Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

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Thursday, August 23, 2012

GOP CRACKPOTTERY



Like iron filings to magnets, the GOP attracts crackpots who have no shame in broadcasting their moronic ideas and fears to the public.  We heard GOPer Todd Akin announce to the country that women don't become pregnant from rape because their bodies "shut the process down."  But Akin isn't the only squirrel-brained GOPer who eagerly shares his sweat-soaked imaginings with whomever will listen.  


Sheriff candidate says he wouldn't reject deadly force to stop abortions

Candidate says he believes elective, late-term abortions aren't lawful

"MANCHESTER, N.H. —
A Republican candidate for Hillsborough County Sheriff said Wednesday that he believes elective abortions are unlawful and he wouldn't reject the use of deadly force to stop them."

h/t Kevin Robbins

A real GOP Head case:

"Texas Judge Tom Head told a local television station that President Obama would turn over American 'sovereignty' to the United Nations if reelected, that Obama’s actions would potentially trigger 'civil unrest, civil disobedience, civil war,' and that such a conflict would culminate with 'UN troops' led by President Obama invading Lubbock, Texas."

Rep. Steve King, (R-Iowa):  Immigrants compared to dogs:

Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, compared immigrants to dogs at a town hall meeting yesterday, telling constituents that the U.S. should pick only the best immigrants the way one chooses the “pick of the litter.”

King told the crowd in Pocahontas, Iowa, that he’s owned lots of bird dogs over the years and advised, “You want a good bird dog? You want one that’s going to be aggressive? Pick the one that’s the friskiest … not the one that’s over there sleeping in the corner.”

King suggested lazy immigrants should be avoided as well. “You get the pick of the litter and you got yourself a pretty good bird dog. Well, we’ve got the pick of every donor civilization on the planet,” King said. “We’ve got the vigor from the planet to come to America.”

Romney Adviser Compares Homosexuality To Polygamy, Drug Use During GOP Platform Committee Meeting

"[A]n RNC delegate from Nevada, introduced the amendment, arguing that “under the constitution, every American gets treated equally under the law.”
 
But GOPer, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach , who is best know as the chief architect of Arizona’s xenophobic SB 1070 law and advises the Romney campaign on immigration issues, opposed the amendment by comparing LGBT people to drug users and polygamists:




'Our government routinely judges situations where you might regard people completely affecting themselves like for exmaple the use of controlled substances, like polygamy that is voluntarily entered in to. We condemn those activities even though they are not hurting other people at least directly. So this is worded way to broadly for inclusion in the platform.'
The amendment was defeated by a voice vote."

(Chalk one up to sanity!) 

Ohio GOP Election Board Member: Our Voting Process Shouldn’t Accommodate Black Voters

"I guess I really actually feel we shouldn’t contort the voting process to accommodate the urban — read African-American — voter-turnout machine. Let’s be fair and reasonable."--GOPer and Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted

Why then are we not surprised when a political party that embraces crackpottery would embrace the following as their party's platform:

  • NO ABORTION IN CASES OF RAPE OR INCEST. The proposal for a “human life amendment” passed without a hitch — and without any exceptions for rape or incest. The committee didn’t stop there; they also adopted language that would ban drugs that end pregnancy after conception, which could potentially include Plan B, the “morning after pill.”



  • SALUTE TO MANDATORY ULTRASOUNDS. The GOP officially praises states’ “informed consent” laws that force women to undergo unnecessary procedures, require waiting periods and endure other measures meant to discourage them from getting an abortion. One such law receiving a “salute” was crafted by committee head McDonnell, who passed a notorious mandatory ultrasound requirement after he signed an unsuccessful bill to require an even more invasive transvaginal probe ultrasound during an abortion consultation.




