In an interview with BuzzFeed, a top Republican leader says the GOP needs to be “the party of inclusion.” Also: He's always on Intrade.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor Thursday urged his party, and the nation, to guard against intolerance on issues ranging from gay marriage to the role of Muslims in the government, arguing the country’s diversity of opinion and acceptance are part of America’s basic fabric.
“There can’t be some kind of monolithic opinion handed down from the government or a political party. I don’t think we’re monolithic beings,” Cantor, a Virginia Republican, said in an interview with BuzzFeed.
Cantor is one of his party’s leading conservatives generally, and has long been a strong supporter of the often-divisive cultural issues near and dear to his conservative base’s heart. He is also explicitly pro-life and has a long track record of opposing gay marriage. Indeed, as part of his duties as Majority Leader, Cantor has scheduled numerous votes on abortion and other hot-button cultural issues over since the start of the 112th Congress.
But many Republican leaders, including Cantor, are struggling to move past the charged battles on social issues, and to focus the party’s rhetorical energies almost entirely on the economy. Although Cantor did not directly address whether the GOP’s position on gay marriage is hurting its ability to recruit younger voters or broaden its appeal, he argued the issue is part of the broader cultural question of acceptance and tolerance, not only with his party but the society at large.
“I think an even bigger issue than that, from a cultural standpoint, is the acceptance of diversity. And the acceptance of diversity of opinion,” Cantor said, explaining that while he may have is own personal opinions on morality or religion, “at some point we’re all here as Americans and we all have to be appreciative of other people’s views.”
“And it’s that tolerance, I think that that tolerance is something that enables people to be passionate about their positions. And if you’re for gay marriage, this country allows you to express your views. Some states support it and allow it, and others don’t. But its ok to have that difference of opinion in that,” he said.
Cantor, who is also part of the leadership group that has brought a lawsuit against the Obama administration’s decision to not enforce the Defense of Marriage Act, argued that open discussion and diversity are what make the nation “unique,” and warned against institutional attempts to enforce a standard position on the population.
When asked if the Republican Party specifically needs to do a better job of accepting opinions on gay marriage and other cultural issues that do not align with party orthodoxy, Cantor said “absolutely.”
“I’ve always said we need to be a party of inclusion not exclusion,” Cantor said. “We need to be promoting tolerance and, you know, as someone who is a religious minority, I sort of grew up with having that mindset, knowing full well that I am in a very distinct way from a religious background, separate and apart from the mainstream of this country.”
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