Feeding Log Cabin Delusions

The new issue of the Wisconsin Gazette includes the feature story, "Scott Walker's Gay Dilemma". For me it clearly points to a typical theme: Scott Walker saying and doing anything to get elected. On one hand he has his a small handful of LGBT staffers that seem convinced that he accepts them but then on the other hand we have all of the gay-hating groups that are convinced that he will act against the LGBT community every time. Given both Walker's campaign rhetoric and his actual record, you would have to be delusional to think that he is actually supportive of LGBT families in any real or substantive way.

Here is a perfect example of this delusion from the story:

"...other gay Walker supporters believe his personal openness signals that, if elected, he would not pursue the conservative social positions he’s adopted on the stump."

Newsflash: Scott Walker actually has a track record as an elected official right now, and it shows that he will not hesitate to make LGBT families first class taxpayers but second class citizens. Just last year Walker successfully vetoed a measure that sought to simply study the idea of treating the families of all Milwaukee County workers equally. The study would have focused on the actual costs of allowing LGBT families to take advantage of the same benefits as every other family of a county employee (including Walker's). We don't even know what the costs for fairness would have been and Walker clearly didn't want to know. Likewise, Walker also has repeatedly sought to cut funding for things like important programs at the Aids Resource Center of Wisconsin. Those are only two examples of him actually pursuing "the conservative social positions he's adopted on the stump."

The desperate delusions about Walker then transfer into equally delusional attacks against Democrats who have repeatedly stood up for LGBT families. It was the Democratic minority in the legislature that did every single thing that they could to keep the Republican majority from putting the discriminatory constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2006. It was our Democratic governor and a Democratic majority in the legislature that gave LGBT domestic partners basic rights and protections through the creation of the state registry (rights that Scott Walker has specifically promised to take away). It was Democrats that sought to protect LGBT and other youth by including bullying language in a school security bill earlier this year. Republicans like Leah Vukmir followed the lead of the most rabid anti-gay voices and voted against it. I could go on and on to list the endless efforts of Wisconsin Democrats that have been outstanding partners with the LGBT community.

I hate to break it to Log Cabin Republicans, but what you are seeing is Scott Walker being Scott Walker. He is saying what you want to hear while talking to you and saying (not to mention actually doing) the exact opposite while talking to those that rabidly fight equality. Again, with this issue as with so many others, Scott Walker will say and do anything to get elected. In this specific case that appears to include the feeding of "log cabin" delusions that he will at some point change his pattern of anti-LGBT policies.