TAMPA, Fla. — Republicans emphatically approved a toughly worded party platform at their national convention Tuesday that would ban all abortions and gay marriages, reshape Medicare into a voucher-like program and cut taxes to energize the economy and create jobs.
The document opens by warning that while the American Dream has long been of equal opportunity for everyone, “Today that American Dream is at risk.” It pledges that the GOP will “begin anew, with profound changes in the way government operates; the way it budgets, taxes and regulates.”
Both parties routinely approve platforms at their conventions every four years, meant to encapsulate their principles and goals. Much of their details are customarily ignored when it comes to actually governing.
Even so, a poll by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center found more people interested in the GOP platform than in the upcoming acceptance speeches by presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his running mate, Paul Ryan. The survey found that 52 percent said they were interested in learning about the Republican platform, compared to 44 percent interested in Romney’s speech and 46 percent interested in Ryan’s.
“This ambitious blueprint projects a sea change in the way that government works,” said Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who led the party’s platform committee. “It offers a solution for workers without jobs, families without savings and neighborhoods without hope.”
Democrats lambasted the platform and immediately sought to tie it to Romney, who has differed from some of its details. For instance, he has said he would allow abortions in cases of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is threatened.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is among several Democrats in Tampa trying to get their party’s views heard, called the platform’s stances on abortion and immigration “draconian” and “extreme” and blamed Romney. “What you have seen from him is that he does one thing, he says another,” Villaraigosa said. “He has taken one position after another, time and again you know, and you can’t have it both ways.”
Here are key elements of the Republican platform:
Job creation
It states that the best jobs program is economic growth. “We do not offer yet another made-in-Washington package of subsidies and spending to create temporary or artificial jobs.”
Small business
The GOP pledges to reform the tax code to make it easier for businesses to generate more capital and create more jobs.
Taxes
“We reject the use of taxation to redistribute income, fund unnecessary or ineffective programs or foster the crony capitalism that corrupts both politicians and corporations.”
It says a Republican administration would extend the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, pending reform of the tax code. It says the party would strive to eliminate taxes on interest, dividends and capital gains altogether for lower- and middle-income taxpayers. It also would work to repeal the estate tax and the alternative minimum tax.
The party backs constitutional amendments to balance the federal budget and require a supermajority for any tax increases.
Marriage
The platform affirms the rights of states and the federal government not to recognize same-sex marriage. It backs a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
Voter integrity
“Voter fraud is a political poison,” the platform says. It praises legislation to require photo identification for voting and to prevent election fraud.
Gun control
The party says it opposes legislation intended to restrict Second Amendment rights by limiting the capacity of clips or magazines or otherwise restoring the assault weapons ban passed during the Clinton presidency.
Abortion
The party states that “the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.” It opposes using public revenues to promote or perform abortion or to fund organizations that perform or advocate abortions. It says the party will not fund or subsidize health care that includes abortion coverage.
Energy
The party is committed to domestic energy independence and an “all-of-the-above” energy policy, backing the exploration and development of the Outer Continental Shelf and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. It criticizes the Obama administration for picking winners and losers in the energy sector and expresses support for new coal-fired plants that will be low-cost, environmentally responsible and efficient.
It adds: “We will end the EPA’s war on coal and encourage the increased safe development in all regions of the nation’s coal resources.” It calls on Congress to prohibit the EPA from moving forward with new greenhouse gas regulations “that will harm the nation’s economy and threaten millions of jobs over the next quarter century.”
Medicare and Medicaid
The platform pledges to move both Medicare and Medicaid away from “the current unsustainable defined-benefit entitlement model to a fiscally sound defined-contribution model.” It supports a Medicare transition to a premium-support model with an income-adjusted contribution toward a health plan of the enrollee’s choice. Age eligibility in Medicare must be made more realistic in light of longer life spans.
Medicaid services for low income people would be transformed into a block grant program in which the states would be given the flexibility to determine the best programs for their residents.
Immigration
The platform makes clear that “we oppose any form of amnesty for those who, by intentionally violating the law, disadvantage those who have obeyed it.” It demands that the Justice Department halt lawsuits against Arizona, Alabama and other states that have enacted tough measures against illegal immigrants. It says federal funding should be denied to universities that provide in-state tuition rates to illegal immigrants. It advocates making English the official national language.
Health care
It states that a Republican president on his first day in office would use his waiver authority to halt progress in carrying out the health care act pushed through by President Barack Obama and that Republican victories in November would guarantee that the act is never implemented. It proposes a Republican plan based on improving health care quality and lowering costs and a system that promotes the free market and gives consumers more choice.
Education
Republicans support consumer choice, including home schooling, local innovations such as single-sex classes, full-day school hours and year-round schools. It says Republicans renew their call for replacing family planning programs for teens “with abstinence education which teaches abstinence until marriage as the responsible and respected standard of behavior.”
Defense
The platform says Republicans are “the party of peace through strength” and support the concept of American exceptionalism — “the conviction that our country holds a unique place and role in human history.” It criticizes the current administration for its weak positions toward such countries as North Korea, China and Iran and its reductions in military spending. The Republican national military strategy “restores as a principal objective the deterrence using the full spectrum of our military capabilities.”
Alan Fram reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Peter Prengaman contributed to this report.
The party of small government and individual responsibility wants to dictate what is allowed to transpire in everyones bedroom and every womans uterus.
Can you spell H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y?
The party of small government and low taxes wants America to police the world.
Can you spell I-M-P-O-S-S-I B-L-E?
The party that claims sole ownership of the constitution wants their religion taught in our schools.
Can you spell N-O W-A-Y?!?!?!
Abortion is the murder of innocent babies, homosexual marriage is just as immoral. I say it’s about time America steps up to the plate and says enough already.
Equating alleged murder with SSM? Wow, do you have a distorted set of morals. If you’re representative of the Republican Party and Platform, I want no part of it.
Bye, we’ve had more than enough of liberalism. It’s a cancer on our Country.
Cancer comes from coal dust!
And the GOP wants to shove THAT down your throat!
Yeah, shut it down instead of clean it up- from the party of Solyndra Science
In the age of information ignorance is a choice.
