Um, What?

I rarely mock the Log Cabin Republicans for two reasons:

1. It's not a contradiction to be gay and be against the welfare state.


2. It's too easy.

Case in point, check out their latest national ad:



I don't even know where to begin with this ad. First, didn't we already know this? Anyone who has a passing familiarity with Romney knows his liberal record as governor of Massachusetts. Why advertise old news?

Second, are the Log Cabin Republicans anti-abortion? I had no idea. (The "gun lobby" line threw me too, but I suppose I should know better.) Since the Log Cabin Republicans represent a constituency that, for the most part, won't take advantage of legal abortions, is it fair or right or moral for them to weigh in on the issue? More to the point, I always thought the Republican platform on abortion pandered to its religious base, and the libertarian wing of the party (in which I thought the LCR belonged) would respect individual liberty on the issue.

And, finally, um, why? What I've always admired about Log Cabin Republicans is that part of their mission--even their very existence--works to make the Republican Party more inclusive. Indeed, if the Republican party ever becomes more reasonable on gay issues, we'll owe the Log Cabin thanks. So why take pot shots at Romney, and in doing so, alienate his supporters from the Log Cabin? Why make an ad that doesn't mention gay issues at all? Rather than elevate the discourse on gay issues, this ad pushes the Log Cabin further to the margins. No candidate will want to be associated with such a negative (yet entirely ineffective) ad.