Right Wing World: "Republicans Are. . ."

The GOP's new "Republicans are. . ." campaign to cast Republicans as everyday people (in other words, not crazy nutbar teabaggers) has rightfully been met with a bit of snark and incredulity. Even better, it turns out they have resorted to using stock photos for their allegedly "real" Republicans. Which is hilarious. Have they learned nothing from the many errors made by the National Organization for Marriage, in their marketing?

[Excerpt]

The GOP’s New #IAmARepublican Campaign is Completely Backfiring on Them in Hilarious Ways

Stock photo lady might not actually be a Republican, though she
does appear to be white. Image from source, Crooks and Liars.

You know, we spend a lot of time ragging on Republicans, but a new ad produced by former Romney Strategist Vinny Minchillo wants us to consider that they are people, too — as opposed to satellite dishes or aardvarks. . .

Read more at: Crooks and Liars

Yes, Obama's Approval Rating Is Down. . .But Not as Much as Everyone Else

Amongst friends, I've openly pondered, why are President Obama's approval ratings so low? All things considered--and that would be the relentless and constant opposition from Republicans in and out of elected office--I think he's doing a pretty good job. I don't agree with everything he's done, and some of the stuff that sort of carried over from Bush? Yeah, I could do without a bunch of that. But on balance, I think he's been a pretty good president. Certainly better than anyone who ran against him.

 

Image from source, NewsCorpse

But I get it that Right Wing World hates him. Hates. Him. That would be somewhat understandable, if it was simply a response to his policies, but it's been like this from Day 1 (or earlier), and hasn't dissipated, it's only gotten worse. And they hate him even for things that they used to be for. It's transparent, naked hatred (and I don't know if you happened to notice, but he's black). So, anyway, I'd get it if his approval ratings were hovering around 50%. That would make sense. But in the 40s?

I'd chalk it up to a fickle, easily distracted, easily led, not particularly interested public, except for the fact that Obama's ratings are among the best of the rest of our elected officials! 'Course, people could still be disconnected and hate 'em all, I suppose. But before the Boehners and McConnells and the rest get too overjoyed about Obama's predicament, they should look at their own numbers. And before the completely sell their souls to the Tea Party, they should look to see who is at rock bottom.

[Excerpt]

GOPee Yew: What The Media Isn’t Telling You About Obama’s Poll Numbers

A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll (pdf) has some decidedly bad news for President Obama. The American people, according to this survey, are losing patience with the President and expressing it with low opinions of his job performance, foreign policy, and leadership. It is a distinct concern for him as his administration heads into its final two years. That said, the news isn’t all bad. But far be it for the media to put the results in context so that people get a balanced perspective of the nation’s mood. In addition to the floundering numbers, there are some areas that ought to produce some optimism for the President and those aligned with his policies. First among them is the fact that, while Obama’s numbers are nothing to write home about, his political rivals are doing so much worse that may want to run away from home. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse

Right Wing World: Cliven Bundy Jumps from Republican to a REALLY Nutty Party

In this installment of Republicans Really Need Better Heroes, we have Cliven Bundy. He's the Nevada rancher who is grazing on federal land, but doesn't want to pay the bill. For some reason, this has inspired a following of alleged "Constitutionalists," who were--for a time--interrogating fellow citizens. That "I don't get it" would be to state, and understate the obvious.

But ol' Cliven isn't happy with more people than just the BLM, and liberals, and O'Bummer. He's dumping the whole GOP! So where'd he go, the Tea Party, right? Well, no, since the Tea Party is just the base of the Republican Party. Instead, he picked the party that was tea bagging before tea bagging was cool: The Independent American Party. These are not independents, you understand. It's an actual collection of like-minded people, and they're bananas.

