# Bush to make homophobia a centerpiece of his campaign **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 14, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386 "2004-01-14T16:15:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![county](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@county](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/county)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/21 "2004-01-14T19:11:08Z")
I think it is a good idea. Especially if the Bush people recognize that marriages are much easier to maintain when at least one member of the household makes a living wage and has health insurance for the family. Those are a couple of real “stressors” for a marriage, IMO. Also, it would probably help some marriages if one of the partners wasn’t over in Iraq getting shot at etc. Yeah, it could be a good program. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/22 "2004-01-14T19:16:28Z")
Sure, its a dumb idea, but it is a harmless idea that strokes the right people. There is a major contingent of Bush’s support that does indeed come from the intolerant fringe. They are fiercely motivated, which is to say they are gonna vote for _somebody_ and Mr. Rove is determined as to who that shall be. Unfortunately for them, they haven’t been able to deliver. Prayers in school is no closer than it ever was, abortion is still legal and safe, and queers are allowed to roam the streets in broad daylight. Even with the Pubbies in control of all the reins of power, they cannot seem to deliver, the Liberals are constantly managing to thwart God’s Will. This is a gesture, legislation carved from air. Most likely, it is set to suffer Death by Committee. It costs nothing, and it strokes the Troglodyte Right, reaffirming his loyalty to thier cause _without_ alienating the tolerant middle. It is “compassionate homophobia”, and means D for diddly squat. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/23 "2004-01-14T19:17:18Z")
Interesting to note that Bush plans to spend $1.5 billion on this plan and only $1 billion on new manned missions to the Moon and Mars. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/24 "2004-01-14T19:18:29Z")
> [@county](#): > > ]I think it is a good idea. Especially if the Bush people recognize that marriages are much easier to maintain when at least one member of the household makes a living wage and has health insurance for the family. So why not offer assistance to unmarried cohabitants with children? How about same-sex couples? Why make the assistance contingent on “marriage?” ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/25 "2004-01-14T19:23:17Z")
> [@Mefern](#): > > Most fucked-up people I know are products of a broken family. As a product of a broken broken home, i can tell you i’d be less fucked up if it had been broken quicker. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/26 "2004-01-14T19:24:05Z")
> [@Sofa King](#): > > There’s gotta be a snappy catch-phrase for this ploy. I don’t want to see this blatant appeal to ignorant homophobia masked in something mundane and undescriptive like the “Southern Strategy.” > > Civil Disunion? > Bigot Ballotization? > De-fabulation? > Homographics? > Heteroconservatism? > Retro-sexual Strategy? I think we have a winner: > [@elucidator](#): > > …compassionate homophobia… ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/27 "2004-01-14T19:58:18Z")
You’re starting at shadows, Diogenes. Hang on, this is the Pit. So fuck right off. Where does it say that they’re denigrating gays? Do you have a problem with heterosexual mariages? Don’t you think that helping het couples who need it would be a good thing? ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/28 "2004-01-14T19:59:13Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > **Sofa** : > I dunno. The first paragraph of the NYT article in the OP talks about the initiative being especially targetted at low income families. Unless the administration thinks homosexuality is more of a problem among the poor, it makes more sense that this is aimed at reducing single parent families-- one of the biggest causes of poverty in this country. Bush might be able to get some political mileage from this among the anti-gay electorate, but I’d say that is secondary, at best, to the main objective. > > Who knows. You might be right. At least we can agree that this is a dumb idea. Yeah, I’m with you on that. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens, but my money is on another Osama/Saddam bait and switch tactic, where every time an Administration official mentions the word “marriage” it will be closely followed by “Dean” and one of [these words](http://www.propagandacritic.com/articles/examples.newtnamecall.html). And we’ll hear it, every week, from now until November. And I also agree with **Diogenes**. I owe you a beer, **elucidator**. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/29 "2004-01-14T20:03:31Z")
I hear the NRA is on board, and is offering to supply shotguns for the weddings. ---
**Author:** ![county](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@county](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/county)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/30 "2004-01-14T20:22:36Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > So why not offer assistance to unmarried cohabitants with children? How about same-sex couples? Why make the assistance contingent on “marriage?” Well, first I don’t think Bush is actually going to offer that kind of assistance to anybody. Second, if he did I think he would initially target heterosexual marriages because of his politics and personal feelings, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/31 "2004-01-14T20:26:59Z")
> [@sturmhauke](#): > > [Attempting to seal one’s records of tenure as governor of Vermont](http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3660168/) is pretty sleazy, don’t you think? Well, no, I really don’t, especially when the major reason for sealing them temporarily is to prevent the RNC attack squads from combing through them in search of information to twist and misrepresent. Now I don’t particularly care for Dean’s stated reasons beyond that one (he has said that he sealed the records to protect the privacy of constituents, especially gay and lesbian people who wrote during the civil unions debate and who may not be otherwise open; reasonable as far as it goes but ultimately lacking) but he has stated that he will work with the judge hearing the case to open the records in determining which should be opened. Contrast that with, say, Cheney’s ferocious battle to keep sealed the records of his energy policy meetings. And marvel at the straight faces of the RNC attack squads who in one breath defend Cheney’s “executive privilege” and with the next excoriate Dean for exercising his. ---