Love it, but I had to read it twice…
Might, I suggest the on the bumper sticker it should read;
In the age of information, ignorance is a lifestyle choice.
; )
Great idea, there’s a company that makes and sells bumper stickers and buttons and all kinds of someone liberal thinking stuff. I’m going to do that!
http://www.northernsun.com/
Is Canada full of cancer, too, on your view? How about Germany? How about Sweden?
Give up the charade, CP 444. It is obvious you are a plant by the Obama/Biden re-election campaign organization designed to make right wingers look as lunatic as possible.
lol…not like they need the extra help – they’re doing a fine job all on their own.
Romney is faking and Ryan is Akin.
SSM is a distorted set of morals. What next? Brazil is going to allow 3 people to marry. We will have to have bisexuals marry one partner of a different sex and then a partner of the same sex. This is crazy! Then there is the beastiality and the NMBLA people, it just gets more disgusting and warped. No state has EVER passed SSM when it has gone to vote. 31 states have constitutional amendments banning gay marriage.
Wow…from same sex marriage to bestiality? desperate grasping at straws ;-)
Why do you care whether or not someone is in love? Are you afraid of being invited to a same sex wedding? Afraid of the revenue it would generate for local businesses? If you aren’t invited then you have no idea a wedding is even taking place. Sounds like the “thou shalt not judge” part of your religion is lost on you for sure.
Gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals, transgenders, transsexuals, pan-sexuals, flexi-sexuals, undecided ….all brought to you and fully approved by the gay and lesbian community. They are now encouraging and hoping for a gender less society. We now have young boys dressing up as girls. We have polygamists in court now arguing the same points as the homosexuals. It’s coming on fast and furious.
You aren’t coming off so well with these blanketed attacks on those you deem to be less than equal, in your eyes. If I believed in god, I would wager he’d be ashamed of your blatant and over the top judgment of those who are different than you.
So let’s see, IF you believed in God, He would agree with you. That’s really deep.
Thank you for speaking for God, he’s busy at the Republican Convention and could not speak for himself.
This God they speak of is busy constructing a building off Route 15 just outside of Dover Foxcroft and I know this because they have a big sign that reads: Caution, God at work.
I knew I should have stopped today to take a picture of it.
No, if I believed in the god you do, he would tell you that judging people is wrong. You are advocating for a god that agrees with you, even though the very book you would run to for “proof” says the opposite about judgment of others. It really is all a moot point though, since I don’t subscribe to the magic man in the sky, and the bible isn’t so much facts, but rather a bunch of humanly written allegories.
Ah yes, the old favorite taken out of text standbye, judging. The judgment isn’t mine, it’s written clearly in Scripture. It’s already there. What I love about you liberals is how you use the Scriptures on others but when it applies to yourself, the rest of us just have the wron interpretation.
I see, hiding behind the bible, a tried and true standby of those who don’t have the courage of their convictions. If you think gay people are bad people, own it. Don’t hide behind a book.
You sir are full of judgment, but sure lets suspend disbelief and pretend you aren’t.
Just a point of interest: by “those who are different than you”, I presume you are referring to those who are gay.
We now know people aren’t “born gay”. In a study involving identical twins it was found that when one of a pair is gay, the other is more often heterosexual. In fact in only one case out of nine was the other twin gay. Because twins share similar genes one would expect a much higher correlation. But that isn’t so. Also, because twins share the same environment in the uterus, hormonal influences cannot possibly explain the differences between them. So clearly, whatever caused one of the twins to exhibit a sexual preference for the same sex cannot be attributed to something he or she was born with.
Yes, gays are different in that they have a different sexual orientation. But the orientation was acquired after birth, and in fact often changes during the course of life. In a study cited by Neil Whitehead in My Genes Made Me Do It we learn the following through Licia Kuenning from Farmington, Maine:
“- There are more ex-gays than gays
– Of 16-year-olds who think they are gay or lesbian, 98% will have become heterosexual by the time they are 17.
– Between ages 17 and 22, about 75% of men who started out homosexual became exclusively heterosexual. Nearly all the women in that study became exclusively heterosexual.
– Most of the changes in orientation took place spontaneously, without therapy.”
So, who are those people who are gay? Certainly it is not those born with an exclusive trait, namely sex-same attraction. Moreover, those who are gay today won’t necessarily be gay tomorrow. They consist of an amorphous class whose sexual preferences can and do change from heterosexual to homosexual and the other way from homo to hetero, not to mention bisexuals. Finally, sexual orientation is obviously a preference, much like certain foods are, both of which are subject to change. This brings up the question of whether we as a society should make special allowances in the law for a vaguely identifiable minority that comprises a mere 2% to 4% of society. So far we have done so to prevent violence, and unfair and inhuman treatment. Should we proceed further by endorsing their mutually exclusive relationships in the interest of society? What interest does society have by endorsing and/or promoting these relationships?
Nice post, but facts won’t work lol
Facts? Who says they’re facts?
Yes, there’s plenty of denial on their part. Denial too seems to be part of their stubborn nature, like many teenagers in many respects. No, if they could readily be convinced they would drop their same-sex relationships as well, which we both know is unlikely in the short run. Change for them is much more likely when they are still young and have had little or no sexual contact with their own gender.
Convinced to leave the man I love?
When they’re still young and have had little or no sexual contact with their own gender? How young is that? No one should be having sexual relations until their 18 anyway.
What are we denying, again? I forgot…
I agree with you about the minimum age for having sexual relations, that is, not until 18. Putting that aside, we know young people do engage is sexual relations even though most of these relations may only be casual in nature. I was merely pointing out the fact that because sex is additive – at any age but particularly at a young age – I suspect change in preference, even when desired, is less likely after a long period of sexual activity with a partner.
Well, again, I see what you’re saying, but sexual orientation isn’t about how much or often you do it or even when you start, but it’s IN you. I know of men and I know men personally who were married to women and never acted on their desire to be with a man, yet they knew they were gay. They longed for it, wanted it, had to have it, but didn’t act on it.
At the same time, some of these men had sex with women often because they had to in order to keep up appearances, yet that didn’t have an effect on their desire to be with other men exclusively.
