Now we learn that 60% of self-identified Republicans in Alabama believe (“believe”) that President Obama is a Muslim and worships Allah. Perhaps we really do live in the United States of Stupid. Meanwhile Mitt Romney and the rest of his Teapublican wingmen promise to get rid of Planned Parenthood if they are elected president. How did coming out against contraception, breast cancer screenings and the overall health of women become something to be proud of? And in that cheese-eating-Packers losing state of Wisconsin, the legislature has passed a bill requiring that the primary topic in sex education classes will be abstinence and that contraception will not be required as part of the curriculum. I guess we can count on a lot more Cheeseheads in the very near future.

Back Home in Alabama

During this past week the G.O.Tea Party Cavalcade of Clowns took its act to Alabama and Mississippi. As a result, for a few days we learned way more than we needed (or wanted) to know about what the Republicans in those two states think.
Remember that for almost 100 years Alabama and Mississippi were solidly and inextricably on the Democratic side of the political ledger. And then the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed during the Democratic administration of President Lyndon Johnson. That would be the Civil Rights Act that affirmed the right of black Americans to vote and to be free of racial discrimination.

For this betrayal, almost all white Democrats in Alabama and Mississippi became Republicans even though the Republican Party was founded in order to abolish slavery. Obviously it didn’t matter since Democrats had committed the more recent unpardonable sin of recognizing the basic constitutional rights of black Americans.
The Alabama contingent of former Democrats and their progeny had an opportunity to parade their views on the national stage last week. And that is when we learned that 60% (!!!!) of Alabama Teapublicans believe that President Obama is a Muslim and worships Allah.

The stone-brained stupidity revealed by this one polling statistic makes it reasonable to consider a national name change to the United States of Stupid.

Death to Planned Parenthood

Mitt Romney is now famously on the record as saying that as president he will “get rid of” Planned Parenthood. This is a stunning statement from a credible president that is unprecedented in recent history for its absolute disregard for the health rights of women.

Planned Parenthood has, over its decades of existence provided a broad range of health services to women that are otherwise not available. The G.O.Tea Party has seized upon the abortion issue, but less than 10% of the services provided by Planned Parenthood have anything to do with pregnancy termination. It should also be noted, as if it would make a difference, that for years no federal funds have been used to support Planned Parenthood Programs that involve abortions.

Obviously the important and essential work of this organization is to be sacrificed. Of course this sacrifice also will include the millions of women who depend upon Planned Parenthood for their essential health care needs.

Just as obviously, Mitt Romney and his Teapublican wingmen just don’t care.

Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder?

The state of Wisconsin is known for its cheese and the Green Bay Packers. It is now becoming famous for electing lunatics to govern the state.

Earlier this year the legislature enacted a bill that stripped state employees of their collective bargaining rights. Ironically, Wisconsin was the first state to provide collective bargaining rights to public employees.

Now the legislature has passed a bill making the teaching of abstinence mandatory in sex education classes in all Wisconsin public schools. The teaching of contraception is optional and clearly not encouraged.

The sheer doctrinaire idiocy of this legislation is stunning and frightening. The closing of minds is never consistent with a useful education.

Meanwhile, get ready to see a lot more Cheeseheads in the very near future.

Have a great weekend!