It isn't just Republicans who embrace anti-gay fanaticism-- Lipinski and Wasserman SchultzIn theory a "big tent" political party is just fine-- and the Democratic big tent is way better than the ever-shrinking ideological GOP pup tent. But you have to draw a line in the sand somewhere. I'm sure if some vile DINO started espousing enslaving blacks or putting Jews in concentration camps, even Nancy Pelosi and Debbie Wasserman Schultz would want to kick them out of the big tent. But what about horrible Blue Dog Dan Lipinski, a creepy-crawly pseudo-Democrat from the southwest Chicago Bungalow Belt? He represents a D+5 district that Obama won with 58% in 2008 and 56% in 2012, and ProgressivePunch rates him as an F. In the current session his crucial vote score is an abysmal 49.33. None of this seems to faze the Democrats. What, then, about his ugly GOP-like homophobia? Lipinski backs GOP sociopath Tim Hueskamp's call for a constitutional amendment banning marriage equality for the LGBT community. The only other Democrats who had voting records as anti-gay as Lipinski's were fellow Blue Dogs Nick Rahall (WV), who was defeated in 2014, and Mike McIntyre, who was forced to retire or face certain defeat the same year. Lipinski filled out a questionnaire from the Illinois Family Institute in which he avowed that he backs Hueslkamp's anti-gay constitutional amendment and every other anti-gay measure Democrats now routinely reject.
The two-page voting guide indicates the position of various candidates in the Illinois 3rd congressional district on issues important to social conservatives. Like his then-Republican opponent Sharon Brannigan, Lipinski indicated he supports H.J.Res 51. The measure, introduced by Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas), was a U.S. constitutional amendment pending before Congress and that would have restricted marriage to one man, one woman regardless of action by the federal judiciary. Additionally, the questionnaire indicates Lipinski opposes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act; supports a measure that would have prohibited the U.S. Justice Department from undermining the Defense of Marriage Act; and backs a controversial conscience clause in major defense spending legislation seen to enable anti-LGBT harassment of service members. In terms of non-LGBT issues, the questionnaire also indicates Lipinski’s opposition to Obamacare and support for various measures that would restrict abortion rights. ...The Illinois congressman, a Roman Catholic, has a history of anti-LGBT votes as a U.S. House member. During his first term in Congress, he voted “present” in 2006 when a U.S. constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage came to the House floor. In the subsequent Congress after Democrats took control, Lipinski in 2007 voted against a version of ENDA on the House floor. In the current Congress, Lipinski is the only Democratic co-sponsor of the First Amendment Defense Act, which seeks to “protect” opponents of same-sex marriage from government action, but is seen to enable anti-LGBT discrimination. When an amendment came to the House floor seeking to prohibit spending on transportation or housing and urban development contractors without LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination policies, Lipinski was the only Democrat to vote “present.”
Lipinski has no primary challenger this year, at least not so far. That's in no small part due to the undeserved support he gets from the Democratic Party Establishment. Hopefully when Wasserman Schultz is kicked out of her DNC chair, that will change.