The same goes for some women I know, too.
Just so yo don’t misunderstand me, the point I made previously is that people aren’t born gay. It’s a widely held myth that has been perpetrated for many years for political purposes.
Now concerning your comment: Of course I don’t totally dismiss the experience of those men you described because I know of one in particular whom I have no reason to disbelief. He married and had three children. According to family members he was very much attracted to the woman he married. But he lost interest in her primarily because he felt she was no longer satisfying his sexual needs. This happens quite often with heterosexual men as well who, rather than leaving their wives they still “love”, cheat against them. Psychologists tell us the failure of marital relationships in such cases is often due to neglect by one or both parties. The notion that married men – who left their spouses for a relationship with another man – had little initial sexual attraction to the women they married is somewhat doubtful. More than likely I think these men’s memories are somewhat lapsed.
Huh. You want to cite the studies showing this research that have been published in reputable peer-reviewed journals? Can you?
But really, what if it IS a choice? Is that illegal? One can choose his or her religion and that’s protected. If I choose to spend the rest of my life with another man, why shouldn’t that be protected?
Of course, I know it’s not a choice. It’s a choice to live life as one is or to stay hidden in the closet, which numerous commenters would like for us to do. But, to put it bluntly, the stirring I feel when I see a Channing Tatum as Magic Mike isn’t anything I have forced myself to learn.
In many cases sexual preference is no more of a choice than disorders acquired during childhood that may take a lot of time to resolve as an adult. Either way, homosexual orientation is not illegal, though I shouldn’t have to tell you that. Finally, why does your relationship with another man need to be protected? Protected from what? There are already “hate crime” laws on the books.
I know, but I think that there’s more out there to be concerned about than violence. There’s our future together, too. I know you’ve heard it all before, but there are many things that marriage will give us. For instance, my insurance is not as good as my partner’s, but his employer has specified that a spouse is someone of the opposite gender, so that’s that for us, even if we register as domestic partners with the state. That’s just one thing. And then, even if they DID accept us as “partners,” I’d have to pay federal income tax on the amount of money his employer pays for my insurance. That does not happen with married couples.
We are planning our future together and, like many married couples, we plan to be together until death. And, like many married couples, we need to be sure that future is safe. That includes property, insurance, retirement, etc.
You are double-posting from another thread! Are you using flash cards?
Why are you so afraid? Republicans are the party of Fear.
This argument is called the slippery slope argument and a lot of people just call it scare tactics. Well, it’s happening folks. America needs to wake up before we don’t even recognize our country anymore. There is another group trying to get their rights claiming that their lifestyle is just another type of sexual orientation. You aren’t going to believe who that is? I think most of you will be completely disgusted by this, as I was.
If your interested, there is a northern Colorado newspaper that had an article about it, which I have provided the link to below:
http://www.greeleygazette.com/press/?p=11517
why are other peoples sex lives so interesting to you?
Are you serious? Did you even read the article? If you did, you would know that pedophiles are trying to get the same rights as homosexuals. Is that OK with you? It’s not OK with me. I think that is disgusting.
you’re trying to equate homosexuality to pedophilia.
No, I’m not. I’m saying first it was rights for homosexuals. Now, the pedophiles want their rights. What group will want their rights next? We have to draw the line somewhere so the ‘slippery slope’ does not continue.
Reread what you wrote in your original comment one more time, YES you are.
NO. I am not . Back a few years ago, we were told that the slippery slope argument was wrong and that it would stop with homosexual rights. Did it? No. Now, the disgusting pedophiles want their rights. Who’s next? Maybe polygamists? Maybe people who want to marry their pet? Where does it stop? It seems like the slippery slope argument was correct after all.
There’s a court case going on right now where polygamists are fighting for their “rights” using the exact same arguments as the homosexual crowd. It’s happening NOW!!
Where? Who? When?
You sound like an alarmist.
Then address THAT when it needs to be addressed. Draw the line then. Because right now it seems that you’re fine with the gays wanting their rights but you won’t let us because then the pedophiles will want theirs. That’s isn’t cool.
By the way, I have yet to see a serious effort by NAMBLA or any other such group that are trying to “get their rights.”
Then block that for the pedophiles and let us have our rights. Do know, of course, that homosexuality does not equal pedophilia.
No
Well, you do now! :o)
Sigh….such ignorance. NAMBA? Really? Because I want to marry the fully grown and almost retired man I love you have to lump that in with NAMBLA?
You know that there are men who like little girls, too. You might want to ban hetero marriages, too, while you’re on this hateful tirade.
Lastly, the first vote was in 1998. A LOT has changed since then, including the collapse of DADT and the multiple decisions by conservative federal judges saying that DOMA is unconstitutional. 31 states have NOT had constitutional amendments banning SSM, by the way. Not even Maine.
Yes, 31 states do have constitutional amendments banning gay marriage. Yes, gay marriage has been defeated in every state when the people have had the opportunity to vote. The only hateful tirade I read is from you with your name calling. I guess that is okay because you are so “tolerant.” If you want to redefine marriage, maybe you would also like to redefine adult.
He said ABORTION is murder, not homosexuality. Can you read?
s/he equated homosexuality with what s/he considers to be “murder of innocent babies”
“Abortion is the murder of innocent babies, homosexual marriage is just as immoral.”
reading comprehension: you’re doing it wrong.
Talking about distorted, I’d rather see a convict get put to sleep, than see a baby get yanked-out with a hook, or scraped onto a vacuum.
I agree with you, abortion and homosexual marriage are not moral equivalents. They are both serious but abortion is even more morally reprehensible because it deprives the individuals of all rights, including the most fundamental one, which is the right to life.
Well, from what I understand, the female can shut that thing down when it wants to, so there’s no need for abortion, really.
I never know adding a comma to a sentence “equated” the two halfs.
Thanks for the enlightenment.
I’m sure that your individual freedoms have been greatly restricted by these issues. It’s all the Founding Fathers ever talked about!
Our founding Fathers would never have put up with this immorality for a second. It would have been dealt with swiftly.
