Draft GOP platform drops call for marriage amendment

The proposed GOP platform seeks to overturn the ruling in favor of same-sex marriage.

In the document, obtained by CNN, the 2016 Republican platform opposes the US Supreme Court decision to legalise same-sex marriage and requests that control over marriage legislation returns to the states.

But the platform would still say the government should recognize marriage as between a man and woman and “actively promote married family life as the basis of a stable and prosperous society”.

CNN – which claims to have received a draft of the party platform ahead of the Republican National Convention – reports the party would leave it up to the states. However, the draft platform reportedly doesn’t include exceptions. Their edict to the states concerning restrooms, locker rooms and other facilities is at once illegal, ominous, and ignores privacy issues.

The draft also refers to Jerusalem as “undivided”, removing all language supporting Palestine. It wasn’t immediately clear if those failed proposals were the plank the American Unity Fund was seeking on same-sex marriage.

At least three openly gay Trump delegates, The Washington Blade reported last month, will be at the convention: Charles Moran, the former California state chairperson of Log Cabin Republicans, Pay Pal co-founder Peter Thiel, and former Bush administration official Richard Grenell.

Singer’s group, the American Unity Fund, is leading an effort to tone down the platform’s anti-LGBT rhetoric.

The draft also diverges from the position held on gay marriage in every platform since 2004.

“There are a number of amendments right now that are being considered in a whole host of committees”, Angelo said.

“There may be some rhetorical changes in how it’s communicated, but I don’t think support for natural marriage will diminish at all”, David Barton, a platform committee member from Texas, told The Washington Examiner. This year’s version however, while still voicing opposition to the Supreme Court decision, says states should determine their marriage laws.

But Angelo said there also are pro-LGBT amendments.

While this may be perceived as a slight step forward, the draft still highlights and reiterates the importance of a “married mom and dad”.

Trump has called for marriage to be a state issue, and declared he is a candidate that will protect LGBT Americans. The sentence reflects the language of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who has clashed with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce over trade agreements.

The language was shared with members of the Platform Committee by the Republican National Committee at an orientation on Sunday night as the events in Cleveland began.