I remember when I first moved to Nevada almost 20 years ago, reading about the Hansen family, all of whom were IAP. They're anti-federal government, like Bundy. But they went significantly around the bend on most issues. The oddest thing is, these uber-conservatives are against government issued ID, which puts them at odds with the uber-conservatives who are trying to implement Voter ID. here's a link. And remember, her platform is presented with a bit of polish for the election. But I think you can see where the IAP is coming from. And since Cliven Bundy apparently doesn't believe the federal government exists, he should fit right in.

Image from source, Wonkette

Anyway, I don't know if the Hansens ever secured any significant office, but they keep trying. Janine Hansen is running for Congress, and if you want to see what she's all about,

Again, Republicans: find better heroes.

[Excerpt]

CLIVEN BUNDY QUITS REPUBLICANS, JOINS FORCES WITH SOMEONE EVEN MORE UNTETHERED TO REALITY

Those sensitive to such things may have sensed a great disturbance in the Loonosphere over the weekend, as Cliven Bundy left the Republican Party and signed up with the Independent American Party of Nevada, the local version of the rightwing Constitution Party. And why does this matter? It is not insignificant, because Cliven’s new party is also the home of the awesomely batshit David Lory VanDerBeek, who we profiled a while back when he was predicting civil war and expecting Obama to come and kill him. Mr. VanDerBeek (motto: “I don’t put spaces between the three chunks of my last name”) is still out there — way out there — being a Sandy Hook Truther and running a can’t-lose candidacy for Nevada Governor. . .

Read more at: Wonkette

One Handy Graphic That Sums Up the Budget Agreement

Just in case you don't want to go through the video below. But do it anyway, it's good!

 

The GOP Has a Crazy Problem

Crazy Eyes herself, from source, Raw Story

Well, yeah, I've been saying this for years!

[Excerpt]
 
Republicans’ big problem with crazy
 
If you’re looking for a Republican congressman who truly embodies the ethos of the Tea Party, Maryland Representative Andy Harris is a pretty good pick. Harris, you see, is no fan of “big government” and he’s definitely not a fan of Rinos (“Republicans in name only”).

Harris made a national name for himself in 2008, when he successfully launched a primary campaign against insufficiently conservative 18-year congressional veteran Wayne Gilchrest. Although Harris lost in the general election, he was more successful two years later, joining his Tea Party contingent in the House of Representatives. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

So, That Happened: Get Your GOP Fashions!

I'm on several mailing lists for things I'd never be interested in. Sometimes, I'm there on purpose, just to keep tabs, you know. Sometimes, it's from signing a petition to a tangentially related cause. Sometimes you don't know where the heck it came from, I mean BeliefNet? AARP? ChristianSingles.com? So, it's unsurprising for me to be peddled to by groups I will never buy from.

Reince Priebus (vowels removed, it's RNC PR BS, y'know) sends a lot of useless--sometimes unintentionally humerous--money begs. This one, I'll grant you, isn't hilarious, it just struck me as good for a chuckle. I mean, first of all, the shirt in the shot looks like it would fit a slim young man, who couldn't possibly be a sizable portion of the base of the GOP. I'm thinking Ls and XLs would be rare, and that they should stock mostly shirts in multiple Xs. And secondly, I just can't picture seeing hoards of people at "upcoming barbeques, sports games [Ed: sports games?], and 4th of July celebrations" wearing this shirt, as the email suggested.

It's actually a nice looking shirt, and the GOP logo is even attractive (though, what's up with the upside-down stars, anyway?), but what the Republicans represent these days is meanness, contrariness, antagonism and more meanness. Even Sean Hannity claims to be a "conservative" these days, rather than a Republican. So, I'm thinking, if you load up on these bad boys, the people at the barbeque will be cutting a wide berth around you.

But go ahead, get yours at: GOPStore.com

GOP Approval Rating in Dumper Amid "Scandal Week"

What a boner. Image from source, Examiner.com

It's made the news in the last few days that several polls show President Obama's approval rating to be doing just fine, even amid the heavy focus on three or four (if you count the idiotic umbrella-gate) potential scandals. But did you know polls are now showing that the GOP's approval raging is going down? I didn't know they could go lower, but there you go. And good for America, you're making me proud.