Wow. I am sure that you can give an example of something like that, right? I mean, your statement without context sounds like internet tough guy talk without any truth to it whatsoever.
Do you have a time machine?
You might want to look up what Ben Franklin was doing in private during his trips to France!
LOL It’s a Shocker!
That was Bill Clinton.
He’s a big Ben Franklin fan, you didn’t know that???
Did Ol’ Ben also have multiple uses for cigars?
What’s your point?
Least it was in private !.
The founding fathers only allowed white males with property to vote.
Ben Franklin had a common law wife and an illegitimate son. He was also well known for being a horn dog all the years he was in Paris. John Adams was disgusted by Franklin’s gallivanting.
Thomas Jefferson and all the kids he had with a slave.
Need I continue?
And then there was Kennedy.
Which one?
Take your pick!
You mean like fathering children with your slaves? That kind of immorality? Or are we not talking about that?
Oh, I finally get what the Biblical fundamentalists mean by “legitimate” rape.
Given she is your property, the Bibles spells out when raping your slave is okay, right ?
See : Exodus 21:7-11
and raping the woman of Shiloh is fine, too …. Judges 21: 10- 24
Just like they dealt so swiftly with Slavery. Guess what! They used the bible to justify it!
Just like the ones trying to use the Bilbe to justify homosexuality. It is disturbing isnt it.
Really? Did you just say that? They have to fight against people that want to stop the legalization of marriage because of people pushing the bible. Plus I proved your wrong on your statement I replied to. What they do use the bible for is to prove your agruments wrong about the bible. So BOOM ROASTED!
What is the Bilbe? It appears you are taking the name of a holy book in vain. Blasphemer!!!
Don’t give up your day job chenard…..oh wait, you’re a liberal, never mind
Given the ubiquity of your posts it is apparent that you have no day job.
Adams had affairs, when he was in France, so did Franklin, so you see they weren’t so moral
No, John Adams did not have affairs when he was in France.
Not Adams. Not even during his years alone in London before Abigail got the nerve to cross the pond to live with him.
They did put up with the sale and purchase of other human beings, tho.
You’ve obviously never read about Franklin’s sexual escapades in Paris or Jefferson’s fathering children out of wedlock with his slave mistress.
I’ll get off birth control and pop out more babies when your “god” pays my deductible.
How about you take personal responsibility and pay for your own babies. Or how about you marry a responsible man and he takes some responsibility.
we are paying. over a period of years. we haven’t skirted our responsibility and we never would (married couple thanks, your God must love that), however we choose not to have someone else’s political party, based on religious fanaticism, deciding our reproductive fate in any capacity.
won’t see any bible-thumping GOP writing checks to DHHS to help cover single mother parenting costs huh? and of course, if they aren’t allowed to distribute birth control (yeah because their abstinence-only method has been sooooo effective), what other option do they have other than standing on their soapbox to tell other people how terrible they are?
Since both sides are screaming extremes, I guess that makes me a moderate. The vast majority-this includes Catholics-have no problem with birth control. Many are ok with abortion (I’m personally uneasy with it), but find partial birth should be abhorrent to anybody.
What many of us are opposed to is spending tax dollars on something that is caused by a personal choice.I say go ahead and indulge in your biological needs. Just accept responsibility for the possible result. We decided on 2 kids so we afford to raise them right. While we certainly didn’t abstain, we just acted prudently and on our own dime.
I see what you’re saying, but what does “accept responsibility” mean? There is nothing that can literally force a parent to accept responsibility, so what happens then? Does the child just find its own food or die?
Oh, please, Joe! I don’t mean throw the unwanted out to the curb! I mean family planning on a personal level without the nanny paying for it. I believe you know the variety of ways to protect yourself from any possible consequence of coitus with a female.
From Joe’s previous posts, I’d suspect his answer to your last sentence just be “NO”.
I’m not so sure. Wait for his response, if any, before typifying him. That’s the Moderate’s way. :)
Actually, he doesn’t.
As liberal as many of his opinions are, I suspect he knows exactly what I’m saying. :)
She is taking personal responsibility. She is using birth control so she does not have an unwanted pregnancy but you seemed to miss that fact.
…and when that baby is a result of rape…whose baby is it? The “responsible” man’s?
While it’s extremely difficult for a woman to carry a child, no matter who’s the daddy (and a rape child I can’t fathom dealing with to full term), it’s her choice early on. After that: do you know how many Eastern Block and Chinese babies are sought because of the dearth of local ones? Every baby deserves a chance no matter what they’re from. The poor girls in China are throw-aways because of the one child policy, and the rape kids are deserving, too, providing that the mother is willing to carry it to term (and give it up afterwards). As much as I find abortion uncomfortable, as long as she wants to (in reasonable a time frame), it’s ultimately her choice.
Discombobulated opinion, I know……….
Wow. Such compassion. That, my friends, is the voice of a true American. Notice how he didn’t say, “marry the father.” He wants her to marry a man, any man who’s responsible. She might be lesbian and might love a responsible woman, but I guess that wouldn’t suffice.
Ironic how Republicans claim a fertilized egg is a person. But when the baby is born they could care less if the baby is taken care of properly or not. Just fend for yourself and if the kid gets sick or dies due to poverty, sorry no government help. The American Taliban at work.
Love the Fetus —-Hate the Child!
It is the GOP way!
Not true they love the child if it grows up to become a soldier!
Come on little boys and girls can you say: “weapons of mass destruction”?
We must defend our oil at all costs, because we are too stupid to believe that renewable energy works. Europe is not a good example because there all a bunch of socialists.
Remember boys and girls: “Oil = Freedom”
The Republican Party what a joke.
We play, you pay! The liberal way!
They are the Pro-birth party. Not pro-life. And those little babies should just pull themselves up by their little bootstraps and walk out of that hospital and go find a job! Because if that little baby thinks the GOP will be there if he or she needs help, then that baby is delusional.
Don’t forget it’s better that the child be in an abusive home with a mother and father than in a loving and supportive home with two fathers.
Oh yeah, the liberal “I’ll play, you pay” syndrome.
A fetus is not a baby.
