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'Liberal' Republicans adopt more conservative platform
Laura A. Stromberg
Daily Texan Staffl
Typically known as the "liberal" Republi-
can Party, the Travis County GOP adopted
the conservative majority platform Saturday
at the 14th state senatorial district conven-
tion.
Adopted resolutions included the elimi-
nation of public funding for abortions; a
policy review for women in combat; opposi-
tion to legal privileges given on the basis of
sexual preference; opposition to homosexu-
al education in public schools; and prohibi-
tion of the abortion pill, RU-486.
Andy Smith, president of the Log Cabin
Republicans, a group that supports gay and
lesbian issues, said, "The social issues part
[of the platform] is disgusting -- it's an
embarrassment to any educated person in
this day and time."
"If we're going into elections, you need to
appeal to everyone ... it's stupid, not to
mention wrong, to be exclusive," Smith
said. "A majority of Republicans don't
believe in [the majority] platform - that's
evidenced by the fact that pro-choice candi-
dates win elections."
Lisa Salcedo, a Republican delegate and
press secretary for the Texas Right to Life
Committee, said debates between conserva-
tive and moderate Republicans dominated
the convention, but overwhelming support
was shown for the conservatives' majority
platform.
GOP acting Chairman Kirk Overbey said,
"In the past, it's been more of a winner-take-
all, knock-down, drag-out fight" between
moderates and conservatives.
"We did have a few problem areas,"
Overbey added. "But we did try to get
everyone's side heard."
Syndicated columnist Jack Chambers said
it was "encouraging" to see a conservative
platform adopted in a "community that has
developed such a liberal reputation."
Chambers added that "there are several
Republican leaders that supposedly share a
conservative view on social issues, but they
won't publicly challenge liberal view-
points."
"They seem to be so committed to bring-
ing unity in the party that they end up
watering down their position to help their
cause," Chambers said.
But some moderate GOP members said
the resolutions under-represented some
party members' ideas.
"It's pretty clear that the social conserva-
tives have gotten control of the party mech-
anisms," said Lee Parsley, a former candi-
date for state representative who presented
the minority report. "They have more dele-
gates and are able to control our platform."
Parsley added the party "is supposed to
be a party of less government. ... [Republi-
cans] should focus on fiscal issues and stay
out of people's bedrooms."
Marlene McMichael. chairman of the
GOP's Temporary Resolutions Committee,
said the report represented a medley of
GOP priorities.
"The [resolutions] committee certainly
came from all walks of life," McMichael
said. "[The majority report] was a compila-
tion of many people's ideas."
But Parsley said the party's concentration
on social issues hinders progress on pro-
grams such as health care and welfare
reform.
Salcedo said acceptance of the 1992 GOP
majority report, which mirrored ideas
expressed Saturday, was labeled a "fluke"
by critics.
"The reality is that the Travis County
Republican party is pro-life," Salcedo said.
Smith added that the majority of Republi-
cans are not "extremists on either [gay or
abortion] issues."
