GOP out of Control

Way, way out there on the extreme right – so close to the edge of the political spectrum that it may fall off, the grand old party looks odd …
by Charlie Leck

In a column – a brilliant and well-written one – in the Wednesday NY Times, Thomas L. Friedman made an extraordinary call for a true conservative party. “We Need a Conservative Party!” He pointed out how such a party would actually work and the incredible benefit we’d get from real and meaningful debate about sensible and current issues. In the column he pointed to a few of the nation’s true and creative conservatives, including Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida, and Bob Inglis, former South Carolina congressman, and to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

“We are not going to make any progress on our biggest problems without a compromise between the center-right and the center-left. But for that we need the center-right conservatives, not the radicals, to be running the GOP, as well as the center-left of the Democratic Party.”

“…As things stand now, though, there is little hope this campaign will give the winner any basis for governing. Too bad – a presidential campaign is a terrible thing to waste.”

Mr. Aikin – you know, the fellow from Missouri – has only highlighted again the utter stupidity of the very radical right wing in the Republican Party. And Aikin casts a long shadow, allowing us to see into so much of the Republican Party, to understand what it has become in this filthy era of politics.

Why the abortion question?
Why are we spending so many hours and so much energy on this question when there are little children dying all over the world – from hunger and malnutrition – from wars and terrorist actions in their countries – from abuse by adults – from the stupidity of cultural and political requirements on the control of births and genders? Tell me! Where is the righteous indignation about the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children around the world from these absurdities that we have the power to fight, cure and control?

Even Mr. Ryan, of Wisconsin, opposes abortion under any circumstance – and that includes even after a pregnancy caused by rape or incest. That, while he continues to fight against the government participating in programs that aid in the safe delivery of babies for women who cannot afford proper prenatal and postnatal care. Oh what phoniness!

It is Mr. Aikin’s recently expressed view that brings into clear relief the consistent views of Mr. Ryan, which have really been no different – and clearly shows the view of a predominance of the Republican Party on these issues as well.

It is Mr. Ryan who wants to cut off all federal funding for Planned Parenthood – an agency, thank goodness, that has an exceptional history of serving the lowest income women and families in birth and child care matters.

Here’s what the Republican Party has become!
The platform at the coming Republican National Convention will take stances even more severe than Mitt Romney’s about these matters of abortion and family planning. In 2002, while campaigning for the governor’s office in Massachusetts, Romney indicated he agreed with the substance of Roe v. Wade. Hold the presses! These days, under pressure from the likes of the Tea Party, he is all in on matters of pro-life! Oh, my!

Who knows where Mr. Romney is on matters of concern to women? I don’t. Most women don’t! What Romney might have said several years ago on these issues don’t necessarily mean that he is there today. Romney is being pushed by the tenacious Tea Party enthusiasts more and more to the right.

Medieval Republicans
Let me say it straight about this high jacking of the Republican Party. I know a lot of Republicans. I hang around with a lot of them. They are sensible and bright people who are befuddled by the direction of their party in so many matters. They want to be loyal and faithful to their Party, but their Party is making it difficult for them. Why? That’s simple! Because it is now controlled by a radical band of unrelenting and uncompromising far right-wingers! Maureen Down calls it “the evermore antediluvian, anti-women, anti-immigrant, anti-gay conservative core.” She also calls Mr. Ryan “the perfect modern leader to rally medieval Republicans who believe that Adam and Eve cavorted with dinosaurs.”

Let me introduce you to Paul D. Ryan, candidate for Vice President of the U.S.A..

What happened to the libertarians on this issue? Did they give up protecting the libertarian rights of people to choose when it comes to abortion?

What’s this business of a forcible rape? Is there rape that is not forcible? Have the men out there taken to their caves? Have Republicans gone crazy?

The platform of the Republican National Party – the one they are about to adopt at their convention – is going to make Mitt Romney very uncomfortable. It will, however, be just Jim Dandy for Paul Ryan! This platform, as it stands now, will call for constitutional bans on same-sex marriage and on all abortions! The platform will demand that the government “not fund or subsidize health care, which includes abortion coverage.”

The Day has come, when the extreme right may take control!
In addition, the platform will give evidence to some of the most extreme positions on taxation and national security that you could possibly imagine. A day has come that I would never have expected – the day when the extreme right is moving closer to controlling the life of the average American – and that average American is going to be called upon to give up many of the rights he now possesses. Now, how do you libertarians feel about that?

The Republican move toward absolute madness cannot be allowed to continue. Honest to God! I mean it!

It is becoming clearer to us just why candidate Romney chose Paul Ryan as his running mate. He is kowtowing to the extremist wing of his Grand Old Party and solidifying its support of his candidacy.

If Romney allows the platform of his party to be adopted as it now exists it will be one of the most extraordinary historical events of my life time. “So, help me God!” I mean it!

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