Texas Rep. Ron Paul's insistence that
states should have the final say on social issues such as abortion
and gay marriage does not sit well with Bob Vander Plaats, the head
of The Family Leader.
Paul was the only GOP candidate at a
forum over the weekend hosted by Vander Plaats' group opposed to
amending the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as a heterosexual
union.
Also appearing at the Thanksgiving
Family Forum in Des Moines, Iowa were Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum,
Herman Cain, Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann. Former Massachusetts
Governor Mitt Romney was invited but did not attend. Also not in
attendance was former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, who has not placed
an emphasis on Iowa.
Paul, who has previously said he is
personally opposed to gay people marrying, said that the role of
government is to preserve liberty, not mold people or society: “The
law can't reflect the morality of the people. If you do that, you
have embarked on something where you sacrifice liberty.”
In analyzing the candidates'
performances, Vander Plaats, a vociferous opponent of gay marriage,
didn't sound impressed.
“I think he let his libertarian view
trump his moral compass,” he told the Des
Moines Register.
Paul has also declined to sign the
group's 14-point anti-gay marriage pledge.
(Related: Rick
Perry signs The Family Leader's anti-gay marriage pledge.)