Mike Huckabee: Keep the GOP the Party of Hate

Mike Huckabee really doesn't like marriage equality.  Like, really.  He may even be to the right of Maggie Gallagher, the head of the National Organization of Marriage.  Huckabee accused the Iowa Supreme Court of striking at the heart of the family when it ruled that Iowa must recognize same-sex marriage.  He called it "a sad day for Iowa and for the country," and renewed his pledge for the federal government to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

When Vermont's legislature voted to pass marriage equality legislation and make Vermont the first state to legalize same-sex marriage outside of the judiciary branch, Huckabee used the vote to signal that conservative values were under attack in the United States.  "The actions of the Vermont Legislature, coming on the heels of the judicial ruling by the Iowa Supreme Court, should make it apparent to each of us that conservative values and conservative principles are under attack as never before," said Huckabee.  "We must take action now."

And previously, Huckabee has said that same-sex marriage will destroy civilization, and that tolerance toward LGBT people reflects decaying societal standards.

All of that taken in combination, makes me think that Mike Huckabee deserves a new title: "The Most Anti-LGBT Politician in the Country."  It's a title I'm sure he's all too eager to put on his resume.

As if we needed further proof, Huckabee is out this weekend with a meme to the GOP, urging it to stick to its guns and not moderate on social issues, particularly same-sex marriage.  He warns economic conservatives not to split with the social conservatives, or else they'll be reduced to the fringes of politics.

People that are social conservatives are also economic conservatives. But a lot of the economic conservatives are not social conservatives. Throw the social conservatives the pro-life, pro-family people overboard and the Republican party will be as irrelevant as the Whigs [the short-lived 19th century political party].People that are social conservatives are also economic conservatives. But a lot of the economic conservatives are not social conservatives. Throw the social conservatives the pro-life, pro-family people overboard and the Republican party will be as irrelevant as the Whigs [the short-lived 19th century political party].

They'll basically be a party of gray-haired old men sitting around the country club puffing cigars, sipping brandy and wondering whatever happened to the country. That will be the end of the party.

Because the energy that is supplied for knocking on doors and working neighborhoods and getting out the vote, it comes from people who are passionate about human life and about traditional marriage.

Funny...the energy that came from the Barack Obama campaign to knock on doors and work neighborhoods certainly didn't seem to come from people passionate about using marriage as a weapon of discrimination.  Does Huckabee really think that he can organize an army of culture warrior volunteers that surpasses what Obama achieved this past year?  If so, he's living a decade (or more) in the past.

The best thing that can happen for the Democratic Party is for voices like Mike Huckabee's to continue to gain traction.  Huckabee is fastly becoming a 21st century Strom Thurmond.  And while that might make him popular in deeply red areas of the country, each time he opens his mouth, a less intolerant person is going to switch their party ID from (R) to (D).

Huckabee may want to keep the GOP the party of hate and discrimination.  As the weeks and months go by, I think he's going to find that this is a rather lonely position to take.