And a fertilized egg that has not implanted is not a baby. But they would give that egg more rights than the woman who IS a person. Why is that? The only answer is control. They want to control women’s bodies. If they steal this election (Mr. Rove is excellent at this) then birth control will be next on their agenda. How a woman can call herself a Republican is something I will never understand.
But to an atheist a rock is. After all two rocks colliding started life as we know it. Do you stand up for the unborn rocks Kevin?
I suggest you read this book by Richard Dawkins: The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution
I’m just curious as to why homosexual marriage is immoral in your opinion? And how abortion is murder in all cases? Just curious as to your answers.
Abortion is a tool used by the GOP to garnish votes!
Romney admitted that in an Interview when asked, his reply was that “That issue has been resolved by the supreme court 20 years ago”
He is right!
The Supreme court will have the final say and you are just being used!
As much as I dislike abortion I would have to whole heartdly disagree with you on that one!
Should someone be treated as a Murderer for deciding to have their leg amputated to save their own life?
Should the Government step in to save it at your peril?
What happened to the constitutional concept of the right to life and liberty?
So, somewhere the line has to be drawn when two people are biologically joined and that line should be up to the Host Individual not some third party government agency as elected by thousands of people with no stake in the outcome other than Theological Beliefs.
Otherwise Joe’s leg needs protection also!
Even if rape victims on Planet Kolob don’t get knocked up, here on Earth the GOTea Party, which is supposed to be for less Big Government, would have forced this girl to carry to full term, and give birth, right ?
Rape victim was 9 years old when she got pregnant | News | KBOI 2 …www.kboi2.com/news/18769804.html8 May 2008 – Rape victim was 9 years old when she got pregnant …
Vote your conscience,
Vote as a human being from Earth should in Nov.
Take your own inventory and don’t worry about everyone else’s morality.
You shouldn’t be able to step up to the plate and dictate to others how they should live their lives. Abortion should always be a choice and marriage should be available to all people.
It’s about choice and equal rights not what you think is morally acceptable.
And the party of no religion wants homosexuality and the killing of innocent babies taught in our school. At least you can spell.
I’ll have my kid taught evolution and science in school. If I want my kid to learn about a magical wish-granting wizard in the sky, and how to judge others according to a Jeffersonian Bible, I’ll contact any random church.
wish granting wizard in the sky ? Ya mean he don’t live in a lamp !
What is the party of no religion? You should also know a fetus is not a baby and neither homosexuality or abortion is being taught in schools. My daughter starts the 8th grade on Thursday and neither of those subjects will be taught.
I guess you missed the article about the teacher selling t-shirts about homosexual marriage , had one in the classroom.
What does that have to do with the fact that my daughter will not be taught anything about homosexuals or abortion during class this year?
You understand it was in the classroom and children can read. Abortions are legal by the way.
I hate to circle but once again what does any of the above you have typed have to do with what I stated?
You circle good ” Oh I’ve been flagged more times than a NASCAR race Kevin”.
So is that more offensive or less offensive than the teachers who insist on teaching creationism as though it was science?
Your right. It’s not science. Science, according the Free Dictionary is, ”
The observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena.”
There are somethings that don’t need to be observed and investigated. They just are. They are called facts. Have you tried proving your age with science? Have you tried proving your weight with science? No, because it just is and there is nothing to prove. Creationism can’t be proven by science either. It is fact. You may not agree with those facts, but that doesn’t change the facts. Try using your science to prove evolution. There are many reputable scientists that already have and have come to the conclusion that it is seriously flawed. You might want to look that up.
Wow, this is silly. You absolutly use science to measure your weight. It’s called gravity. Your definition of facts as “something that just is”, is also way off. Really, this entire post made me want to throw up in my mouth a little.
Really. Is that true? Not according to dictionary.com. this is their definition of a fact:
something that actually exists; reality; truth:
in other words, something that just is. There you go.
From Dictionary.com (look, they also mention science!) a truth known by actual experience or observation; something known to be true: Scientists gather facts about plant growth.
Creationism is not fact. Evolution is fact, and the theory of evolution is the best description available for the mechanism that drives the evolutionary process. If you want to ignore the literally mountains of evidence that support evolution as scientific fact, you are free to do so. This will not change the facts. Nor will a few so-called “scientists” who choose to puit their religion before the evidence of their own eyes.
Proving my weight with science is something I do every day, by using a device called a “scale”. They are readily available in stores. Proving my age scientifically is a little more involved, as it involves a chain of documents, starting with one called a “birth certificate”.
If you want to walk around with your head in the sand and believe a fairy tale, be my guest. Just keep it to yourself. If you start trying to shove that nonsense in my face, I’ll make you eat it.
Who told you evolution was fact. Where did you learn that?
That’s right, evolution is fact. Use your computer and find out. It isn’t difficult. Willful ignorance is a sin. Use what God gave you and learn something.
Do you ever venture outside your bubble?
actually, something that is called the THEORY of evolution can not be FACT. That would be saying that THEORY is the same as FACT, which is not true.
This is the defintion of theory from
Dictionary.com, definition #2:
a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural and subject to experimentation, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact.
do you ever go into the classroom?
Unlike you, yes.
What does that mean? How will either of these subjects be taught in school? Will there be classes called “Gay Marriage 101?” What are you talking about? Be more specific in your post so that all of us can be prepared. “What class do you have next, I have Abortion class at 11:15.” Are you serious? Why are you spreading misinformation? Are you trying to scare readers into thinking that this might really happen?
If homosexuality is taught in school, I would totally volunteer to have a class field trip to our house. Students could watch me gay mow the lawn, and gay make breakfast, gay pay my bills, and gay take my car in for an oil change. Perhaps the class could help me run my small businesses and gay employ locals to work for me.
Stupid
Mowing the lawn, making breakfast, paying bills, and changing your oil isn’t what makes you a homosexual is it. Are you going to share with these innocent children what does make you a homosexual. Are you going to tell theses children that anyone who mows,, makes breakfast and changes their own oil is completely normal?
“Mowing the lawn, making breakfast, paying bills, and changing your oil isn’t what makes you a homosexual is it.” No cp, it is what makes me a human being, and yes, I would be happy to tell the class that anyone who does those things is a human being and that all humans should have the same rights to marry the one they love. Thanks for reading
Does that include brothers? Or multiple partners?
