The New York Times, July 8, 2019: Why gay rights is a republican value
Polls consistently show a high percentage of Americans think that firing people or denying them jobs or promotions because they are L.G.B.T.Q. is wrong and that it should be prohibited under our nation’s civil rights laws. A full 92 percent said so in an April poll by Quinnipiac University. That’s in part because basic protections against job discrimination are fundamental to core American values of fairness.
This isn’t a new idea, or a partisan one. Abraham Lincoln wished for all workers to have an equal chance to acquire property and to gain wealth. “When one starts poor, as most do in the race of life,” he said, “free society is such that he knows he can better his condition.”
Ronald Reagan had a similar vision, dedicating himself to reducing government spending, lowering taxes and improving opportunities for individuals to build successful lives for themselves. “One of the greatest contributions the United States can make to the world is to promote freedom as the key to economic growth,” he said.
Members of the Republican Party are heirs to the legacies of Lincoln and Reagan. Our party should support people’s ability to reap the rewards of their labor — to earn a fair and honest living, and to work where they want to work. We are the party of economic freedom, personal liberty and limited governmental interference.
No matter political party or personal beliefs, treating everyone fairly is something we can all get behind.