[Excerpt]

New poll: GOP favorability hits record low following 'Obama scandal' week

After a week of scandals, the dreaded "three-headed monster" of Benghazi, the IRS/Tea Party and the AP/DOJ phone records were supposed to sink the president, harm Hilliary Clinton and catapult the Republican party into the 2014 mid-term elections. While the media focus has highlighted the "three-headed monster," the American people don't seem to be pointing the finger of blame at the president. . .

Read more at: Examiner.com

Republican War on Sex!

Rick Santorum, Patron Saint of
un-fun sex and/or no sex.

In the last couple of weeks, I've reacted to some news reports with utter disbelief. When you hear that an aspiring candidate for Governor of Virginia wants to resurrect a sodomy (meaning only missionary position straight sex) law, and another one in Montana, and several other squabbles having to to with sex and sexuality, you're like. . .what year is this?

I'm really thinking this is the last gasp, the final spasm of the religious prudes of America. Unfortunately, it's a very large body doing the gasping and twitching, so the disturbing spectacle may take a while to play out. But think about this. Regardless of a particular politician's personal parochial peccadilloes (how's that for alliteration?), what constituency are you playing to, when you're aiming for the "missionary, post-marital sex, ONLY" crowd? What is that, like a half dozen people?

[Excerpt]

11 Actions That Prove Republicans Are Intent On Making 2013 A Terrible Year For Sex 

Move over "war on women," the GOP's "war on sex" is here to invade your bedroom and reproductive system. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Randi Rhodes on Austerity and Irony

"The irony is that conservatives are spending millions and millions of dollars... in the name of austerity. No amount of spending is too much to put an end to wasteful spending!"


--Radio host, Randi Rhodes

Republican Talking Point: The Sun is an Obama Crony!

Duffy, the voice guy on The Randi Rhodes Show has an amazing voice, and some pretty funny schtick. I don't know if he writes his own material, but he is a definite talent.

WTF is Wrong With Iowa Republicans?

In my last post about the birthers, I gave you a link to where all birther conspiracy theories are thoroughly debunked. While there myself, I found a post about the Iowa Republican Party's potential platform planks (Iowa is partial to birtherism, of all things). So, I'm taking Dr. Conspiracy's paraphrasings of the planks--which are more concise--and making my own comments.  I'll have a link at the end to the actual list, so you can check if you think the paraphrasings are wrong. As you read, note the inherent meanness toward anything but the hardline Christian/Conservative mindset.


I feel I have the right to criticize Iowa, since I'm (gay!) married to an Iowan. And it is legal there!  Keep in mind, this is a partial list! Reducing font size for length, so put your readers on. Mmmkay?

Here we go. . .

4b: No ternerders!

1. No school activities on Sundays or Wednesday nights [when Baptists hold Prayer Meeting].
   Ludicrous. Why do Baptists get special treatment? All religions or none.
2. No mandatory school attendance.
   Sorry, this one is bananas. Even if it's the dreaded home schoolers, kids have to go to school.
3. No voting by non-tax-paying out-of-state college students.
   Why? This is suspiciously like "must be a property owner to vote." It's just wrong.
4. Mandatory ultrasound prior to abortion, which should be outlawed anyway.
   Again, why? It is medically unnecessary, and intended to inflict shame. Since when is "shame" the intent of a law?
5. No stem sell research.
   Why?
6. Abolition of the Department of Agriculture.
   Sure. Because agriculture should be utterly free of regulation. Again, why?
7. Abolish all farm subsidies.
   In Iowa? I can't imagine this is a universal opinion there.
8. Oppose UN Agenda 21 (a popular conspiracy theory related to the New World Order) on sustainable development. It is described as “diabolical.”
   Boogity boogity!
9. No regulation of dust by the EPA.
   As a resident of the Mojave Desert, I find this one particularly ridiculous. If you can control the dust, you should control the dust. Be reasonable about it, not black or white.
   
