Guess Which Four GOP Candidates NOM Just Got To Sign A Pledge To Overturn SCOTUS’ Marriage Decision?

Can you guess which four GOP presidential candidates the National Organization For Marriage has actually convinced to sign its preposterous anti-gay marriage pledge?

Republicans love to claim they are they party of personal responsibility, law, and order – except when they insist on breaking the law, suggesting others break the law, ignore the law, ignore hundreds of years of constitutional precedence, and hob knob with lawbreakers.

That’s exactly where many in the GOP are today on the issue of same-sex marriage.

No, there isn’t quite the same uproar and rallying around the flag – or around the voting box – that same-sex marriage managed to attract a decade ago when George W. Bush used it to get re-elected. But quietly, the same forces, and those who have replaced them, are still using marriage equality as a wedge and as a weapon to try to win the White House.

NOM, the National Organization For Marriage, has repeatedly flouted the law, time and time again, and even told political leaders to ignore the law, rather than allow same-sex couples to marry. While NOM loves to call out its opponents as “lawless,” the anti-gay organization is the one who deserves the “lawless” moniker more.

Now, NOM has convinced four GOP presidential candidates to sign its preposterous anti-gay marriage pledge, just one day after news broke that the group finally – after losing court case after court case and stalling for six years rather than obey the law – revealed its donors in the 2009 Maine marriage battle. 

NOM’s marriage pledge includes a pledge to try to overturn the Supreme Court’s Obergefell ruling, which found a constitutional right to marriage for same-sex couples. It also includes a promise to investigate and publicize cases where Christians claim they have been silenced from speaking against same-sex marriage, and repeal all of the Obama administration’s work supporting LGBT civil rights, including a myriad of executive orders that have been signed in lieu of Congress doing its job.

Who are NOM’s four “Marriage Champions“?

You guessed it.

Rick Santorum, Ted Cruz, Bobby Jindal, and Ben Carson. 

In case you were concerned, Mike Huckabee, Scott Walker, and Lindsey Graham probably would have signed but claim they are not signing any pledges this season.

Here’s what they’ve committed to, specifically, via NOM:

I, _____________ _____________, pledge to the American people that if elected President, I will:

One, support a federal constitutional amendment that protects marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Two, oppose and work to overturn any Supreme Court decision that illegitimately finds a constitutional “right” to the redefinition of marriage. This includes nominating to the U.S. Supreme Court and federal bench judges who are committed to restraint and applying the original meaning of the Constitution, and appointing an attorney general similarly committed.

Three, conduct a review of regulatory, administrative and executive actions taken by the current Administration that have the effect of undermining marriage and work to restore our policies to be consistent with the proper understanding of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Consistent with this, prevent the promotion of a redefined version of marriage in public schools and other government entities.

Four, support the First Amendment Defense Act and other legislation that recognizes the right of organizations and individuals to act in the public square consistent with their belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman without fear of retaliation from the government.

Five, direct the Department of Justice to investigate, document and publicize cases of Americans who have been harassed or threatened for exercising key civil rights to organize, to speak, to donate or to vote for marriage and to propose new protections, if needed.

The pledge, beyond being unrealistic and un-American, would be impossible to actually accomplish. Also, NOM could only get four out of 17 candidates to sign? What does that say about their influence?

 

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Huckabee, Santorum, Perkins, FRC, And NOM Join In Campaign To Pray Away The Gay Marriage

 

Image by Elvert Barnes via Flickr and a CC license