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Beto ORourke is worrying Democrats with his extreme rhetoric on social issues, which they fear could damage the partys electoral chances next year. Ripples of discontent started forming around the former Texas congressman, 47, when he pushed for the confiscation of military-style rifles after a gunman this summer opened fire at a Walmart in his hometown of El Paso, killing 22. Now, ORourkes call to strip religious institutions of their tax-exempt status if they oppose gay marriage at Thursday nights CNN forum on gay and transgender issues has Democrats worried that he will mobilize religious voters by fostering fears the left would bankrupt churches and charities if it gained power. Jeff Hewitt, a Democratic consultant based in Ohio, said there was certainly a risk of intended consequences for Democrats up-and-down the ballot in 2020 triggered by O'Rourke's stance. He seems to be running for first loser instead of winner. Its just hard to win in the industrial Midwest when you alienate, you know, the Catholic Church, Hewitt told the Washington Examiner. I, for one, dont think its helping the eventual Democratic nominee to keep having the party get pulled further and further to the left." Michael Wear, host of the Faith 2020 podcast and faith outreach director for Obamas 2012 campaign, ripped ORourkes proposal as a bad idea irrespective of politics or strategy or anything else. Its also irresponsible, contrary to the notion of the separation of Church and State and it would be deeply harmful politically if such an idea is not explicitly rejected by our partys presidential nominee, Wear wrote in an email to the Washington Examiner. Democratic anxiety about political backlash appears justified as Christian organizations and public-interest law firms focused on religious freedom condemned ORourkes remarks. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the public-policy branch of the Southern Baptist Convention, said ORourke was backing positions Democrats have denied supporting in the past. "Beto ORourkes comments are alarming because they represent precisely what those on his side of these issues have said for years that they are not seeking to do, said Moore. Tax exemption for churches is not a 'reward,' but a recognition that the power to tax is the power to destroy. Moore added that ORourkes proposed tax-exemption removal threatens to destroy every church, synagogue, or other religious institution that does not adopt his viewpoint on sexual ethics over and against their own traditions and authoritative texts. Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a nonprofit legal firm that takes religious liberty cases, slammed ORourkes proposal as blatantly unconstitutional. It's also foolish because those groups provide billions of dollars in essential social services to their communities, said Goodrich in a statement emailed to the Washington Examiner. Churches and ministries should be allowed to hold centuries-old beliefs without fear of government retribution." ORourke, once a rising Democratic star, has struggled to recreate the energy and excitement he experienced during his failed Senate bid. Although his fundraising numbers have been relatively strong, his poll numbers have dwindled in the single-digits. His rhetoric on social issues has become more strident as his prospects for winning the nomination have dimmed, and he is now well to the left of his rivals on some hot-button issues. In 2016, even socialist Vermont Democratic senator Bernie Sanders said he would allow religious groups to keep their tax-exempt status even if they oppose gay marriage, citing Americas commitment to religious freedom. But now ORourke has pushed the boundaries on the issue, inviting Republicans to criticize the Democratic Party as a whole as backing the taxation of churches. ... |
Poster Comment:
You almost wonder if he is doing this to blackmail the Dems into letting him be VP or something if he'll just shut the hell up. They're right that the more of this stuff he says, the more it hurts all Dems running anywhere in the South and Midwest.
I do think it's safe to say that Beto will not be running for Senate in Texas. After his gun speeches and tax-some-churches-as-punishment policy ideas, he'd be lucky if he only got tarred and feathered at most campaign stops in Texas.
#1: Hank Rearden To: Tooconservative (#0)
They have a lot more than just Skater Bob O'Rodriguez to worry about.
Hank Rearden posted on 2019-10-11 18:10:35 Reply Private Reply
#2: Tooconservative To: Hank Rearden (#1)
I don't think they've endorsed door-to-door armed gungrabbing or taxing only the churches who don't embrace gaiety.
That's pretty radical, even for the Dems. Of course, that is the policy they prefer but they certainly don't want those ideas to represent their party with the indy voters who would flee from them if this was broadly known.
No, I think Beto is more radical than any of the other Dems. He scares them by saying this stuff before he gets elected. Even Obama never went this far, other than his little remarks about deplorables "clinging to their guns and God" speech at a private fundraiser. But Obama never suggested door-to-door gun confiscation, buy-back programs, taxing churches he doesn't like, etc. Bad as Obama was, he never tried to campaign for that kind of stuff. Not in public.