**Author:** ![New\_Iskander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@New\_Iskander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Iskander)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/32 "2004-01-14T20:49:16Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Just one more reason to fire this prick…not that we _needed_ another one. You keep posting stuff like this… Are you still undecided? Trying to make up your mind? Arguing with ‘elucidator’? It’s better if you are, because otherwise you have an obsession. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/33 "2004-01-14T21:02:17Z")
> [@New Iskander](#): > > because otherwise you have an obsession. You are an obsession I cannot sleep I am your possession Unopened at your feet There’s no balance No equality Be still I will not accept defeat ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/34 "2004-01-14T21:03:09Z")
> [@Mefern](#): > > Most fucked-up people I know are products of a broken family. My parents married when they were twenty-one. My mother died at eighty-five, still married to my father. I’ve been fucked-up most of my damn life and **NO** Government sponsored training would have prevented that from happening. Besides which, I know plenty of fucked-up people who parents had what appeared to be model marriages. Our Fearless Leader, G.W. Bush, is about as fucked-up as fucked-up gets; you will observe his parents and their marriage, if you please. ---
**Author:** ![county](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@county](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/county)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/35 "2004-01-14T22:12:08Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > My parents married when they were twenty-one. My mother died at eighty-five, still married to my father. I’ve been fucked-up most of my damn life and **NO** Government sponsored training would have prevented that from happening. Besides which, I know plenty of fucked-up people who parents had what appeared to be model marriages. Our Fearless Leader, G.W. Bush, is about as fucked-up as fucked-up gets; you will observe his parents and their marriage, if you please. Well, no offense intended but you sound kinda fucked up. I don’t think that necessarily means that a little marriage and relationship training is a bad idea. Hell, maybe Bush is trying to help people who otherwise might have parents with a relationship like his parents. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/36 "2004-01-14T22:59:03Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally written by John Mace as the last sentence of his post_ > At least we can agree that this is a dumb idea. > > _and then county posted as the first sentence of the very next post_ > I think it is a good idea. Words cannot describe how hilarious I found this to be. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/37 "2004-01-14T23:15:29Z")
In a related story, Bush came out in favor of apple pie today. Leading Democrats immediately condemned the move. “This is a blatant insult to the millions of hard-working American peach growers!”, remarked prominent liberal doofus **Diogenes the Cynic**. “We call for immediate Congressional inquiries as to how much the apple farmers are paying off Karl Rove.” “We support fruits and nuts of all sorts”, added well-known leftist dolt **elucidator**. Typing with one hand and a copy of the New Republic taped to the ceiling, the enthusiastic poster accepted the Ms. Congeniality Award in the “SDMB’s Biggest Johny One-Note Contest”. “Next year, I make it my goal to branch out into some other topic than reflexive Bush-bashing. Oh hell, who am I kidding? More of the same for the next five years. Much, much more, until I develop calluses on my Dean or my Photo-shopped picture of Hilary fellating Wesley Clark wears out”, said the well-known clown. Bulletins as they happen. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/38 "2004-01-14T23:32:14Z")
In the future, we’ll try to yell “fire” in tune with your fiddling, **Shodan**. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/39 "2004-01-14T23:52:02Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > More of the same for the next five years. > > Regards, > Shodan Lord have mercy on your soul for even suggesting such a horror… ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386/40 "2004-01-14T23:52:12Z")
Once again, we see that a Republican can’t take a piss without the psycho-left having hallucinations of some Poor Victim being on the other end of the stream. The only outrage to be found here is a silly waste of money, but hey, Dems hardly have the right to complain about _that_… Of course, I found THIS funny… > [@](#): > > Well, no, I really don’t, especially when the major reason for sealing them temporarily is to prevent the RNC attack squads from combing through them in search of information to twist and misrepresent. Translation: Dean knows that he has to hide from legitimate criticism and is trying to forestall the effort. Typical doublespeak. If it were a conservative that were pulling that move, the likes of DtC and Lucy would be shitting themselves silly talking about how fascist a move it was. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-make-homophobia-a-centerpiece-of-his-campaign/224386.md?page=3)