WatchWhy do you suppose the GOP has sold out to religious radicals? I totally understand why they have sold out to the corporationists, but you'd think the goals of the radical religious zealots of the country run contrary to the traditional goals of "small, limited government" the GOP used to hold so dear.
Today, Republicans like Rick Santorum and Rick Perry carry the water for the Radical Religious Zealots as if they were competing for the nomination of the Evangelical party instead of the Republican party...
What part of "small, limited government" prohibits Terry Schiavo's husband from making end of life decisions for his invalid wife (Rick Santorums claim to fame, btw), or prevents people from suffering from medical conditions from being able to seek relief using marijuana, or regulates what adults can do with each other in the privacy of their own bedroom, or limits who can, and who cannot marry each other.
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Appealing to rural conservative voters gets you a lot more electoral votes (not to mention senate seats) than appealing to urban liberals. Blame the founders.
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Captive constituency. GOP can give mega-church leaders meth and male prostitutes and convince them to shriek at their congregations 24/7 about the baby killing Democrat/marxist horror and provide a standing army to vote GOP and terrorize people at the polls who may attempt to vote Democrat, etc. People who go to church are pre-brainwashed and ready to be fucked in the head by anyone in the pulpit. Why not take just buy the guy in the pulpit and use him to seize control of his congregants?
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ReasonNotFaith says
That's a dumb question. It is because they vote.
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I just think it's interesting how the GOP has completely abandoned their "small, limited government" principles, in order to accommodate the agenda of the religious radicals. You would think the two would be incompatible.
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ReasonNotFaith says
Because you can't get elected promoting the wonders of Crony Capitalism. Without the Religious Right, the Republicans would be a permanent minority of the very rich crony capitalists.
It's all about the money. CREAM, get the money, dollar dollar bill ya'll.
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ReasonNotFaith says
There is no party of "small, limited government." Both parties are for big government.
Democrats = Socialism for the Poor
Republicans = Socialism for the Rich (if you don't believe me, remember how rich deadbeats at the big banks got huge welfare, oops, I mean "bailout" checks from their fellow taxpayers).
Why is there no party of small, limited government? Simple. Politicians can't get rich or powerful with small, limited government. Politicians don't get into politics for some altruistic cause like the "greater good", they get into politics for money, power, and fame. Politicians are driven by the same lust for money, power, and fame that drives everyone else.
Seriously, this nation is so utterly corrupt I've considered moving elsewhere. Then again, we do have a lot of good farmland. The Canadians can't eat tar sand, the Australians can't eat Iron and Coal, and the Norwegians can't eat North Sea Oil.
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wthrfrk80 says
Uh, there is, several in fact. They just don't get elected because most people actually DO want social security, medicare, and a big ass military.
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wthrfrk80 says
wthrfrk80 says
You have hit the nail on the head ... you need an army of reliable voters that will accept the whole thing as a package: in order to stop all that baby-killing, you need to look the other way when we pass tax laws that punish you and enrich a very small minority .. small price to pay ... and don't think too hard about it (hardly a concern! - that is the beauty of it).
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ReasonNotFaith says
There are two kinds of Republicans. The first is Richie Rich. He runs the GOP and gets all the benefits from it. However, as he only makes up 0.1% of the population, he needs to find a way to fool other people into voting Repub even though clearly it is not in their own best interest.
The second kind of Republican is the dumb religious nut who thinks that the more a politician says "Jesus!", the more he actually believes in the religious trite. Being really stupid, this kind of person is really gullible and he's afraid of anything that's not exactly like him and his inbred neighbors. He's afraid of dark skin people, religions that don't look like his (Islam), and that gay man-on-man sex. His worse fear is a gay-married, Islamic, brown skinned terrorist who doesn't watch NASCAR.
The first kind of Republican is smart -- evil, yes, but smart -- and he believes the ends always justifies the means. So the first kind of Republican manipulates the second kind into voting Republican by making the GOP platform an extension of Christianity, even though Christianity says pretty much the exact opposite of the GOP platform.
Jesus was an ascetic in the original sense of the word: someone who lived a bare existence in the desert with no comforts or luxuries. It's pretty much as opposite of materialistic as you can get. So take a guess at what Jesus's stance of yacht owning would be.
Unfortunately, the second kind of Republican makes up about a third of the American population. As such, the first type can go on ruling as long as he keeps the crazies in line and can convince some libertarian and independent types that the Republican are actually closer to their ideas than Democrats, which rarely is the case anymore.
And that is why the leaders of the GOP pretend to be religious and give in to the demands of the religious even though they don't give a rat's butt about such issues.
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EightBall says
The question isn't dumb. The question is why should the GOP go after those votes at the expense of going after other votes. He's asking why there is a strange alliance between poor, religious people and rich people with the morals of -- well, I can't think of anything that has morals as low as the rich Republican leadership.
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It just goes to show the GOP sold their values a long time ago, and all the talk they do about traditional values is just talk... The only thing that really matters to them is money.
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ReasonNotFaith says
And power. Don't forget about power.
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Cloud says
it's not about who is or is not a christian. I really don't give a fuck what childish fantasy a person decides to pattern their life after.
It's about people forcing their own religious and lifestyle choices onto others through legislative and social pressures. That's fucked up, and it's what I actively fight against every chance I get.
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Cloud says
I thought Obama was a Muslim.
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Nomograph says
The GOP just wishes he was.
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New Rules only smart educated Liberals can vote.
The rest of you simpletons please report to the nearest courtyard, a flash mob will be along shortly to entertain you. And please feel free to forage the trash for refreshments. Thank you, now just die and go away.
Love Libby LoBraugh
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The GOP says
If the GOP had their way, only the 1% would be allowed to vote.
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ReasonNotFaith says
Practically speaking, they already have that.
Large portion of populace told "government doesn't work/matter" so they don't vote.
Another big chunk programmed by Conservo-media to vote for the agenda of the 1% in belief they a bit of that dream will trickle down to them.
If Mitt Romney wins the White House that's when you know the cement shoes are dry.
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Cloud says
There is a serious threat of theocracy in this country.
Cloud says
Whether you'll admit it or not, many of those "american boys" are atheists. I know because I was one, for many years. And I met alot of other atheists just like me while I was there.
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Cloud says
Um last I checked it is our American boys fighting and dying against those that would chop your heads off first for being the wrong kind of muslim.
So what?
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Cloud says
There certainly is a threat to reason and logic and those who prefer them over fantasy in this country.