10. Ban foreign corporations from owing Iowa farm land.
    Why don't we ban foreign corporations from donating to candidates? Hmm? Would be a little more important.
11. No money for bike trails until the federal deficit is eliminated.
    Errr. . .hunh?
12. No government money to ACORN, AARP, ACLU and Planned Parenthood and anyone else who lobbies against the platform.
    ACORN is gone. The rest. . .have to agree with you? Compromise really is dead.
13. No federal money for public broadcasting
    Death to Big Bird! Spoilsports.
14. Support a landlord’s right to refuse to lease on “moral grounds.”
    Yes, because we should be free to be bigots! And if we find black people or Hispanic people or Jewish people to be "immoral," who are you to tell us no?
15. No “hate crime” laws.
    Again, they want to be free to hate.
16. No Sharia, or other foreign laws.
    Yep. Nothing from that there Jerusalem area. . .Nazareth either.
17. No smoking bans.
    Cough! Cough! Idiots.
18. No First Amendment protection for pornography.
    Well, now you've gone too far. Even right wingers like porn. Idiots.
19. Eliminate the Federal Department of Education.
    Duuuuhhhhhh. . .
20. No regulation of private schools or home schooling by the Iowa Department of Education.
    Damn straight! People ought to be able to teach any ol' thing they want to their chillen! Idiots.
21. No teaching of “multiculturalism” in public school.
    Oh, that would be dreadful.
22. Education “purely returned to a free market system.”
    Yeah, I have no idea what that means.
23. No reporting requirements for home schooling families.
    Sure! Let 'em just say whatever and boom! You graduate! WTF? Idiots.
24. Balanced presentation of evolution and creationism in public schools. “Darwinian evolution is only a theory and not a scientific fact.”
    Creationism is not science. Any party--anybody who thinks this is a good idea is crushingly stupid.
25. Tax-funded libraries must include “intelligent design” and creationism books.
    Ditto #24.
26. Parents may opt-out their children from health screenings and surveys.
    I. . .um. . WTF?
27. No school clubs based on sexual orientation.
    Okay! No straight clubs, whatsoever!
28. Repeal “No Child Left Behind.”
    Hmmm. . .a Bush Era policy? Weird.
29. Oppose anti-bullying laws. Students should stand up for themselves.
    Fuck 'em!
30. Repeal the 17th Amendment (direct election of US Senators)
    Yes, because voting is bad. Have I said they're idiots?
31. Abolition of the US Department of Energy
    Abolition of the US Government! Why not?
32. No regulation of greenhouse gasses or carbon dioxide.
    I'll stop the world, and melt with you!
33. Claims of human-based globing warming are “fraudulent.”
    Based on what, geniuses? Your track record as evidenced by this list, is thin.
34. More deer hunting licenses.
    Fuck yeah!
35. Parents have a right to know what their children read at the library.
    Oh, and on the internets! Them Googles and Tumblrs are all writed by fagitz!
36. The US should drop out of the United Nations.
    Yes. We should be quitters like Sarah Palin.
37. End foreign aid.
    All of it! And put a fence around the whole country!
38. Oppose any revision of the original intent of the US Constitution (except for a few Constitutional amendments called for in the platform)
    Back to 3/5 of a person for some people then. Idiots.
