PNWest
    !
    Plenty of republicans disagree with things in the GOP platform just as many democrats disagree with things in the democratic platform. Not a big deal. A representative is supposed to do the right thing for the country or state in this guy's case.
  • Zazziness
    !
    He is NOT supposed to "represent Republicans." He is supposed to represent his entire constituency while keeping in the mind the framework of our Constitution.

  • View all 86 replies >

  • _Jenny_
    !
    Conservatives are the loudest in yelling about rights but are the worse for wanting to refuse equal rights. They are almost as bad concerning women.
  • mimi57
    !
    Get back in that dog house! Don't you know you're a chauvanistic PIG??? There's a
    WAR on women!!! Where have you been? SIT and STAY, NOW! LOL
  • Ashstop
    !
    Neither should democrats, I think any politician ( both sides ) that changes his values midterm should resign, if Obama came to his senses today and changed his socialist views to conservative wouldn't it be the right thing for him to do to step down? He wouldn't be representing those who elected him. Of course many of them are only interested in vetted reelected so they have no backbone at all, even Obama changed his views midterm to win more votes, no integrity at all.
  • frigginhell
    !
    Flip-Flopping and going whichever way the wind blows is one of the highest ideals of the GOP. This man isn't breaking some kind of tradition, he's upholding one. He's living to the highest standard of the GOP and indeed any politician, he's bowing to public opinion in an effort to get votes later down the line.
    If he keeps this up he might just be their nominee in 2016. Or am I the only one who recalls Romney's stance on it before he changed his mind several times.
  • Fishbone345
    !
    The GOP should be behind it, absolutely. Not because they support gays, but because they support the way our Government SHOULD be run. Less of it! The Federal Government shouldn't be involved in people's bedrooms, and the Conservatives should be the loudest voices in that discussion.
    Anyone that says the Government should intervene when they don't like something someone does, doesn't understand what a Conservative is. Do some reading and educate yourselves instead of showing your ignorance.
  • Neo_NtheMatrix
    !
    I'm so tired of these RINOs. We need a Tea Party, a true political party, not just a grass roots movement. We need a third party that will stand by its principles and not waffle and waver in the wind. It is a truly sad day that so many of our Republican leaders have non-verbally switched to the Democratic party. Truly disgusting and disturbing. So sad...
  • PNWest
    !
    These RINOs are selling out because of the shellacking they took in the November elections. Apparently they'll do anything to win votes and don't have any core convictions at all. Which brings to mind - why did you vote for them in the first place?

    I do have a friendly suggestion for your potential 3rd party. Don't call it the Tea Party. That name has been associated with too many racists and nut jobs. Go for something else.
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    On this I agree with you. I'd like to see as many political parties in congress as possible. But I disagree with my @PNWest in one thing, I think you should call it the tea party. The "brand" has already been edtablished an people understand what it stands for...
  • Neo_NtheMatrix
    !
    @PNWest - Liberals associate anything that doesn't involve socialism with racists and nut jobs. We're use to the negative twisted slant we get from the left. We need a party that stands by its convictions of spending less than what you take in, that people ought to work for a living, a strong uncompromising national defense, small government and low taxes and regulations, and so many things that our children and grandchildren deserve. They deserve a thriving economy with jobs and opportunity, and they deserve to not have all of their wages confiscated by an overgrown greedy government. Why would anyone with children not embrace these ideals? It makes no sense. Honestly it doesn't. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, I SAID!!!
  • PNWest
    !
    @Neo_NtheMatrix The current Tea Party is associated with nut jobs and racists. It is too late to change that. I just suggest that you don't call your 3rd party the Tea Party. Call it something different. Why get off on the wrong foot?

  • View all 36 replies >

  • o
    OhWiseOne
    !
    Should the GOP support homosexual marriage? No. Should the Democrat Party support marriage the way it's always been defined? Yes. Although I won't hold my breath on that one.
    On a side note, have you noticed how liberals quit using the term homosexual marriage and started using the phrase same sex marriage? LOL! You can put lipstick on a pig BUT it's still a pig.
  • jamie91
    !
    The term same sex marriage is more appropriate. Why? Because bisexuals exist, and they may wish to marry someone of the same sex too.
  • o
    woodtick57
    !
    The way marriage has been defined has constantly changed. As a social construct, it has to change to remain relevent to the society that created it.
  • o
    OhWiseOne
    !
    @jamie91 That's not why they changed the terminology. They started using that because it didn't sound quite as disgusting as homosexual marriage. A weak attempt to change the minds of the general population who still find it disgusting. Truth.
  • o
    OhWiseOne
    !
    @woodtick57 It's always been defined as a man and woman. I don't recall homosexual marriages ever being part of American society. Homosexuals make up approximately 4% of the general population. Hardly relevant.
  • jamie91
    !
    @OhWiseOne polls that show more than 50% of people accept same sex marriage. So no, your opinion is not the majority.

