Republicans Adopt Solid Platform on Military/Social Issues
The Center for Military Readiness, issuing a statement on behalf of the Military Culture Coalition, expressed satisfaction with positive platform planks addressing military/social issues that the Republican National Committee on Resolutions approved without controversy on Monday afternoon, August 20. The following comments may be attributed to CMR President Elaine Donnelly:
"For the past three-and-a-half years, President Barack Obama has recklessly used the armed forces for unprecedented social experimentation and political payoffs to his liberal base. Republicans meeting in Tampa have said loud and clear: 'The time for pushing back starts now.'
"In addition to adopting strong planks reaffirming support for military veterans and principles of "Peace Through Strength," Republicans are laying the groundwork for repairing the damage on a wide range of military/social issues. This will rightly begin with an "objective, open-minded review" of all controversial policies, followed by "appropriate administrative, legal or legislative action" to restore sound priorities.
"Issues to be addressed will include social experimentation in the military, pressures to force military women into direct ground combat (infantry) battalions, rights of conscience and religious liberty for chaplains and people faith, defense of traditional marriage, special interest demands and divisive gay pride activism, plus consequences of the controversial LGBT Law to impose lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender agenda on the military. (Controversial legislation to repeal the 1993 law, usually called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was rushed through the lame-duck session in December 2010.)
"It will be important for the next Commander-in-Chief to give permission to all personnel − especially close combat troops whose views were ignored by the Obama Administration − to candidly report on the true consequences of imposing LGBT law and related policies on our military. Appropriate administrative or legislative action to correct problems that are just beginning to become visible will help to restore sound priorities and strengthen morale and readiness in the all-volunteer force."
"The following platform planks in the Republican National Platform clearly signal a positive turn toward national security as the Romney/Ryan Administration's highest priority:
- "We reject the use of the military as a platform for social experimentation and will not accept attempts to undermine military priorities and mission readiness."
- "We oppose the reinstatement of the draft, whether directly or through compulsory national service."
- "We support the advancement of women in the military...[and] We support women's exemption from direct ground combat units and infantry battalions."
- "We affirm the cultural values that encourage selfless service and superiority in battle, and oppose anything that might weaken team cohesion, including intra-military special interest demonstrations." (This includes the wearing of military uniforms at gay pride parades and activism for same-sex marriages and benefits.)
- "We will support an objective and open-minded review of the current administration's management of military personnel policies and will correct problems with appropriate administrative, legal, or legislative action."
- "The spiritual welfare of our troops and retired service members should be a priority of our national leadership....there is an urgent need forthe kind ofcounseling that faith-based institutions can best provide. We support rights of conscience and religious freedom for military chaplains and people of faith. A Republican Commander-in-Chief will protect religious independence of military chaplains and will not tolerate attempts to ban Bibles or religious symbols from military facilities."
- "We will enforce and defend in court the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), in the armed forces as well as in the civilian world."
The Center for Military Readiness is an independent, non-partisan public policy organization that specializes in military/social issues, and the Military Culture Coalition is a network of 15 pro-military organizations.
More information is available at www.cmrlink.org, and Elaine Donnelly can be reached in Tampa at 734/516-9387 (cell) or elaine@cmrlink.org.
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The Center for Military Readiness is an independent public policy organization that specializes in military/social issues. To unsubscribe, click here
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