You are ignorant, beyond words.
You are hung up on the sex portion of marriage. That’s only a part of any marriage.
So you have no problem with one who engages in bestiality so long as you don’t have to see it?
Why is it that Conservatives are so obsessed with gay sex and bestiality? It seems to ALWAYS be on their minds.
Here’s more proof:
http://badmouth.net/top-five-republican-gay-sex-scandals/
Because we’re being inundated with it at every turn.
good lord….homosexuality is NOT illegal. It is two consenting adults. An animal can not consent. Bestiality is ILLEGAL for all citizens. Marriage is legal for only some.
I think it’s time you came out of the closet, you’d be a lot less angry. :)
I have told him that before but he is so deep in the closet, he doesn’t even know he is in it.
I’m not speaking about bestiality only the right wing pervs seem to be doing that. It’s perverse to think what you guys are thinking. All you think about is sex and perverse thoughts. Clean up your act!
Do you share what makes you heterosexual with innocent children? I surely don’t. Why would you assume that the private activities of either sexual orientation are suddenly going to be taught in school?? Stop pandering to fear!
Why don’t you watch the movie, “Indoctrination.” Obviously you have not been in a public school for quite some time. Are you aware that Obama’s former “safe schools czar” was a radical who believed in such groups as NAMBLA. Not even going to type what that acronym means it is so sick. Nice job resorting to name calling, I see you must have attended the Savage anti-bullying conference.
I got a free toaster oven when I switched sides!
Do you honestly think that homosexuality is a learned behavior (rhetorical)?
How are all the other animals that are proven to have gay sex, learn it? By the gay squirrels and dolphins holding lectures about it?
I believe our brains are more developed than that of a squirrel or a dolphin. If you want to compare gays to those animals, I believe that is discriminatory.
actually the point was that if you are going to aruge that homosexuality is something that can be taught, how exactly are lesser animals figuring it out? Perhaps it isn’t taught.
But you knew that, though, didn’t you?
our laws are not made by religion. If you want that to happen, then churches should be paying taxes.
Have you ever heard of the Ten Commandments? Our laws are based on them. If you are not familiar with them, you can go to the supreme court building and read them.
basic laws, such as killing and stealing? That’s called common sense. Religion does not make our laws, and government can’t tell you how to worship. It’s pretty simple.
And if you want to live your life through your religion, fine….but don’t trample on the rest of the country’s rights.
Our laws are not based on the Ten Commandments. Did someone tell you that in church? That’s just plain ignorant.
You do understand that your ten commandments come from the OT and I know for fact you do not follow all the rules and laws of the OT so thanks for playing.
As for you comment about the SCOTUS building, read some facts.
Above the east entrance to the Supreme Court building (which is the back entrance, not the front entrance), Moses is one of three Eastern law givers along with Confucius and Solon.
Although he’s in the middle, Confucius and Salon are facing the front as well, not facing Moses.
There are figures on each side of the three men facing them. The tablets in the sculpture are blank and although inspired by the Ten Commandments, the office of the curator of the U.S. Supreme Court says they have come to symbolically represent the “tablets of the law.”
The artist, Herman MacNeil, said “The ‘Eastern Pediment’ of the Supreme Court Building suggests…the treatment of such fundamental laws and precepts as are derived from the East. Moses, Confucius and Solon.”
And don’t forget they also want the faulty concept of man-made global warming taught as soon as your kid sits down in school.
Good spin and exaggeration. Too bad your opinion doesn’t have much to do with reality.
Regarding your 1st comment: the democratic party also wants to be involved in your sex life via birth control & abortion. Most republicans believe in abortion being available in the case of incest, rape & life of the mother. However, a baby’s life should not be ended simply because it is an inconvenience or the wrong gender. Comment #2: How loudly are you going to be screaming when our armed forces can’t protect your butt? #3. No where in that written above is there any mention of religion being taught in public schools. So apparently you either cannot read or you made that up.
Obviously you need glasses
Attempting to force me into ObamaCare- Good luck with that
ABO
Exactly. This is NOT the GOP. This is a corrupted and bastardized version, thanks to the hijacked TEA party, which was once for small government as well.
Thanks be to the holy trinity and their ilk: Bachmann, Perry, and Santorum.
Trade in the American Dream for the American Nightmare? No thanks.
Quite the box score of failure to perceive reality. Job creation is no plan at all (at least no meat on good intentions). My score: one win (Small Business) 11 losses, one no decision (job creation). Pretty lousy record and/or prognosis. Looks like a loser. Fire the would be coaches before they even have a chance to sow their destruction.
They’re letting the extremists take over.
The extremists have already taken over the Republican Party.
EXCLUSIVE: Undercover At NOM’s Anti-Gay Student Conference
http://equalitymatters.org/blog/201208280001
It is not a short read but well worth it.
Edit: Not sure how long this post will last.
Thank you for posting this link.
Amazing post. Bigotry in action…one of the primary drivers of the Rethuglican Party. Good post Kevin_Of_Bangor.
Hi, Kevin. Nice post.
The Tea Republican War on Woman continues. They lie about small government when they want to stare inside our bedrooms and Doctors Offices. Just remember the new Republican Biology, if you are Raped you cant get pregnant. You only get pregnant if you want to be raped according to Ryan and Akin. These sick people have become the new American Taliban.
What does all that you said have anything to do with a Country with 16 Trillion debt and a almost 8 percent unemployment rate? These are all social issues that have been argued for years. Just rehash the same old thing over and over again.
It has a lot to do with the debt. We are in this hole because of bad decisions like starting a war with no real solution or endgame. Starting another war with another country that accomplished nothing. At the same time we cut the source of funding these wars on sketchy/off the wall theory that the rich, allowed to keep more money, would create more jobs. We allowed Wall Street to run unchecked.
Now the Republican platform seems to want to not only continue the tax cuts they want to dump on those who are the least able to defend themselves or finance themselves.
Ask your Republican friends they’re not doing a thing about it and they have the majority in the House. They are doing NOTHING and they have FREE heath care for life.