39. “We support Congressional action, including an Amendment to the United States Constitution if needed, to repeal the 1943 (sic) Wicker (sic) vs. Filburn ruling by a divided US Supreme Court cowed by Democrat FDR’s “court-packing attack” which set in motion ever-increasing misuse of the Commerce Clause in Article 1, Section 8.”
    Yeah, that's going to be a tough sell. Imagine trying to explain that to America, and getting them to pass it.
40. Public display of the Ten Commandments.
    Wrong. 100% wrong. Especially if you're bitching about "Sharia Law."
41. Return money to the gold and/or silver standard.
    Impossible for lots of reasons, but as I said. . .idiots.
42. Impeach judges who rule in favor of same-sex marriage.
    Awfully specific, wouldn't you say?
43. Eliminate the Department of Homeland security
    America! Fuck no!
44. Eliminate the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    America! Fuck no!
45. Eliminate the Department of Labor
    America! Fuck no!
46. Eliminate the Department of Commerce.
    America! Fuck no!
47. Eliminate the Department of the Interior
    America! Fuck no!
48. Eliminate the TSA, FDA, ATF, EPA, the National Endowment for the Arts, Fannie Mad and Freddie Mac.
    America! Fuck no!
49. The US Census should only count citizens.
    Yes. It should have no statistical relevance whatsoever. Just count us, dammit!
50. Juries instructed that they may consider questions of law as well as fact.
    This one sounds fine, but I'm quite sure I don't trust these people after 50 of these. They're up to something on this one.
51. No federal regulation of guns manufactured in Iowa for use in the state.
    None! Get yourself a nuclear warhead if you want it! And you can be crazy, or a felon. . .but not a fag.
52. People with concealed carry permits may take their guns to school.
    Capital idea. Nothing bad could come from this idea.
53. Repeal the “allopathic medicine” monopoly.
    So, what? They want witch doctors? Apothecaries?
54. “Philosophic exemption” for childhood vaccination requirements.
    Oh, why? Can't you leave your kids out of your crazy hallucinations?
55. End the “Patriot Act.”
    First thing I've agreed with entirely. But again, suspicious.
56. Oppose any military draft.
    This one I seriously don't get. Don't they freakin' "support the troops" and love war?
57. Drug testing for all persons on public assistance.
    Just to be mean. No other reason.
58. Opt-out of the Social Security system until it is privatized.
    Fucking nuts.
59. Anchor babies are not citizens.
    And babies are not anchors. Sickos.
60. The Supreme Court not have jurisdiction over cases related to marriage.
    Why the hell not? Does Loving vs. Virginia bother you that much? On what Constitutional grounds could this possibly be based on?
61. No “no-fault divorce.”
    Oh wow, good luck with that, goobers. On this one you are at least putting your money where your teeth should be.
62. No minimum wage.
    Yay, slave labor!
63. No public employee unions.
    Yay, slave labor!
64. Repeal of various financial reforms: Davis-Bacon, Sarbanes-Oxley, Dodd-Frank.
    Yep. Because lax regulations worked so well in 2008.
65. Abolish the IRS and repeal the 16th Amendment (Income Tax Amendment).
    Who needs fire departments, police departments, roads, the military. . .
66. Abolish the Alternative Minimum Tax
    Why?
67. Eliminate estate, gift and inheritance taxes, and let heirs avoid capital gains when they sell appreciated inherited property.
    Yes, no tax! Every man for himself!
68. No unmanned cameras allowed to enforce traffic regulations.
    Wow, the last one is kinda random. I'm out of outrage, so whatever.

