Republican Fatigue

The Republican party must be the theme for today, because I just finished reading a great commentary in Time magazine from Republican pollster Frank Luntz. He discusses the reasons behind the GOP's sagging poll numbers and the good possibility that the Democrats will win control of the US House of Representatives in November.

What went wrong? Why do Democrats finally appear to be heading toward electoral success and Republicans back into the political wilderness? In a word, fatigue. Americans are tired of the war, tired of watching illegal aliens race across our unguarded borders, tired of high energy costs, tired of wasteful Washington spending, and tired of story after story of political corruption and misbehavior.

The Republican Party of 2006 is a tired, cranky shell of the aggressive, reformist movement that was swept into office in 1994 on a wave of positive change. I knew those Republicans. I worked for them. They were friends of mine. These Republicans are not those Republicans.

Luntz perfectly describes the Fall of the GOP. This is not the same party that came to power in 1994. Gone are the the deficit hawks and the proponents of a smaller, limited government that respected the rights of the individual. The party needs to lose, if only so it can be reborn and redeemed in some future election. The GOP will need to engage in some serious self-examination and exorcise the accumulated demons of the Bush Administration.

Perspective of a Gay Republican

As other bloggers have noted, we have just recently passed National Coming Out Day. This year, the celebration coincides with the Foley sex scandal in Washington. Some conservatives are trying to smear all GLBT people by suggesting that Foley's despicable behavior is characteristic of all GLBT people.

Now, more than ever, it is vital that GLBT individuals of all poltical persuasions confront the hate and ignorance coming from the conservative wing of the Republican party, but it is especially true for GLBT Republicans.

In that vein, here is a great article from an openly gay Republican staffer speaking about the struggle to be honest, and the price we pay for remaining in the closet.

I hope a war of introspection and decision is being waged within the minds of my gay GOP brethren who now live fearfully in the closet. Is it really worth it? At some point, you will have to own up to who you are. Or like Foley, former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey and others who walked the razor's edge, you too will slip, fall, and do incalculable damage along the way. I don't care what office you hold. It screws with your head. It's not worth it. How you must long for peace of mind. I remember.

The way to be a good Republican is to stand by your convictions, and right now that means to come out of the closet and confront the hate and bigotry that has taken control of the Republican party. This is our party too, but we cannot fight for equality when we are hiding in the closet.

Be brave, dear friends, for you are stronger than you think.

Veggies: They'll Kill Ya

As if further evidence was needed that the slacker diet of cold pizza and Mountain Dew was the best of all possibble choices, here comes yet another reminder of the dangers of vegetables. The article from the CBC begins with this frightening statement:

Two Toronto residents are paralyzed after drinking carrot juice that tested positive for a botulism toxin, according to the city's public health department.

Botulism! The word alone is enough to send chills up the spine. Check out this list of symptoms.

Botulism is rare, but it can be fatal and must be treated quickly. Symptoms can include blurred vision, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and paralysis, Toronto Public Health said.

In severe cases, the paralysis can restrict breathing, forcing patients onto ventilators. There's no word whether the Toronto patients are on ventilators.

First the organic spinach, now the carrot juice. Put down the health food, it's just not worth the risk.

State Senator Ray Meier and the House Republican Leadership

Submitted for your approval, an examination into where Ray Meier, the Republican nominee for the 24th Congressional District of New York, stands on the investigation into the Foley sex scandal in the US House of Representatives, and whether his support for Speaker Dennis Hastert should cause a fair-minded voter to question his integrity or judgement.

Item One is from the online magazine The Hill. The relevant quote from this article is that

Based on the information available, state Sen. Ray Meier (R-N.Y.) said he would support Hastert [for Speaker of the House].

Some would use the fact that Meier is supporting Hastert as evidence that Meier is a stooge and a pawn of the Republican leadership, unwilling to excercise independence of thought and action. Read on.

Item Two is from the Associated Press. This story gives context to Meier's support for Hastert.

Running for an open seat in New York, Republican candidate Ray Meier said investigations into Foley's conduct should pay special attention "to who knew about Foley's behavior, when they knew, and why it took so long for these matters to be confronted and for action to be taken."

And finally, Item Three is from the Buffalo News. This story further illustrates that Meier supports a full and complete investigation into the facts of the Foley scandal, including the possibility of a cover-up by House Leadership.

"This matter must be completely investigated by the FBI with special attention to who knew about Foley's behavior, when they knew, and why it took so long for these matters to be confronted and for action to be taken to protect these young people from a predator who hid behind his title," Meier said.

It seems clear, then, that while Ray Meier is supporting Hastert at this time, he supports a full and complete investigation into the matter, regardless of where that investigation might lead.

If the evidence is found that Speaker Hastert has acted unethically in this matter, then and only then, is Ray Meier's support for Hastert newsworthy.

From what I know of Ray Meier, he is a decent and honorable man. Without a doubt he is more conservative than I am, but we can not expect to elect a Sherwood Boehlert every time.

I hope that the Democrats capture the House of Representatives this Fall, but I also hope that Republican Ray Meier is elected to the House, largely because he is a decent and honorable man.

Good grief, what's a voter to do?

Making the Kaiser Proud

American public policy has now reached its apex, the current level of sophistication and debate will never be surpassed. As evidence, I direct your attention to this article about the Charleston, South Carolina City Council.

A Charleston City Council member says parents who can’t properly care for their children should be sterilized.

"We pick up stray animals and spay them,” Councilman Larry Shirley said. “These mothers need to be spayed if they can’t take care of theirs. Once they have a child and it’s running the street, to let them continue to have children is totally unacceptable.”

Forced sterilization, coming soon to a health clinic near you. Thank the gods that this wasn't proposed in Upstate New York. Take that, South Carolina!