I know I've mentioned it before, but once upon a time I - and pretty much the rest of my extended family - was/were Republicans. Indeed, we were proud of our political party. But that was then and also when the GOP was not a party of religious extremists and know nothings - not to mention total political whores in the case of GOP elected officials. And now, we all vote for the Democrats who despite their many faults do understand the concept of separation of church and state. Now, I shudder at the thought now and find my former involvement in the GOP to be a point of embarrassment when confronted by those who do not understand that a sea change has occurred in the Republican Party - and not a change for the better. Former Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY) exemplifies that former GOP which focused on real fiscal responsibility and staying out of individuals private lives. Think Progress has a piece in which Simpson reads the riot act at the Christofascists and homophobes who are the GOP's new puppet masters. Here are some highlights:*
On MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews today, former Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY), co-chair of President Obama’s debt commission, railed against the social conservatives in the Republican party. He admonished male legislators for voting on abortion issues and “homophobes” like Rick Santorum who say “cruel, cruel things” about gays and lesbians:
*
SIMPSON: Who the hell is for abortion? I don’t know anybody running around with a sign that says, “Have an abortion! They’re wonderful!” They’re hideous, but they’re a deeply intimate and personal decision, and I don’t think men legislators should even vote on the issue.
*
Then you’ve got homosexuality, you’ve got Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. We have homophobes on our party. That’s disgusting to me. We’re all human beings. We’re all God’s children. Now if they’re going to get off on that stuff—Santorum has said some cruel things—cruel, cruel things—about homosexuals. Ask him about it; see if he attributes the cruelness of his remarks years ago. Foul. * Now if that’s the kind of guys that are going to be on my ticket, you know, it makes you sort out hard what Reagan said, you know, “Stick with your folks.” But, I’m not sticking with people who are homophobic, anti-women, moral values—while you’re diddling your secretary while you’re giving a speech on moral values? Come on, get off of it.
*
I find it both sad and dangerous for the nation that the GOP is now defined more by who is hated by its adherents as opposed to intelligence and reasoned argument. Yahoo News also looks at Simpson's condemnation of the bigots in the GOP.
On MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews today, former Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY), co-chair of President Obama’s debt commission, railed against the social conservatives in the Republican party. He admonished male legislators for voting on abortion issues and “homophobes” like Rick Santorum who say “cruel, cruel things” about gays and lesbians:
*
SIMPSON: Who the hell is for abortion? I don’t know anybody running around with a sign that says, “Have an abortion! They’re wonderful!” They’re hideous, but they’re a deeply intimate and personal decision, and I don’t think men legislators should even vote on the issue.
*
Then you’ve got homosexuality, you’ve got Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. We have homophobes on our party. That’s disgusting to me. We’re all human beings. We’re all God’s children. Now if they’re going to get off on that stuff—Santorum has said some cruel things—cruel, cruel things—about homosexuals. Ask him about it; see if he attributes the cruelness of his remarks years ago. Foul. * Now if that’s the kind of guys that are going to be on my ticket, you know, it makes you sort out hard what Reagan said, you know, “Stick with your folks.” But, I’m not sticking with people who are homophobic, anti-women, moral values—while you’re diddling your secretary while you’re giving a speech on moral values? Come on, get off of it.
*
I find it both sad and dangerous for the nation that the GOP is now defined more by who is hated by its adherents as opposed to intelligence and reasoned argument. Yahoo News also looks at Simpson's condemnation of the bigots in the GOP.
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