Former Republican Senator Bob Barr once whole-heartedly supported the Defense of Marriage Act. Now that he's running for President on the Libertarian ticket, however, he's had a change of heart.
In a recent interview, Barr, who served in Congress from 1995-2003, delineated between two sections of DOMA: a full faith and credit clause that protects the rights of each state to implement its own definition of marriage, and a section that defines marriage as only between one man and one woman under federal law.“This [second part] was intended to apply to federal programs, such as survivor benefits, Social Security [and others],†he said.
Barr said it is the second part of DOMA he would work to repeal if elected president.
“Over the years and over the last year since I’ve been more active in the Libertarian Party, I’ve talked with a number of individuals, including members of Outright Libertarians [a gay Libertarian group], and have come to view the second part as having been used as a club, or the tail wagging the dog,†Barr said. “It has become in effect a national definition of marriage. This is not what I intended.â€
That's what he wants us to believe, of course. Some more cynical citizens claim the Outright Libertarians twisted his arm toward a more inclusive policy. Barr's running mate, Wayne Allyn Root, insisted to us that wasn't the case.
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Barr is a f*ckin hypocrite who got BUSTED by Larry Flynt dipping his wick, while prosecuting Bill and Monica. I wouldn't trust Bob as far as I could toss his fat ass.
Bob Barr was a former Georgia congressman, not a senator. Either way, I doubt he'll take away many Republican votes in Georgia as it was assumed earlier this summer, most Republicans in this state seem to be pulling for McCain now. I do hope any gay Republican who still can't fathom voting for Obama would vote for Barr instead of McCain. Let's hope Obama picks a good VP this weekend other than Sam Nunn.
How white of him.
A few politicians have principles that govern their stand on some issues but on most issues they are opportunistic. Perhaps this is good, in a democracy our representatives are supposed to reflect the will of the people. So long as the vast majority of Americans oppose gay marriage it is unlikely that the Federal government will act to legalize it. If I recall the dates right, the NAACP was formed in 1909, in 1948 the California Supreme Court struck down the law barring interracial marriage, and it was almost 20 years before the US Supreme Court government did the same.
The choice of Barr for the Libertarian Party is, like Edward's whole platform in the primary, contrary to everything he actually did when he WAS an elected official. Is there a possibility for a George Wallace kind of redemption? Maybe. But I doubt it.
It's clear that the Libertarian Party, and to a larger extent, the Ron Paul campaign, are confused about whom exactly they're appealing to. The fact that nutjobs like the Constitution Party can write favorably about Ron Paul, while so called "defenders of civil liberties" also rahrah him, means either someone is horribly misguided or that his rhetoric is so vapid as to be meaningless.
I think its a combination of the two. Most don't realize, for instance, that Paul has attempted to squelch debate on gay marriage and abortion in federal courts. He also believes that gay marriage and abortion should be banned; just that it needs to be decided on the STATE as opposed to the federal level. He does believe in drug legalization, but he also believes in letting medical quackery be on the same level as legitimate science (which means we'll see a rash of "ex-gay" therapists and pro-life crisis centers even worse than we already do).
Grammar Police:
"…President on the Libertarian ticket, however, he's had a change of heart."