  • View all 37 replies >

  • Dan_Tien
    !
    How dare he concede to represent citizens in his state rather than obediently repeating the party line? Is there a threat of democracy breaking out?
  • Deano
    !
    IT SHOULD BE A COLD DAY IN HELL BEFORE REPUBLICANS SHOULD SUPPORT THIS MENTALY ILL SINFULL LIFESTYLE! ANY GOP PERSON WHO SUPPORTS THIS SHOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND BECOME A WUSSY DEMOCRAT LIBERAL.. WE ARE RIGHT ON THIS ISSUE AND THE TRUTH HURTS THE OTHER SIDE. ARE THERE ANY MEN OR WOMEN LEFT IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WHO HAVE ANY MORAL COURAGE?!!!
  • Keyjo
    !
    DEANO,
    HAVE YOU NOTICED REPUBLICAN SUPPORT IS WANING?
    WITH INTELLECT SUCH AS YOURS, I AM LEFT SCRATCHING MY HEAD! HOW CAN THIS BE HAPPENING!?
  • u
    PityTheFool
    !
    The slaves were set free, women got the vote, segregation was stopped, and gay marriage will be legalized. The angry whites in the GOP will learn this lesson some day or continue to lose elections. Their choice if they want to be civil to others, or typical tea party trash.
  • u
    theroadtohell1
    !
    Their is no similarity or connection between homosexual marriage,and slaves being set free or women getting to vote or segregation and you belittle those terrible wrongs done to people by trying to put homosexual marriage on the same platform !!!
  • u
    PityTheFool
    !
    Oh but you are so WRONG. Two issues at stake here: Separation of church and state, and equality for all. Care to make a wager what the Supreme Court will say???????? Constitutional law will prevail on this issue, just a matter of time.
  • o
    Sabio
    !
    we should not cave to every sick lifestyle of the left to get a "better image". they have promised too many free loaders free stuff and you will never gain them back no matter what you do.
  • jessejaymes
    !
    Once again here we go. After reading the right wing comments I find myself forced into a position I don't really care to be in. I'm not in favor of gays using the word marriage for their civil unions but that battle is lost and while I'm within my rights to feel as I feel, there are many things that don't go the way I personally feel they should. The voters are legalizing gay marriage now, polls says the majority support this and the courts are ruling in gay's favor almost every time. So that's how it goes folks. Nothing will ever please everyone every time.

    But what I am most disappointed in, is that once again the party that I belonged to for more than 40 years is yelling, insulting, spewing and taking it from a matter of opinion to the outer edges of hate. That's just wrong. I opposed the use of the word marriage by gays as long as it was possible that it wouldn't happen. I believe they should use their own word for civil unions but that is really the issue here conservatives. You won't stop them from having civil unions regardless and you might as well get over it. Just as I have to get over what I think. I can still think it, so can you but you're making a public fool of yourself. Win some, lose some, but it's how you play the game that matters and you're really sounding like poor losers. REAL poor losers.
  • WMCOL
    !
    No reason he shouldn't endorse gay marriage in the state realm and reject it in the church arena. Two different things. Two different duties. Of course I'd reject gay's using word marriage in either sphere.

    The churches are full of gays. Does that mean the church is endorsing homosexuality?
  • u
    CommonSense
    !
    People can believe what they want. If someone mostly sides with Republican issues but is pro-gay marriage then it makes more sense for them to be a Republican. What makes the pure Republican or pure Democrat packages superior? People who hold mixed sets of views or who hold different priorities (some things such as drug legalization, and chagos liberation have been ignored by the two parties) should be able to have a voice too.
    That's the problem with the two party system. It leads to uncritical "team" mentalities that tell their members that they are by definition thinking critically if they accept all their ideas, or tell their members to disdain critical thinking for faith in the ideas which in both cases turns out the same.
    What does the right to keep and bear arms have to do with opposing the right to abortion? What does opposing gay marriage have to do with supporting enormous amounts of defense spending?
    Naturally if people are honest with themselves most will find they don't perfectly match either party.
  • R Load more comments...