Friday, August 31, 2012
David Koch Breaks with the God and Guns Crowd, Backs Gay Marriage
Stanch rightwinger David Koch, half of the infamous Koch Brothers, who funneled some $400 million to conservative causes and candidates, told POLITICO he backs same-sex marriage:
“I believe in gay marriage.”
When reporter Kenneth Vogel reminded Koch that Mitt Romney and the Republican Party platform wants to ban same-sex nationwide with a constitutional amendment, Koch broke with the God and guns crowd and replied, “Well, I disagree with that.”
SOURCE: POLITICO
The Libertarian wing of the Republican party — what’s left of it, believes government has no business meddling in the private lives of people. Banning the right to marriage is antithetical to them. Once the Bible thumpers hijacked the party, true conservatism morphed into the party of Romney and Ryan.
I guess when you move far enough to the right you wind up on the left?
I think David brings up an interesting fact.
Like I’ve said before, my father just turned 86. He’s a Goldwater Republican and despite decades of arguing with him on every issue from defense spending to taxes, he isn’t going to switch parties at this point in his life.
That said, my 86 year old father also supports gay marriage. His view is the federal government and states have no constitutional right to limit the rights of Americans, be they gay, lesbian, bi or straight. He says to do so is an act of bigotry. He also says organized religion should play no role in legislating rights.
My father is a Republican but in 2012, we would call him a Libertarian. Very, very different from the Mitt Romneys and Paul Ryans — neither of whom he supports.
Interesting comment, Idaho Liberal. Never thought of this before.
I don’t trust the Koch-sucker Brothers.
Think about it. By coming out in favor of marriage equality, he could attract thousands of well-to-do gay men and lesbians to the Romney/Ryan ticket and drain their dollars away from the Obama/Biden reelection campaign.
I remember reading something about David Koch being pro-gay in New York Magazine back in 2010.
It’s a shame David Koch doesn’t make contributions to Republican candidates predicated on voting in favor of repeal of DOMA. The only thing that sinks through Republicans thick heads is threat of $$$ being withheld from them.