That Says It All
Senator Santorum is "our greatest champion for inclusiveness and fairness," according to Senator Sessions. What does it say about the Senate GOP that a man who likened homosexual sex to incest and man on dog sex is considered a champion for inclusiveness? I am almost afraid to hear what other Republican Senators think about homosexuals. Even Senator Gordon Smith said that, "I think Rick represents the views of many Republicans, but not a majority of Republicans."
I have to wonder, though, if Senator Smith is thinking about the Republicans in his home state of Oregon and not the national party. There is a world of difference between Republicans in the northeast states, the upper midwest and the west coast versus southern and border states. For example, Massachusetts most pro-gay governor was Republican Bill Weld, not one of his Democratic predecessors and to this day Log Cabin Republicans hold many high level positions in the Bay State. Here in New York, Republican Governor Pataki was able to push the GOP controlled state senate to pass SONDA last year.
At what point, though, do moderate Republicans leave their party? What must happen to move them to the Democrat, or at least independent column? Most of the moderate Republicans that I know, or have known, are much more socially liberal than the national GOP and I think that episodes like the Santorum affair do quite a bit of damage to these people's allegiance to the party. They have had to swallow a lot more of the Religious Right agenda from this President than they would have expected back in 2000. One has to wonder where exactly is their tipping point.

(Santorum support story here)