  • NO LEGAL RECOGNITION OF SAME-SEX COUPLES. The committee embraced extreme anti-gay language, even rejecting a proposal to endorse civil unions for gay couples after vehement objections from Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council and Romney adviser Jim Bopp, who called it a “counterfeit marriage.” The rejection of civil unions, along with the refusal to include a line affirming the legal equality of same-sex couples prompted the organization GOProud to declare, “Those who have engaged in this public platform fight have provided distraction from important issues and damaged Mitt Romney’s campaign.”




  • REPLICATE ARIZONA-STYLE IMMIGRATION LAWS. Kris Kobach, who wrote the now mostly invalidated immigration laws in Arizona and Alabama, pushed for language calling for a border fence, a national E-Verify system to make it harder for undocumented workers to find employment, the end of in-state tuition for illegal immigrants and an end to sanctuary cities. The committee overwhelmingly approved the proposals, as well as a line chastising the Department of Justice to halt the lawsuits against draconian immigration laws in Arizona, Alabama, South Carolina and Utah: “State efforts to reduce illegal immigration must be encouraged, not attacked.”





  • AUDIT THE FED. The pet project of Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) to audit the Federal Reserve has now been embraced as an official Republican goal. For the first time, the platform calls for an annual audit of the Federal Reserve.





  • NO WOMEN IN COMBAT. The platform condemns “social experimentation” in the military, which covers everything from the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to allowing officers to wear their uniforms in gay pride events to letting women serve on the front lines.






  • NO STATEHOOD, MORE GUNS FOR WASHINGTON DC. FRC’s Perkins, who recently blamed President Obama and the Southern Poverty Law Center for the shooting at FRC’s Washington headquarters, requested and received a section specifically urging the DC Council to expand gun rights. The same section also opposes DC statehood, which would allow the District to govern itself and put an end to Congressional attempts to impose abortion bans on DC.






  • NO NEW TAXES, EXCEPT FOR WAR. The platform calls for a Constitutional amendment requiring a super-majority to approve any tax increase, “with exceptions for only war and national emergencies.” It would also deliberately hobble future Congresses through a cap limiting all government spending to historical average percentage of GDP — “so that future Congresses cannot balance the budget by raising taxes.”



  • 19 comments:

    Kevin Robbins said...

    Here's another nutter for you, Shaw. And I thought they were all south of the Mason-Dixon line.

    Kevin Robbins said...

    Here's another nutter for you, Shaw. And this one's somehow gotten north of the Mason-Dixon line.

    Kevin Robbins said...

    Apologies if I commented twice. Didn't realize you were moderating. Can certainly understand why though.

    Les Carpenter said...

    "Frank Szabo said that as sheriff, he would arrest any doctor performing elective or late-term abortions in his jurisdiction."

    Read more: http://www.wmur.com/news/politics/Sheriff-candidate-says-he-wouldn-t-reject-deadly-force-to-stop-abortions/-/9857748/16225528/-/9c091s/-/index.html#ixzz24Ng0K7yf

    Elective abortion is protected by law and whether one agrees or disagrees it is (and should remain) the law of the land.

    Late term abortion means third trimester I will assume. Since during the third trimester a human life can survive outside the womb elective abortion at that time for any other reason than to save the life of the women should NOT be legal and laws should be on the books to insure this is the case.

    Personally believe the first trimester is the only time a elective abortion for any and all reasons should be legal.

    Jerry Critter said...

    I think if people would look at the GOP platform,they would see just how radical and authoritative the republicans are in their solutions to our problems.

    Shaw Kenawe said...

    Thanks, Kevin. The NH nutter is going up on the post.

    KP said...

    @JC, I would agree the committee suggestions for the R platform is a departure of what Republicans have seen in the last 30 years and tried to foster since 1980. Guys like Michael Steele and most other R likely voters think the strict abortion stance of the committee is dead wrong. As well, the committee is not authoritarian. Party Platforms are a bit of a joke these days.

    Having said that; (not directed at Jerry) I was under the impression that the committee's suggestions for the platform will not be voted on until Monday evening at the convention? And even then, there is no reason to believe Romney would follow it. It's just not going to happen.