I'm frankly surprised that there wasn't more antigay stuff here, though it is plain. In any event, I wouldn't want to live in any state or country where even a majority of these things were made law. What a horrible, theocratic, stick-up-the-ass, Footloose town-that-can't-dance world it would be. Don't fall for it, Iowa!

Here are the links to the paraphrased list above, and the real one.

Obama Conspiracy Theories

Republican Party of Iowa Platform Committee Report

Newt Gingrich: Kids, Get to Work!

Am I the only one that remembers this
stuff from school?

Do you remember social studies class? I don't remember all of it, but some of the stuff that sticks with me has to do with the late 1800s and early 1900s. I remember the pictures of tenement apartments. Crowded living, dirty people, unsafe factories, and child labor. This, along with corporations run wild, robber barons and no safety regulations, all were considered a bad thing.

So, why do we have one political party--including in this case, presidential candidate, Newt Gingrich--ready to take us back to that squalid time?





[Excerpt]


Gingrich Calls Child Labor Laws ‘Stupid’, Wants To Replace Janitors With Poor Kids



In an anti-government diatribe that would be funny if he weren’t serious, GOP presidential candidate New Gingrich told a crowd at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government yesterday that child labor laws are “tragic” and “stupid” and have “done more to create income inequality in the United States than any other single policy.” In a proposal that he freely admitted was “extraordinarily radical,” he called for firing all school janitors and replacing them with poor students. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

An Open Letter to the Republican Party

This letter, sadly, is not from me. It is from Hunter, a diarist at Daily Kos (found by way of VoenixRising). It is  a very straightforward, darkly funny but deadly serious call for sanity from the right side of the aisle. But I really doubt we'll get it.

[Excerpt]

Dear Republican Party

Republicans: We need to talk.

I know you and I don't see eye to eye on many things. We hang out with different crowds, we listen to different music, we have different interpretations of pretty much every event that has ever happened from the Big Bang onwards—but I'm worried about you. We, the whole of non-Republican America, are worried about you. Heck, I even know people in other countries that are worried about you. . .

. . .Your first serious non-Palin flirtation of this election cycle was with Michele Bachmann. Really? You could choose from among the ranks of the entire conservative movement, and you said "yeah, Michele Bachmann, I guess." I don't mean to be cruel, but that's when most of us realized that this little ideological obsession of yours had turned into a full-fledged, self-destructive addiction. You'd gone and cracked, right then and there. . .

Keep reading at: Daily Kos

Rep. Anthony Weiner Puts GOP's "Defun NPR" Vote in Perspective

Thank you, Anthony Weiner. The GOP agenda is so plainly not what they were elected for, and so plainly an overreach and sometimes so plainly ridiculous. It's gratifying when one of our elected officials states--plainly--how stupid it all is.

Gov. Daniels (R-IN) to Slash Spending, Even if it Costs Jobs

"Missed it by that much."
from ThinkProgress

Do you think we will ever learn? For whatever reason--the reason doesn't matter really--the political pendulum swings from left to right. The Republicans win a big election. And then, they become political bulldozers, charging full-steam ahead with their pet agendas, regardless of what their actual "mandate" was.

This time, the pendulum swung faster than it really should have. No political party, no matter how masterful, could have put the economy back together in less than two years. Republicans really won because of a) some of the public is fickle, b) some of the public is uninformed, c) some Democrats are big babies, and sat out the election because of their own pet issues, and d) Republicans promised to focus on jobs, jobs, jobs.

So, the Republicans won a big election for a variety of reasons. And then, once they got in, they've done what they always do: overreached. Plus, they claim that everything they're doing: trying to regulate abortion into oblivion, trying to stomp on gay people, trying to bust unions, cutting taxes for the rich. . .is what "the people" voted for. Oh, and let's not forget that any cutting of taxes and services will nearly always benefit the rich and hurt the working people. Cut Social Security! Medicare! Pensions! But oh no, the petroleum companies must get multi-billion dollar subsidies! Bank of America musn't pay taxes! Bush tax cuts for the rich are essential! See what I'm getting at? 

I sort of predicted this, though it doesn't take a genius. And the hard right pendulum swing in 2010 is likely going to careen back to the left if the Republicans keep this up. Which is probably part of the reason for the Citizens United ruling, Karl Rove's young but powerful PAC groups, the Koch Brothers' muscle flexing, and the new united front of Republican Governors trying to squash the remaining unions. With all of that, Republicans will have far more money to spend on election advertising. Hopefully, that will be an overreach as well, and the all-GOP-all-the-time nasty political ads will just turn people off.

[Excerpt]

Gov. Daniels Says Governments Should Slash Spending ‘Even If They End Up Seriously Costing A Lot Of Jobs’



When asked earlier this month about the job loss that would occur if the continuing resolution passed by House Republicans were actually implemented, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) replied “so be it.” “We’re broke. It’s time for us to get serious about how we’re spending the nation’s money,” he said. . .
 
Read more at: Think Progress

That's RepubliCorp!

