Romney on the Boy Scouts

[Beavah]

Romney's statement on da BSA's policies:

 

 

B

 

[Lisabob]

Is it me or does this sound like he's talking out of both sides of his mouth? To paraphrase: He thinks the boy scouts are great, he thinks the BSA has a right to do what "it" wants to do on the matter, he feels that all people regardless of sexual orientation should be allowed to participate in the boy scouts (all in one breath).

 

I hope that this was an edited version of his answer, but if not, I'm still not real clear on his position on the matter. People could interpret this to mean he supports the current policy, or that he opposes it. And I guess that lack of clarity helps him more than it hurts him.

 

[rjcluvvt]

RON PAUL

[NealOnWheels]

Lisabob,

 

He is making two statements:

1. He does not feel the government should dictate this matter to the BSA.

2. He would like to see the BSA change its membership policy.

 

Not really talking out of both sides of his mouth. Rather pandering to both sides of the issue.

 

[John-in-KC]

OK, Romney is off my list.

 

Gotta wonder how he reconciles the LDS Church stance on GLBT in general with his public views???

 

 

[scoutingagain]

"Not really talking out of both sides of his mouth. Rather pandering to both sides of the issue."

 

Well he is running for President.

 

I find it interesting that we have at least one Democratic candidate providing a relatively clear comment indicating they do not support the BSA's membership policies and I would hardly call Romney's statement as a ringing unequivical endorsement of BSA's policies. And this comming from one of the candidates that has staked out some of the more social conservative positions in the campaign.

 

However keep in mind these statments were made when he was running for statewide office in Massachusetts. He has since changed his mind on a number of issues since he decided to run for President. Who knows what he would say if asked the same question in Iowa today.

 

SA

 

[Eagledad]

>>He has since changed his mind on a number of issues since he decided to run for President. Who knows what he would say if asked the same question in Iowa today.

[John-in-KC]

Bert and Ernie look better every passing day.

 

Would Big Bird and Cookie Monster be acceptable candidates?

 

What about Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber?

 

The bad part is silly season has been in full swing since November 06.

 

 

[stevejb]

Why don't we find a great scoutmaster to run for president, with a great cubmaster as his running mate? Maybe they could force our congressmen to go through Woodbadge training. It might make more honest people out of them.

 

Just a thought.

 

:-)

 

Steve B

 

[CalicoPenn]

Seems to me his position on the matter is the same position as Mainstream USA.

 

Most people support the BSA, most people support the BSA's right to choose who can be members and most people would prefer it if the BSA would stop being so pig-headed and open their membership to gays and athiests, in not to girls too.

 

CalicoPenn

[fgoodwin]

CP:

 

While "most people" you know may feel one way or the other about BSA's membership policies, you should be careful generalizing from your own experience to that of the public at large.

 

In fact, "most people" I know (to the extent I know how they feel at all about it) are perfectly happy with BSA's membership policies as-is and don't want to see them changed.

 

Should I conclude that "most people" in general also feel that way?

[scoutldr]

From what I have seen, "most people" don't have a clue what the BSA membership policies are and since it doesn't affect them, they wouldn't care. That applies to most subjects and current events.

[Hunt]

Well, there are at least some people who think BSA has the right to set whatever membership policies it wants, but that it should leave it up to CORs to decide whether gay people can be leaders or members of particular units. There's nothing inconsistent or pandering about thinking that--unless, of course, you don't really think Romney does think that. But he's a moderate Republican who was governor of Massachusetts--that's probably exactly what he thinks about it.

[Gold Winger]

"Most people" that have expressed an opinion to me about BSA's policies are happy that BSA still excludes homosexuals and athiests.

[acco40]

Pardon me if I go slightly off topic.

 

Let's say the BSA for some unknown reason, decided to exclude gingers from the BSA. Would you change your stance on allowing the BSA, a private organization (legally) to choose membership criteria? Would you argue that yes, they should retain that right but made a stupid choice in excluding gingers and therefore would work (within or possibly outside of the system) to change that stance?

 

I just wanted to point out that I don't think those who believe the BSA has a right to set membership policy as it sees fit but then again wants to change that policy are 'speaking out of both sides of their mouth' or being inconsistent.