Tooconservative posted on 2019-10-11 18:22:48 Reply Private Reply
#3: Liberator To: Tooconservative (#0)
That's a CT that makes sense.
;-)
Pretty much damage done though, isn't it? Beto has already been a very loose cannon.
Liberator posted on 2019-10-11 18:24:23 Reply Private Reply
#4: misterwhite To: Tooconservative (#0)
Or if they oppose abortion. Or gambling. Or porn. Or drugs.
Hey. How about a call to strip religious institutions of their tax-exempt status if they have madrassas that promote violent extremism, maintain ties to transnational terrorist networks, and harbor terrorists?
Works for me.
misterwhite posted on 2019-10-11 18:27:14 Reply Private Reply
#5: Tooconservative To: Liberator (#3)
Maybe he thinks Trump is very likely to be re-elected and so Beto is just positioning himself for a run in 2024? But then, wouldn't he have been moderate enough to try to get elected to the Senate in 2020 instead? After this, he'll go quiet for 4 years and that's a long time in Dem politics.
He is an odd duck in many ways.
Tooconservative posted on 2019-10-11 18:30:44 Reply Private Reply
#6: Liberator To: Hank Rearden (#1)
Heh-heh... Trump could use your creative speech writing talents.
It sure does appear The Dems are clearing the field for Princess Gray Beaver...(whose perpetual case of post-menopausal gasbagging & bitchiness seem to be channeling The Witch.
Meanwhile Bernie is supposedly down for the count with a heart attack (or so he's been told), while the Dems seem to be sabotaging both Tulsi (Chameleon) Gabbard and Marianne (Ramtha) Williamson for telling half-truths.
Liberator posted on 2019-10-11 18:36:20 Reply Private Reply
#7: Liberator To: Tooconservative (#5)
He is an odd duck in many ways.
AND...still counting...
Liberator posted on 2019-10-11 18:39:48 Reply Private Reply
#8: Liberator To: misterwhite, tooconservative (#4)
IOW, Beta O'Rourke is the pro-Vice, anti-Virtue candidate (D-Hell)
Liberator posted on 2019-10-11 18:44:00 Reply Private Reply
#9: Tooconservative To: misterwhite (#4)
Yeah, like that'll ever happen. Beto really seems to attract the weirdest fringe of the Dem party. And they do have money. Admittedly, I can't differentiate which of these comrades is the weirdest in their stable but Beto really does attract the kooks. He's like the Matt Agorist of the Dem prez hopefuls.
Don LeMona was beside himself. Beto was even kinda speechless.
Tooconservative posted on 2019-10-11 18:50:10 Reply Private Reply
#10: WWG1WWA To: Hank Rearden (#1)
And Lizzy...Gawd she is a hoot. If any of the candidates get traction on any line they spew, she grabs it and uses it as her own at the next rally...rather like the French Chef recipes that appeared in her POW_WOW CHOW book.
You can't make this stuff up.
WWG1WWA posted on 2019-10-12 02:05:31 Reply Private Reply
#11: WWG1WWA To: Tooconservative (#0)
WWG1WWA posted on 2019-10-12 02:17:27 Reply Private Reply
#12: Tooconservative To: WWG1WWA (#11)
Don LeMona is the Tranny-Whisperer.
Not sure what the status of that lawsuit against him is. The dude was suing for $1.5M.
Tooconservative posted on 2019-10-12 04:49:48 Reply Private Reply
#13: Deckard To: Tooconservative (#0)
More likely the Ds are using his message as a trial balloon of sorts. I mean, come on - most if not all of the candidates believe exactly the way Beto does, right? Beto is just the only one saying it. Each of the other candidates would love to be the one preaching that message.
He (and they) are just testing the waters for the socialist left to see just how far they can go and how much more tyranny they can shove down our throats...this time if they are elected.
Deckard posted on 2019-10-12 11:50:03 Reply Private Reply
#14: misterwhite To: Tooconservative (#9)
Gotta be tough to stand out in the primaries -- for either party. Odd that the Democrats are trying to "out-left" each other rather than trying to sound more sane. Almost as though they think that's where the country is.
They need to get out more -- away from the Washington cocktail parties and more with the people. Good for us they won't.
misterwhite posted on 2019-10-12 12:14:33 Reply Private Reply
#15: WWG1WWA To: Tooconservative (#5)
If so, he made the gaff of a lifetime. This will follow him forever. You can bet that the opposition will use it.
Welcome to Hank Johnson's world, Beto.
WWG1WWA posted on 2019-10-13 09:04:54 Reply Private Reply