01/12/2009
Log Cabin Republicans Hard Up for Cash
This news broke on Friday but I didn't have a chance to mention it. The Log Cabin Republicans appear to be facing a major financial crunch:
"The Log Cabin Republicans, hampered by lackluster 2008 fundraising, is facing financial difficulties and ended the year at least $100,000 in debt, according to Patrick Sammon, the organization’s president, who spoke to the Blade Friday. Sammon said he expects the organization to have around $100,000 in debt or 'maybe a little more,' adding that the figure is made up of consolidated debt. 'It’s not like we’re not paying the rent or not paying the phone bill or anything like that,' he said. 'We’re current on the bills that we owe, but we do have some debt that’s consolidated.' Sammon said the organization expected donations would be higher last year because of the presidential election. 'Really what we anticipated was that 2008 would be a better year fundraising-wise based on what we’ve seen in other presidential election years,' he said. 'We just didn’t see the fundraising materialize the way that we expected.' Sammon said the economic downturn in the past year 'certainly has affected' Log Cabin’s ability to raise as much as had been forecast for the year. He added that other gay organizations and non-profits are facing similar challenges in the current economy."
The LCRs endorsed McCain during the presidential campaign. Said Sammon at the time: "On the most important issue that LGBT Americans faced in the last decade—the federal marriage amendment—Sen. John McCain stood with us. Now we stand with him. Sen. McCain is an inclusive Republican who is focusing the GOP on unifying core principles that appeal to independent voters. Sen. McCain showed courage by bucking his own party’s leadership and the president—twice voting against the amendment. He gave an impassioned speech on the Senate floor, calling the amendment 'antithetical in every way to the core philosophy of Republicans.' He paid a political price for his vote...In recent years, too many Republican politicians have used divisive social issues in an effort to win elections. Sen. McCain is a different kind of Republican..."
In November, Sammon announced that he would be leaving the organization early this year.
Posted 1:10 PM EST by Andy Towle in John McCain, Log Cabin Republicans, News, Patrick Sammon, Republican Party | Permalink
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A better time, give me a break! This is exactly the line we're now hearing from people in Vermont who claim our legislature can't work on the economy AND pass marriage equality (they can and they will).
BC, I hope you send in a hefty check! It's gonna take a lotta dough to help the LCRs convince the party to change.
In the Ken Blackwell story I see the new Southern strategy of the Republican party: we'll get all those conservative blacks on our side (as if).
What have the Democrats done for us? A heckuva lot more than the Republicans. Just you wait! And stop blaming DOMA and DADT on Dems -- the support for both came primarily from Republicans and Conservatives.
Posted by: Kevinvt | Jan 12, 2009 7:26:20 PM
Aw. That's just precious.
Posted by: Joe Bua | Jan 12, 2009 8:09:28 PM
Just like the republiCON party, the LCR ended being a bunch of un-American losers. Their party stands for division and "me, me, me" with no regard for the greater being of our great nation.
I am all for difference of opinion, but not after what the republiCONs did to our nation. How anyone can still want to be a part of "that" party (GOP), is being beyond comprehension.
Posted by: FunMe | Jan 12, 2009 8:26:53 PM
of course no one has yet answered my original question: Does anyone see the double standard? Our community is allegedly all about inclusiveness, tolerance, acceptance of all different views, backgrounds, etc. But not inclusive of people who don't believe in the same ideas as you? How is that even right?
AND I never once said stop fighting for marriage equality. And i never used the phrase "A better time." Please stop putting words in my mouth. My point merely was that at this time in our history, Mr. Obama and congress need to be more concerned with saving our economy and securing our safety. Keep fighting. I will keep fighting as well. I tell anyone who will listen why we ought to be able to marry.
The thing with me is, I appreciate disagreement and debate. You just call me self-loathing. Doesn't make sense.
Posted by: BC | Jan 12, 2009 9:57:34 PM
BC-
I will not be tolerant of intolerance!
I am open to differences of opinion but my rights are not up for debate.
And the LCRs endorsed McCain because "Sen. McCain showed courage by bucking his own party’s leadership and the president—twice voting against the amendment. He gave an impassioned speech on the Senate floor, calling the amendment 'antithetical in every way to the core philosophy of Republicans..."
Doesn't anyone remember when, during his campaign for President, presumably to curry favor with the right-wing nuts, he said a federal amendment might be necessary now that same-sex marriage was threatening to spread to other states???
What a courageous and noble guy! so deserving of support from gays!
Posted by: jeffrey | Jan 13, 2009 12:01:21 AM
BC - At no point should one be tolerant of those that would cast you as a second class deviant unworthy of equal protection under the law. To say our community must be all-inclusive to the point where that notion is tolerated is preposterous. Where are the moderate Republicans? They hold less and less sway within the party. Every time the Republican party comes to power, they show how lousy they are at governing. This is because they fundamentally do not believe in government beyond cronyism and oligarchy. It's always funny to me how well the GOP has sold this notion of security. It was Democratic administrations that won two world wars after all. Ineptitude does not make me feel secure.
Bush takes credit for the fact that there has not been an attack on American soil since 9/11. bin Laden stated that al Quaeda would focus on other targets and not attack the US again until they could pull off something bigger that 9/11. I don't think you are self-loathing, but you have been sold a phony bill of goods.
Posted by: jimmy | Jan 13, 2009 5:11:58 AM
How did McCain get thrown into this? The election is over - get the hell over it. He ain't ever running for president again. Did I ever say I supported McCain? I am simply saying that we absolutely need to reach out to the MODERATES in the republican party in order to get what we deserve. When we make blanket statements that all Republicans hate us or are homophobic or whatever, we're just as bad as the right wing nutjobs that say shit about us. So what if the LCRs supported McCain - they had to in order to maintain any clout with the moderates. Just how the majority of gays supported Obama, although he is anti-gay marriage as well and will not be as much of a friend to gays as we had hoped. There are more moderates than nutjobs in the party, but the media just interviews the nutjobs because the media likes to portray the Republican party as full of nutjobs, so therefore that is all we see.
And JIMMY - so you believe in what bin Laden says? About not pulling off another attack on purpose? REALLY? So you are willing to believe a terrorist who wants our country destroyed over anyone in the US government? Talk about a phony bill of goods. No matter if you agree or disagree with the way things have gone down, the bottom line is there has not been another attack here. What makes you think bin Laden hasn't tried? Because he's an honest man who admits to not trying? COME ON!
Posted by: BC | Jan 13, 2009 11:15:42 AM
What a shameful organization. Almost as bad as HRC.
Posted by: stolidog | Jan 13, 2009 4:13:41 PM
BC,
so, if i support the neo-con naziz, i'm supporting an outgrowth of that party that may at one time in the future entertain the idea that queers ain't all that bad? if you are supporting the nurturing of an organization (the repubs) that would prefer you in the lower ranks huffing and puffing away to help them go forward, while feeding you table scraps, then go for it. but don't expect level-minded gays to help you.
Posted by: nic | Jan 13, 2009 9:00:39 PM
Sen McCain opposed the Federal marriage amendment for exactly the same reason many other politicians opposed it ... because they believe (or say they believe) that banning gay marriage is a states right issue and not the job of the federal government (nice way to hide from doing your job) ... he did not oppose it because he supports gay marriage because he doesn't. Unfortunately they are incorrect, a law of this nature must be dealt with at the national level as long as we allow free movement of our residents between states. I certainly don't support passing such a law and as long as states wish to continue their independent battles the possiblity of a federal law are greatly reduced.
Posted by: ChrisM | Jan 13, 2009 10:54:44 PM