    I am guessing I won't get much support on this here, but the progressive narrative that Romney and Ryan might move to overturn Roe v Wade appears unfounded. I have read all the earlier posts and bills, and possible changes to the Supreme Court, etc., so no need to repost. Most R's support Roe v Wade even if they are prolife.

    For many of the same reasons Obama has been so disappointing to some of the far left on some issues, Romney will disappoint the fringe on the right if elected. Partially because he is not fringe and partially because we have three branches of government to prevent the fringe from taking us all hostage.

    Jerry Critter said...

    skud,
    It won't happen because of Democratic opposition. Since you say abortion should continue to be the law of the land, you should be thanking Democrats, not defending republicans.

    Essentially, the republican platform says what they would do if they had absolute power. You are right. A lot of that stuff will not happen, but it will not be because republicans do not want it to happen. They just don't have enough power. And hopefully they will continue not to.

    KP said...

    << the republican platform says what they would do if they had absolute power >>

    I don't see it that way. If the Republicans won the Presidency and controlled both the house and the senate, Roe v Wade would remain safe. I understand that would be a very uncomfortable way to prove my point for the left, but I do think I am correct.

    Shaw Kenawe said...

    skudrunner: "...maybe the country will come together a little as one instead of totally divided, as is the case now."

    Didn't happen with GWB, why do you think it would happen under an R/R WH?

    Do you actually believe the other side will feel anything but contempt for them? If not, why not?

    The right gave nothing but contempt to Mr. Obama BEFORE he even gave his oath of office. Or have you forgotten "I HOPE HE FAILS?"

    Do you actually think half the country will cuddle up to R/R?

    Dreamer. I'm guessing they'll give Romney/Ryan the same disrespect the cons gave to Mr. Obama.

    R. Cramden said...

    did that thersites asshole find some other blog to annoy?

    Shaw Kenawe said...

    I don't know, R. Cramden, but I have comment moderation on because Thersites and his alter ego Stanley Kolwalski have been trolling my blog, and feel the need to express their manliness by making asses of themselves on the internet.

    If there's a more pathetic and at the same time hilarious example of impotence, I don't know what it is.



    S.W. Anderson said...

    You have to marvel at the completeness of their crackpottery. If someone had written these items into a novel 50 years ago, it would've been panned as too off-the-wall absurd to bother with.

    To quote Mitt Romney, heh, heh, heh, heh.

    Re: Rep. Steve King and matters of breeding, anyone so obviously the product of a pet rock mating with a jackal has no room to talk.

    S.W. Anderson said...

    "Agree or disagree with what plans R/R have for the economy, at least they have a plan."

    Let's see . . . Jefferson Davis had a plan. Imperial Japan's General Staff had a plan. Richard "I Am Not a Crook" Nixon had a plan. George W. Bush and his crackpot-crusader advisers had a plan. Even Bernie Madoff had a plan.

    Just having a plan doesn't qualify people for the power to rule.

    BTW, the inference Republicans have a plan but the Obama administration doesn't is ludicrous. It's like a hit-and-run driver complaining because some guy is sprawled onto the street back there.

    Paul said...

    The Roberts court has overturned decades of legal precedent on many different issues. I believe the Roberts court would overturn Roe/Wade given the chance.
    We have to take the Republiscums at their word and cannot ASSume they will not do what they say they will do, and voters have only their words to judge by.
    Republiscums have always been anti-abortion based on religious beliefs, but I don't recall their platform adding, also, in the cases of rape and incest.
    I doubt Democrats can gain majority in the House, but the Senate is up for grabs.Hopefully, Akin has made that a non-issue.

    Shaw Kenawe said...

    skudrunner keeps repeating the lie that Mr. Obama doesn't have a plan.

    That's a blatant lie.

    But he keeps coming here and depositing it.

    I'm tired of having to use that little blue bag to pick up what he leaves here and throwing it in the trash.

