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http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/four-more-years-for-equality-and-human-rights-178582131.html
* Four More Years for Equality and Human Rights *
by Erin Masella
Special to the Review-Journal
Nov. 11, 2012 | 2:08 a.m.
By re-electing the scary black man with the funny name to another term
as president, the American people proved last night that the
Republican party is a lot out of date and maybe just a little bit
crazy.
They tried every route possible to discredit President Obama: calling
him a socialist, doubting his place of birth, his religion, his
policies, his accomplishments, even his college transcripts, but to no
avail. The fact of the matter is the Republican party has just become
too extreme and too far to the right, and they have not been able to
come up with a likeable, competent, and viable candidate for the
presidency.
The GOP has become increasingly whiter, more male, richer, straighter,
and more conservative each and every election. Their constituency is
now a minority in the United States. They have become out of touch
with the average American. They are grasping at old policies and old
ideals. They don't realize this country is moving forward and they are
stuck in a rut. And although not all Republicans are batshit crazy,
they have gotten a very bad rap the past few years because of some of
their representatives. They have become the party of Rush Limbaugh,
Sarah Palin, Todd Akin, Karl Rove, Rupert Murdoch, Michelle Bachman,
and Donald Trump. They have become the party of Birthers and Team
Rape.
It baffles me that any American would vote for a party with equal
marriage bans, transvaginal probes, self-deportation, legitimate rape
and right to work laws on its platform, unless of course you are a
rich, white male whose main political concern is the amount of taxes
he'll pay over the next four years. A little bit greedy and selfish,
no? But what about those average middle class Americans?
I know many Republicans; I even like some of them, and I just don't
get it. The worst possible argument I've heard is that Obama
supporters don't want to work and are just looking for a free handout.
This is untrue and just plain ignorant. We are not all going to
automatically qualify for unemployment benefits or welfare the day
after the election. I know many hard-working Democrats who have been
paying their taxes and been productive, considerate members of society
for years. In the entire country there are likely millions. Surely
Republicans must realize this. How could they not?
Of course there is the whole pro-life crowd. I understand where they
are coming from, but my whole feeling is that if you don't like
abortion, don't get one. No politician has the right to tell me or any
other woman what we can do with our bodies. We need to preserve and
protect the right to choose. I'm not a fan of abortion, either, but we
need more education and more prevention so that we can decrease the
need for abortions.
The only other somewhat sensible argument is the whole big government
thing, but people put way too much weight into that without seeing the
big picture. I don't doubt that there is wasteful spending in
government, but I would disagree about where the cuts need to be made.
We need FEMA (as Hurricane Sandy proved), the Department of Education,
Health and Human Services, teachers, firefighters, and police
officers.
How about more taxes for the 1 percent and a slightly smaller military
budget (we will still have the largest in the world) and we will be
just fine. And if you're in that top 1 percent and are worried you
will pay more in taxes with a Democrat in office, that's pretty
selfish and you should think of something besides your wallet.
Equality for all Americans, whether it is the right to marry or equal
pay for equal work, is a far more important issue.
For those who vote Republican because you believe marriage should be
between one man and one woman, or because you hate Obama, or because
he is a socialist or Muslim or Kenyan, are really just bigots. Let's
call a spade a spade. In that case you should just keep voting for the
Tea Party.
Hopefully the Republican party can make some major reforms over the
next four years and come up with some more likable, less out-of-touch
candidates. They need to attract more women, minorities, and younger
people. They need to get the majority of their news from a source
other than Fox News. Otherwise they are doomed.
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Hear, here!
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Please Note:
In select newsgroups this post will now be follow by an out-of-date,
cut-and-paste, SHRIEKING ranting and raving by Bob Milby Jr., aka
Patriot Games, aka Buster Norris, aka 1000s of Sockpuppets -- and the
winner of alt.usenet.kook's K00K of the Month Award for September
2012.
We hope to return you to more rational posting after this brief,
psychotic interruption.
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