Here is Why Democrats MUST Vote in November

Conventional wisdom says that there is an enthusiasm gap in the electorate, and that many Republicans are simply going to win by default. Democrats will stay home, and a stampede of elephants will crash into Washington.  I've seen the polls, though the land-line telephone methods of most of them leave me somewhat dubious. I've even seen dejected, defiant liberals ranting and raving on blogs, about how Democrats don't deserve to win.

Sorry, folks. My memory isn't that short.  I can remember beyond the last 19 months.  I remember what it was like when Rick Santorum, Bill Frist, Denny Hastert and Tom DeLay held sway.  I thought those guys were outrageous in their cartoon villainy.  But I had no idea what they had on deck for 2010.  Add this to the fact that the new hard-right GOP/tea bagger contingent plans to "reset" things to 2007--when the recession started--and has pledged that they will not change just freaks me the hell out.  THINK, Democrats. How did you feel about life in America in 2008?  How much did you like Republican rule last time? 

I know you want to kick the Democrats in the balls for not being liberal enough.  But you're talking about handing things over to a party that thinks that Democrats are extreme, radical, Marxist, fascist, commies!  We're not talking about a pendulum-swing from left to right.  We're talking about a pendulum that is currently slightly to the left of vertical being forcibly yanked to the right wall and lashed there.  It could be entertaining to watch this new group of loons attempt to legislate.  But I'd rather not be one of the people affected by that legislation. A lot of damage could be done in two years, and for all the imagined damage Democrats have done since 2009, it will likely pale in comparison. 

I'm not particularly enthusiastic about voting this year. But I'm damned sure going to.

Why the President's Party Affiliation Matters

Image from Washington Post

Huh. Whattaya think of this?  Apparently, when there is a Democratic president in office, every income bracket does better financially, rich or poor.  When a Republican is in office, the rich get richer (but not as much as they did under a Democrat), and everybody else? Not so much. 

Read all about it, from Ezra Klein, here:  Why elections matter, in one graph

Republicans Want to Repeal the 14th Amendment to the Constitution

So, Republicans want to repeal the 14th amendment, which would remove rights. And they'd like a Federal Marriage Amendment. . .which would remove rights. Is anyone sensing a pattern here?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Nevada Gay Republicans Not Getting Much Support?

Nevada Republican Party 2010 State Convention.
From RightPride's Facebook Page

I would have skipped this item, were it not for the fact that I have engaged Mark Ciavola (the guy in charge of RightPride, the Nevada chapter of GOProud) in discussion a few times. He's a genuinely nice guy when not in the heat of argument, always offering to get together for coffee to hash things out.  I haven't taken him up on it because I simply find no common ground with RightPride, a virulently conservative, seemingly only tangentially gay political group. 

Their chief argument seems to be that Democrats promise all sorts of things to gay people, and then deliver little.  It isn't an entirely wrong argument, but it is mostly wrong.  Democrats may deliver some weak tea when we're asking for strong coffee (there you go, Mark!), but at least they are serving something. The Republican Party often tries to take whatever we're asking for away, sometimes after we've already gotten it.  Very often, they are successful.  In Texas for instance, they're trying to make gay marriage a crime rather than just ignoring it (not to mention criminalizing sodomy, which would endanger a lot more than just the gays).  The other problem is, if you subtract "the gay" from RightPride's political agenda, you've got a FReeper.  A Palin loving, tea bagging, Obama's a commie, Nancy Pelosi is a succubus, Harry Reid is the devil, Karl Rove worshipping, Glenn Beck watching, true believer. 

Small wonder then that their message doesn't seem to be going very well.  For instance, they've had a Facebook page since October of last year, and presently they are "liked" by 327 people.  And I'm one of them!

[Excerpt]

Gay Old Party?  Republicans reach for more homosexual voters by Election Day

If Republicans hope to win big in November, they'll have to hold on to as many older, white and largely straight voters as possible -- because Nevada's minority and independent voters aren't buying the latest GOP sales pitches cocked squarely in their direction. . .

Read more at: Las Vegas City Life

Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link