Speaking Ill of the Dead

Unsurprisingly, the RW Noise Machine is turning against Gerald Ford for his posthumously-published criticism of the Iraq War, and support for gay marriage. I tend to be somewhat less sympathetic to Ford as a war critic; this is, after all, the same guy who was ready to intervene militarily in Angola and go to war with Cambodia over the Mayaguez Incident (which I inititally kept confusing with North Korea and the Pueblo Incident). Nevertheless, its interesting to see how quickly the RW turns against any who dare to criticize this Administration, especially fellow Republicans. One thing I had not known about Ford until the coverage of his death was that he was a progressive internationalist pro-United Nations Republican specifically recruited by Senator Arthur Vandeberg to run against an old isolationist GOP Congressman. In that light, and especially considering the RW's pathological need to portray that bucolic old fascist Nixon as some sort of beloved elder statesman, it's not hard to see why they are turning on Ford now.

ATTENTION VALUES VOTERS!! Part II

George W. Bush supports same-sex civil unions!
In fact, he's supported them for at least the last two years!
Not that there's anything wrong with that...

Well Said!

An excellent exchange from a Texas Democratic list serv. The topic was berating Chet Edwards for voting for the GOP's dog-and-pony-show Constitutional Amendment to outlaw marriage beween people they don't like:

The Post:
How can anyone even sugguest that it is ok to barter with someone'sfreedom, liberties and rights, for the purpose of keeping a seat inCongress? Where do we draw the line at bartering one's value's tostay in office? It is indeed a slippery slope. It it easier tobarter someone's freedom, than to take bribes? Is it more ethical?Shame. When did doing the right thing stop becoming what was important as aleader.


The Response:
Yankees. *shakes head*Ethics don't matter, we live in Texas, remember? God doesn't "hate fags," but Texas certainly does.Deep in the heart of Texas, there is a city called Waco, this is where the Klan lives. I know it is unfathomable for you city folk to figure out how these people think, but my whole family is from Waco, and I do understand. Chet is elected by Waco, not Austin, Houston, or Dallas. He knows his people and what will fly and what will not. That's why he's been re-elected eight times. I am gay, and I would sacrifice my "freedom, liberties, and rights" if it meant that my nephew could go to a decent public school and get healthcare. That's the choice. We can dwell on an issue that will guarantee successive failures, or we can put it on the back burner and put the interests of ALL Texans first.Why can't we put it on the back burner until the old farts die off? Why must we endure failure after failure when we could just wait a few years? Everything takes time (and the death of a generation). Whether you like it or not, Texas has ALWAYS been conservative and always will be. Why not focus on issues that win? Only then can we fix the Texas public education system, and from education will come some form of liberalism.So yes, it is perfectly okay with me that Chet is a adept politician who knows his people. I am perfectly willing to let this issue slide to ensure his re-election, keep the VA open, keep Fort Hood open, keep Tricare funding in line, fight to reduce the deficit, fight to protect Social Security, etc, etc, etc...Why don't you yankees come down from your ivory towers (Dallas, Houston, Austin), put down your starbucks, take off your birkenstocks, and realize that the State of Texas is nothing like you, and that to win here, you must give a little. And yes, winning is everything.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Apparently, Some Democrats DO Get It

This is a great article about Southern Democrats introducing bills that allow the Bible to be taught as literature in public schools. I appreciate their efforts for a couple of reasons: first, it shows sensitivity to a very controversial issue that has bitterly divided people of Faith; second, the Bible IS a central, crucial element of Western Civillization and should be taught to students as part of well-rounded liberal education; third, from a purely cynical partisan standpoint, it takes the air of the perception of many that GOP stands for God's Own Party. I wonder if Betty Peters, a Republican on the Alabama school board, appreciated the irony when she accused Democrats of wrapping themselves in Jesus? Probably not.