Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas has announced he is running for president. I’ve been afraid of Sam Brownback for years — I must admit, it was Howard Stern that hipped me to his insane fundamentalist views. Here is the problem:
It looks like Hillary Clinton really has a shot at winning the Democratic nomination in ’08. If that happens this means we have another Republican president. Because there is no way in hell Hillary can win the general. I have as much chance as she does. It will never happen.
Now: the big contenders for the GOP are Mitt Romney, Rudy & John McCain. All of them are too “moderate” (meaning they don’t spit on gays or condemn women to hell for having control of their own bodies.) The real Americans out their driving trucks (if I may generalize) can’t handle this and they will have to run to the right. If this scenario plays out, it may mean that the only person to vote for is Brownback. Hence: President Brownback. (And, Canadian Citizen Hoffman. I mean it this time.)
‘Cause Brownback makes W. look like Woodrow Wilson’s first term.
Here, read for yourself about Brownback here. And check out this blog here.
There is a solution, of course, to the above scenario. And a surprising one at that. We all know that it’s money that makes a candidacy. Mike Bloomberg is sitting on twenty billion dollars. He can run for president thirty times and pay for it himself. He could, theoretically, run as an independent and outspend the Dems and the GOP combined twice over. And while he isn’t my favorite person on Earth, that’s an outcome I could live with.
More on Bloomberg:
Yeah, his behaviour during the ’04 GOP convention was despicable, a black mark on New York City.. . . …but you gotta love anyone who is quoted as coyly saying, “How likely is a 5′ 7″ Jew-from-New York, billionaire, who’s divorced, and running as an independent, to become President of the United States?”
Don’t understand why you fear Christian Fundamentalists — they are what they are, and seem virtually incapable of having any direct political effect on your life, despite the windblowing. (If there has been Fundamentalist Christian based legislation passed in the past six years, I’d like tohear about it. If not now … when?) If you’re reading the last election right, these folks were defeated, or at least given a vote of “no confidence.” The Republican party has to deal with the fact that far-right people like this are just as damaging to their party’s image as the far left is to the Democrats. A politician like Brownback doesn’t stand a chance in hell of getting the nomination in this sort of “need for change” climate in their party. Going far right will not lead to victory for them.
I’d also wager most of those people out their driving trucks aren’t Christian Fundamentalists. Or anywhere near as frightening as you make them out to be … unless you had some sort of “you’re Jewish … why don’t you have any horns?” incident while in Texas recently. You’re not seeing this vast section of the American populace with any sort of clarity or logic. Apparently, a lot of them voted for Democrats this last election.
As for this Canadian bullshit, man, get off that concept. It makes you come off like a pussy. This is your country — live in it, and don’t threaten to leave it. If you think it’s that fucked up, make efforts to change it. How many Republicans did you hear spout the “I’m moving to Canada” line after this last election? None. If you’re going to move anywhere, Jersey City sounds like an up-and-coming neighborhoood.
I can think of many laws passed in the last 6 years as a direct reaction of fundamentalist pressure. For one, the executive branch now employs a “faith czar” whose job it is to dole out funds to various approved religious groups for so called “faith-based initiatives.” What this means is that clinic A in an impoverished neighborhood because it pushes bibles and clinic B will get the shaft because it pushes condoms. Also: try getting an abortion in South Dakota. It is now basically impossible. Also: thx to Prez Bush and his kowtowing to the religious right we have the famous cessation of development on new stem cell lines for research. Also: the US has always given $$$ to various medical groups that work in 3rd world countries. We still do, but only ones that preach abstinence and do not perform abortions. That’s a new change thx to our friend W.
That faith czar thing sounds fishy to me — funding allocation has to pass through a lot of channels, and frankly, if I was operating some type of clinic in a rough neighborhood, I’d throw a few bibles in the lobby or do whatever it took to get appropriate funding … then run the clinic any damn way I please! I suspect if you’re running any sort of governmentally-funded clinic, you learn how to dance like this.
You’re right in noting South Dakota, but I’d also note that this is an anomaly, and more of a “state vs. federal” issue that the far-right has purposely manipulated — and it aint going to fly in most states. I’m more considering national/federal issues here more than state — because if you get into that, I think you’re going to find plenty of states passing legislation that won’t please you, whatever your political affiliation. Much less municipalities!
When it gets into medical research, you have a point with stem-cell, but I can guarantee you researchers will turn up funding, private or governmental, to forge ahead with this. I’d be curious to see exactly how federal funding for medical research is allocated, because I suspect it’s a huge can of worms.
Aside from the abortion issue, I think you’re pointing out issues that, while not moot, are not major. Of course when a certain party with whatever affiliation gets into power, that party is going to favor the people and groups who got the party into office with funding. That’s a given — and obviously their right. It’s not going to please you if you don’t agree with them. I’m not sure if I’d consider funding “legislation” although I understand you’re looking at it from the point of view of these people using whom they choose to fund as a political statement. (Which it is … but it is not legislation that will stand after they lose power in office.)
The sort of thing I’m getting at would be a NATIONAL ban on abortion passed by both houses of congress and approved by a president. Has anything happened like that in the past six years that’s clearly a bull-rush by Christian fundamentalists? (And don’t include gay marriage, because there are plenty of Democrats sitting on the fence with that one.)
Do you really lose sleep over this sort of shit? Or are you just drinking too much caffeine?
Perhaps an admixture of genuine concern and the Jim’s Organic Bold Italian Roast we picked up at the natural foods store.