The New GOP: The Anti-Family Party?

It would be a mistake to vilify those who have been divorced as unfit to run in the Republican party. Fact of the matter is that these people reflect the make up the country. Nobody is without baggage and the attempts to apply this particular virtue would only harm the party in the end.

It would make much more sense to oppose someone based on their record. Everyone knows that Gulliani is to the left on social issues. That is what should be considered.

The mention of former President Reagan as a divorcee a quarter of a century ago should point to how little this particular statistic means in this context. Granted, family values are immensely important but that should not come at the expense of understanding that people make mistakes. It also does not mean in any sense of the word that a divocee does not have family values. This is just silly.

This is not the type of mistake to use as a political wedge in an effort to push someone out of contention for admittance in the Republican Party.

I highly doubt that the Gingrich’s Contract with America was “overshadowed by his failures with his contracts with his wives” outside of the circles of people who want to make it such an issue. I certainly did not give that any weight when I considered what the contract stood for and how it helped the party overcome Democrats.

Divorce may not be a huge deal to most conservatives, but I'm willing to bet that adultery still is. And if the choice is between a liberal Democrat and a moderate Republican with such personal baggage, the GOP may have a hard time galvanizing its base to head to the polls. Apathy may prevail to the Democrats delight.