Thoughts on the Coming Midterm Elections
In the summer of 2004, in preparation for the coming Presidential election, I downloaded and read the Democratic and Republican Platforms.
I found the Republican Platform to be seriously flawed in that it goes against the traditional Republican position of States Rights, separation of state and religion, and less Government interference in the lives of individual citizens. As such, it defined a Republican position that I could not identify with, much less support.
The 2004 platform contains two planks that caused the schism: Protecting Marriage and Protecting a Culture of Life. These planks call for amendments to the Constitution that forbid gay marriages and abortions. In my opinion, these planks are based solely on the religious beliefs of Christians and, ultimately, are claims for what the Christian God has ordained. Thus, these two planks call for a theocratic agenda for the nation at the most fundamental, constitutional, level, different only in degree from that of Iran and the Taliban.
At the time, I was terribly concerned and somewhat angry. As an agnostic, I don’t pray, but if I did, I would pray that the people at the state level can control this terrible trend for transforming our nation into a theocracy. Make no mistake, I believe abortion and gay marriage are only the beginning. The misguided zealots who truly believe they are doing God’s work, cannot stop at taking control of their bodies away from women and denigrating committed homosexual relationships as unholy unions. The mind boggles at the retro infringements on individual freedoms that God wants. Since no one can prove what God does or does not want, any religious group can make up the rules as they go. And the 2004 Republican Platform defines two rules they made up.
When Bush was elected I was really worried. Who would have thought the nation would elect a Republican President by a large majority who promised to amend the Constitution to limit individual freedoms. Talk about going down the rabbit hole.
I began referring to the President as Ayatollah Bush, thinking that he now had a mandate and legislation on abortion and gay rights would soon be forthcoming.
I was, of course, naïve. I was relieved to find the two planks I was so worked up about were in the Platform merely as cynical ploys for garnering votes from the evangelical religious right. No related legislation has been proposed by the Administration. And, very likely, never will be.
For the Bush administration has proven itself to be one of deceit, cronyism, and, the worse charge of all, totally lacking in forethought. Bertrand Russell claimed that forethought was the hallmark of an adult mind. In which case, the current administration is childlike. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq as a key operation in our war against terrorism. Yet because of its lack of forethought, the administration did so in a manner that actually created and armed terrorists. Now we’re stuck with our winnings and cannot withdraw.
So what’s the Republican plan for the midterm elections? The plan seems to be to localize each congressional contest that has nothing to do with what’s going on at the national level. Seems simplistic to me, but the great political puppet-master, Karl Rove is on the loose ready to take on the Democrats.
It is going to be a very, very, interesting summer. Unfortunately, only the fate of the nation is at stake.
Me? The Republican Party abandoned me in the summer of 2004. Left me standing alone in the middle of the conservative road while it wandered off into the far-right Bushes. Accept for John McCain, I’m voting to keep all Republican candidates out of all offices - - city, county, state, federal.
I found the Republican Platform to be seriously flawed in that it goes against the traditional Republican position of States Rights, separation of state and religion, and less Government interference in the lives of individual citizens. As such, it defined a Republican position that I could not identify with, much less support.
The 2004 platform contains two planks that caused the schism: Protecting Marriage and Protecting a Culture of Life. These planks call for amendments to the Constitution that forbid gay marriages and abortions. In my opinion, these planks are based solely on the religious beliefs of Christians and, ultimately, are claims for what the Christian God has ordained. Thus, these two planks call for a theocratic agenda for the nation at the most fundamental, constitutional, level, different only in degree from that of Iran and the Taliban.
At the time, I was terribly concerned and somewhat angry. As an agnostic, I don’t pray, but if I did, I would pray that the people at the state level can control this terrible trend for transforming our nation into a theocracy. Make no mistake, I believe abortion and gay marriage are only the beginning. The misguided zealots who truly believe they are doing God’s work, cannot stop at taking control of their bodies away from women and denigrating committed homosexual relationships as unholy unions. The mind boggles at the retro infringements on individual freedoms that God wants. Since no one can prove what God does or does not want, any religious group can make up the rules as they go. And the 2004 Republican Platform defines two rules they made up.
When Bush was elected I was really worried. Who would have thought the nation would elect a Republican President by a large majority who promised to amend the Constitution to limit individual freedoms. Talk about going down the rabbit hole.
I began referring to the President as Ayatollah Bush, thinking that he now had a mandate and legislation on abortion and gay rights would soon be forthcoming.
I was, of course, naïve. I was relieved to find the two planks I was so worked up about were in the Platform merely as cynical ploys for garnering votes from the evangelical religious right. No related legislation has been proposed by the Administration. And, very likely, never will be.
For the Bush administration has proven itself to be one of deceit, cronyism, and, the worse charge of all, totally lacking in forethought. Bertrand Russell claimed that forethought was the hallmark of an adult mind. In which case, the current administration is childlike. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq as a key operation in our war against terrorism. Yet because of its lack of forethought, the administration did so in a manner that actually created and armed terrorists. Now we’re stuck with our winnings and cannot withdraw.
So what’s the Republican plan for the midterm elections? The plan seems to be to localize each congressional contest that has nothing to do with what’s going on at the national level. Seems simplistic to me, but the great political puppet-master, Karl Rove is on the loose ready to take on the Democrats.
It is going to be a very, very, interesting summer. Unfortunately, only the fate of the nation is at stake.
Me? The Republican Party abandoned me in the summer of 2004. Left me standing alone in the middle of the conservative road while it wandered off into the far-right Bushes. Accept for John McCain, I’m voting to keep all Republican candidates out of all offices - - city, county, state, federal.
posted by Bob Baker at 6:04 AM
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