Ask your Democratic friend Mr. Harry Reid when he is going to let some of these votes on budgets that the Republicans HAVE already approved in the House? Who’s the obstructionist? How can they pass if Mr. Reid doesn’t even allow a vote on them.
Equal opportunity for everyone yet they want to ban all gay marriages and abortions? Am I missing something because that doesn’t seem to be equal to me.
If you don’t like gay marriage, don’t get one. If you don’t like abortions, don’t have one. If you don’t like having your rights taken away, then don’t take away mine.
WOW!
2012 RNC
Thats one giant Hate Fest!
“We reject the use of taxation to redistribute income, fund unnecessary or ineffective programs or foster the crony capitalism that corrupts both politicians and corporations.”
” It says a Republican administration would extend the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003,”
Tell me THATS not a Romney Style Flip Flop!
It looks to me like they are just against any corruption that isn’t their own!
What a joke!
What’s right is not always popular; but it’s still right.
And there is very little that is right about the GOP.
And not all opinions are based on facts.
I am glad this is suppose to be a country of choise! I don’t think anyone can agree with everything in this platform but part of it is a common sense start. Now if they would put the Dems platform with it and then do something when Congress takes up, they might start turning the country around in the direction it should be going.
Great another 4 years of Obama. The Democrats couldn’t pick better enemies at the polls. Sure some of you are happy now, but in a few short months you’ll see how this helped (in a big way) cost them the election.
It’s the party of me-me-me. Always thinking about themselves and never about the long term.
Ah, I believe its the dems crying for free abortions, homosexual marriage, pay without work, waaaaa, me me me, waaaaa
The hyperventilating headline by AP is, unsurprisingly, deceptive. But, what’s new?
The platform doesn’t propose to bar all abortions; it opposes the use of public funds to fund them.
“It opposes using public revenues to promote or perform abortion or to fund organizations that perform or advocate abortions. It says the party will not fund or subsidize health care that includes abortion coverage.”
So rich women will be able to get abortions but not poor ones? That’s the American Way!
Maybe the altruistic Planned Parenthood can provide abortions for poor women at no cost.
Unless it’s all about the money for them, of course.
I am a 60 year old woman who used Planned Parenthood services at 20 and because I used the birth control pill that I bought for little cost I did not get pregnant and cost the taxpayers any money. You really should be grateful to Planned Parenthood.
I am.
That’s nice.
I’m sure that Planned Parenthood, because of their truly altruistic philosophy, can survive on private donations from their leftist admirers. For the common good, you know.
Would you rather have a pregnancy that results in all kinds of problems for society and taxpayers or a woman who is smart enough to not get pregnant? Why wouldn’t you see this as a help instead of a hindrance to your life as a taxpayer?
They are not Republicans.
you missed this part: ”
“the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.”
they oppose abortion in all cases.
And you missed the point of what I said.
They don’t propose to “bar all abortions,” as the midleading headline states.
They oppose the use of taxpayers’ money to fund them.
the thing is, is that your wrong.
No, the thing is, you’re wrong.
And I’m not going to get into a ridiculous “neener, neener” back and forth with you.
and what does this mean? ”
“the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.”
good lord, even Fox News is reporting it.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/08/28/gop-oks-platform-barring-abortions-gay-marriage/
She’s right. Read it again. Oh, and I expect you to apologize.
Yes because clearly banning same sex marriage and abortions will help the economy and unemployment in this country…..what a joke- the GOP hasn’t passed one single jobs bill in the last 2 years. Hilarious. The GOP is all about ‘smaller’ government and ‘less’ regulation UNLESS you’re a woman or want to marry someone of the same sex- then it’s ALL about regulation and government. I guess it’s only less regulation and smaller government if you’re a white, heterosexual male in this country.
The GOP isn’t in power and can not Pass their bills. Your dems had complete control for the first rwo years your guy was in the white house so they could have passed anything. What did they do then?
What did they do? Seriously? Ummmm any of this ring a bell? The fair pay act for women, expanding children’s health insurance, new hate crimes legislation, tobacco regulation, credit card reform, student loan reform, the stimulus – which in addition to helping pull this country back from the brink of a great depression, was also the largest tax cut ever, the largest investment in clean energy ever, the largest investment in education in our country ever. There was also a little thing you may have heard of called health reform. Also, Wall Street reform, the improvements to the new G.I. Bill, the most expansive food SAFETY BILL SINCE THE 1930s. The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Bailing out the car companies, etc, etc………….
What has the GOP blocked or attempted to block? Fair Pay Act,Unemployment extension bill HR-4213, Immigration Reform,Oil Spill Liability,American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,Wall Street Reform,The Jobs Bill,Health Care for the 9/11 First Responders who got sick from being at Ground Zero, Affordable Healthcare Act,Benefits for Homeless Veterans,Anti-Rape Amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill,Tax on Companies that ship jobs overseas,Political Ad disclosure bill,Subpoena Power for the Committee investigating the BP Oil Spill, he Small Business Jobs Act, The DREAM Act,Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the list goes on and on…..
Don’t forget that the R’s agreed to military cuts if no big agreement and now they are blaming the D’s for the big cuts. The sky is falling all of a sudden.
A lot of military contractors contribute to the Republican party. Those contractors are not happy with cuts to military and the Republicans don’t want to alienate a generous political contributor.
All of the items you listed did nothing to improve the economy and only led to a debt that is increasing at a greater rate than we have ever seen before.
Fluff, when our economy needed substance and job creation in the case of the fair pay act for women which does no such thing by the way.
Hate crimes legislation while making the case repeatedly that only whites can instigate a hate crime thus causing the greatest racial division of any President in History while our economy remained unchanged.
Back from the brink of a great depression? Only in your spun world. All of his actions and wild thoughtless spending resulted in an economy stuck in neutral and going no where.
I could show you the error with most of the rest of your feel good measures but I can tell you seem to think more oppression leads to better government so why bother.
calling BS. The GOP has blocked 375 bills. The current Senate rules, one anonymous Republican Senator can block a vote if he objects to it, and it takes 60 Senators to undo that.
