We don't need this big a tent. We just fucking don't. When people can run for office on platforms that include denying fundamental access to due process of law to American citizens simply because we don't like who they want to marry, and still call themselves Democrats, I say the Democrats just suck. Similarly, when some dipshit can stand up in public and say "No, ma'am, you should not have any legal right to choose which medical procedures you will or won't have on your own person", and still be a Democrat, it's time to find another goddam party.
It bothers me. I mean, in some reality somewhere, sure, being willing to admit that there are other values in this world that matter besides abortion, gays and school prayer is the very essence of reason and tolerance. Sadly, that reality is probably this one. But I don't want these idiots in any group I'm identified with.
Straight up -- you want to make it illegal for people to choose which medical procedures they can have, for any reason? You want to tell one pair of American citizens they can get married, and another pair they can't, because you think one of them is kinda yucky? You want to introduce religious ceremony into the publicly funded education process? And you want to do it because GOD told you it's the right thing to do? Fuck you, bitch. Get off my planet, or at least, out of my political party. You are a dangerous repressive intolerant bigoted loon, and I want nothing to do with you.
Sorry. Yeah. I know. We need their votes. We wouldn't, though, if we simply made everyone take and pass the same test to vote, as we make immigrants pass to earn citizenship.
I understand the distaste, but I gave up a long time ago on finding an ideal candidate.
ReplyDeleteI can't address the others, but in the case of Bob Casey the pro-life stance is a personal set of beliefs, not a campaign plank. While there's a chance he might lean in the direction of restricting abortion laws he'd still be replacing Rick Santorum and Rick's very much been one of those trying to get such restrictions passed.
Pennsylvania will be much less embarassed with Casey in that seat, and the nation will be better off. Improving the healthcare system, arresting and reversing the cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, fixing the Medicare Part D mess, and improving access to health insurance... these are all excellent aims, and Casey will definitely be getting my vote.
If Casey is pro life as a personal belief, but outlawing abortion isn't part of his platform, then the conditions I outlined don't fit him. In fact, I fit that description pretty well, too. I hate abortion. I simply hate the idea of living in a world where the government is making my healthcare decisions for me even more.
ReplyDeleteThe problem, however much people want to dance around it, or beat their chests with ringing declaration about true democracy in action, is that we let weak, hateful, foolish people vote. That's it in a nutshell. Republican politics, Rovian politics, is all about finding emotional buttons to push that will get dumb ass bigots to vote for your boy. And as long as we insist on letting dumb ass bigots vote, Rove and those like him will find great success in pandering to the lowest emotional denominator.
To really turn politics on its head and weed out people like Rove and candidates like Bush (and Cheney), we need to find some way to keep the vote out of the hands of the foolish, the lazy, and the intellectually enthralled. Imposing the citizenship test we insist non-native Americans pass as a prerequisite for voting is very simple, and should certainly be seen as fair and equal. If some guy named Bolivar has to do it in order to vote, why shouldn't some guy named Cletus? Because Cletus got luckier as to where his mother was when she gave birth to him? It's nonsense.
Obviously, it can never happen. "THOSE GODDAM LIB'RULS ARE TRYIN' TO TAKE AWAY Y'R GOD GIVEN RIGHT TO VOTE!!!" is the least that any such serious suggestion would be met with, on the part of entrenched interests. And if anything would turn out the hairy eared, dumb ass, NASCAR loving unwashed to the polls, even faster than "THEY'RE LETTIN FAGS GET HITCHED!!!", that would be it.
What we need is a sensible, wise Commander in Chief to be in charge of the War on Terror. Something like this needs to be imposed under Emergency Powers, or as an executive order. Prove your citizenship. Pass the test. Vote. That's how we should do it.
It's never going to happen. But Jesus, it would give Karl Rove a fucking stroke if it was ever even seriously proposed.
It's a good idea, but only a half-measure at best. We also need to get everyone currently in Washington out, all at once. Right now it's a union shop. You take the brightest, most gung-ho guy around, and feed him to those sharks, and he'll either become a shark, or swim away as fast as he can, but he's not gonna change a damn thing as long as the sharks are in charge.
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