    Here are actual people figuring out the difference between Rmoney's plan and Obama's plan.

    Shaw Kenawe said...

    Another piece of evidence to refute skudrunner's LIE that Mr. Obama has no plan:

    "President Obama's 2012 budget plan did not endorse everything in Bowles-Simpson. The commission proposed raising taxes on the middle class and the president didn't, and he would let the top marginal rates increase instead when the Bush tax legislation expires. Mr. Obama's budget actually proposed cutting domestic discretionary spending more than Bowles-Simpson did, and cutting defense spending less.

    Unlike the other side, however, the president embraced the central tenet of the commission: that we should cut the deficit by enough to stabilize the debt-to-GDP ratio of the country and do it with $3 of cuts to spending and interest for every $1 of new revenue.

    That's the president's plan and that's the Bowles-Simpson plan. And that's not the Romney plan. Mr. Romney said in the primary campaign that he would oppose a deal that had even a 10-to-1 ratio of spending cuts to new revenues. His plan takes that even further." --Austan Goolsbee, WSJ

    Shaw Kenawe said...

    and here's a Rmoney plan:

    "According to The New York Times, ” An individual close to the Romney campaign said that Mr. Romney’s staff drafted the proposal in consultation with industry executives, including Harold Hamm, an Oklahoma billionaire who is the chairman of the campaign’s energy advisory committee and chief executive of Continental Resources, an oil and gas driller. Just this week, the oil and gas industry gave nearly $10 million toward the Romney election effort in two fund-raisers.”

    You have got to hand it to Mitt Romney. He isn’t even trying to fool people anymore. Mitt Romney’s ideas for energy will make George W. Bush and Dick Cheney look like environmentalists.

    Romney’s plan is based on the outright lie that the oil and natural gas drilled for in this country belongs to the United States.

    The is the Republican Party’s big lie.

    Any oil or natural gas drilled for in the United States belongs to the oil and natural gas companies, and those companies are free to sell American resources on the global market. Before the debate can even be held on Romney’s plan for energy independence by 2020, it needs to be understood that the entire Republican premise is built on a lie.

    Let’s say Romney let’s the oil and gas companies drill anywhere and everywhere. Whatever they increase production by isn’t going to help the United States become energy independent. That increased production would be profit for the oil and natural gas industry.

    But, what else would you expect from a candidate who allowed the oil and natural gas industry to write his energy plan?"


    "Just this week, the oil and gas industry gave nearly $10 million toward the Romney election effort in two fund-raisers."

    S.W. Anderson said...

    " the president embraced the central tenet of the (Simpson-Bowles) commission: that we should cut the deficit by enough to stabilize the debt-to-GDP ratio of the country and do it with $3 of cuts to spending and interest for every $1 of new revenue."

    If Obama goes down to defeat because of something he did, this will surely be the reason. Job 1 was supposed to be creating jobs. Simpson Bowles was a bad piece of work to begin with. Even with modifications, implementing those spending cuts cost federal and state jobs and sent exactly the wrong message throughout the economy. There's no telling how many new jobs never materialized because of it, or how many additional nongovernment layoffs were caused by it. Obama tried to please everyone and ended up not pleasing or satisfying anyone with this nonsense, although I suppose our Saudi and Chinese creditors were somewhat reassured.

    When firemen are trying to keep a house from becoming a total loss, only an idiot would tell them to put the hoses down and grab mops because they're ruining the beautiful hardwood floors with all that water. That's what the budget hawks were doing with their demands for spending cuts. Most of them were Republicans hoping to do anything to make the stimulus effort a failure and retard the jobs recovery, all for the most selfish political reasons. Democrats like Kent Conrad who pushed for this mistake defined the difference between bookeepers who know about numbers but can't see past the bottom line and economists who know about policy and can see the big picture.

    New presidents make mistakes. I hope snd pray this one won't prove fatal to Obama's presidency.