Sounds like the same dirty pool tactics used on the GOP when they were in the Majority. Are you saying it is only dirty if we use it to protect our opinions from being trampled into the dirt?
GOP are the ones who changed the rules to be able to do this.
Really?
When?
You and the rest of your party keep saying the D’s had complete control, which is another one of your continuous stream of lies. Why not try the truth once in a while?
58 Democrats and 2 Independents does not make a super majority.
Please ea6bmarine, can I have some more tea please?
In 2010 the Tea Party and Republicans took over Congress. Senator Mitch McConnell announced that the top priority of Republicans was to make sure Obama was a one term President!
In 2012 they want us to believe Obama is to blame.
Republicans killed or blocked the following:
* Tax on companies that ship jobs overseas: Blocked
* Political Ad Disclosure Bill: Blocked twice
* The Small Business Jobs Act: Blocked twice
* The Dream Act: Blocked
* Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: Multiple Blocks
* Anti-Rape Amendment: Blocked
* Benefits for Homeless Veterans: Blocked
* Affordable Health Care For America: Voted 33 times to repleal
* Health care For 9/11 First Responders: Blocked
* The Jobs Bill: Blocked* Wall Street Reform: Blocked
* American Recovery & Reinvestment Act; Attempted, Blocked
* Oil Spill Liability: Blocked
* Immigration Reform: Blocked
* Unemployment Extention Bill HR 4213: Blocked
* Fair Pay Act Of 2009: Blocked & Defeated
What has the Republican Party done for you? See Above!
Obama and those of you who voted for him are to blame.
You can not continue to spend as if there is no end to the money.
You can not continue to oppress the business community with this unmanageable knot of Federal Regulations and still expect the companies to choose to operate in this country.
You can not continue to allow our borders to mean nothing and expect our workers to compete with the waves and waves of criminals that come across for one reason or another, and no they are not all “just looking for a better life”.
There are many reasons why the few radical measures your party tried to enact were blocked but for the most part what it boils down to is money.
There is no longer enough for all of your feel good laws.
My grandchildren can not afford to pay back for the freebies you are using.
I’m not using any “freebies” you must be talking about those jobs LePage keeps giving to his relatives.
Funny thing is, no one using the freebies will ever admit getting them.
So you must know Paul Lepage’s daughter and brother-in-law. Maybe he’ll give you a job that you’re NOT qualified for. Keep your fingers crossed!
You keep coming back to LePage. Are you going to grant him the same 4 extra years that you want to grant Obama to bring us out of this mess?
Is that what Fox News told you?
That’s what the reality was. Your party had the Presidency, it had the house, and it had the an unbeatable majority in the Senate for 2 whole years and still it is the worst thing to happen to our country since Carter.
Of course you would think things are rosey. You get your news spin from AP and the BDN.
Please tell me which bills the Republicans have tried to pass? Can you do that do you have any real fact to back up your words? I’ll be waiting.
The Republicans can’t even get their bills to the floor in the Senate thanks to the No party you belong to.
I think you know which ones the House has passed that the Senate controlled by your party won’t even consider.
In the age of information ignorance is a choice. I’t clear you’ve made yours. Good luck.
If you choose to stick your head in the sand while you chant hope and change as if that is going to make it happen then it is quite clear that you have made your choice as well. Don’t let any portion of the reality happening around you interrupt your chant skippy.
The Conservative World
The end result of this plan as I see it would be a world where the “Small Government” chooses your rights of your body to be born above your mothers right to life then issuing shoot at will permits to everyone who feels that you may have threatened them. ( It was Safer Inside)
” Small Government” = One governor in each state with power given to him from the Corporate Elite, as administered by ALEC
You then have to fight your way to the top of the food chain with an education bought and paid for from a list of for profit schools who’s only goal is profit, saddling your remaining parent with a lifetime of debt. Abstinence is taught in these schools along with conservative values and lack of adherence to these principles will be dealt with swiftly and forcibly. If you don’t adhere and or pass the no child left test declaring that you are above average you will have to join the Military and support American Exceptionalism of world domination through Corporate take over or Military Occupation.
If you are lucky enough to make it thru school without getting shot for being a perceived threat, you get to enter the workforce where jobs are only given to those who where born on third base with special priveledegs and no remedy for discrimination.Unemployment will not be tolerated, anymore than 3 months of it and you will be entered into the military for American Exceptionalism Duty!
After a lifetime of service to Corporations and or American Military you are handed a coupon to go towards buying a retirement income and health insurance policy, that signs your home over to them in a reverse Mortgage scenario.
The coupon has the following words stamped on it,
This is not a check!
Anger Flew Over the Coo Coo’s Nest !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZijLQGH1v0
George Carlin had Righty Nuts figured out years ago.
Got to love Carlin. Here’s another…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlKMy65dyz4&feature=related
To paraphrase the late, great George Carlin, you’d think Righties & gays would make natural allies. After all, who’s NOT going to have an abortion?
This platform is a huge step back for America, 60 years worth of regression. God help us all if the Republicans win this election.
The party of killing innocent children and free for all sex of any combination and you have the audacity to call on God to help you! Wow, talk about your perversions.
My God is not a hater and loves all His children. Who are you to tell me about God? Learn some compassion and humility first.
Tell us about your God and the source of your claims. You want to talk to me about humility when you are the one molding God into your image of what He should be. Get real.
I do not need to engage in a theological discussion, or any kind of discussion for that matter to support or justify my beliefs. I will never convince you and you will never convince me. So let’s leave it at that. I do suggest you read the New Testament though. Jesus Christ would not be a Republican!
Well seeing how YOU brought the Bible into it, shall we discuss what the New Testament has to say about homosexuality? Let me guess, none of that counts in your world. How you “feel” is far more important than what God has to say about it, it’s the liberal way. I’m betting the grand kids think Mimi is so kool and with it in her acceptance of immorality. Gosh you are just so in touch with the times. Nice to be popular no matter the cost isn’t it.
It seems to me that you are the one who is dealing with “feelings”. Don’t worry about the state of my soul. Like Cher, “I answer to two entities. One is God. The other is my own conscience.” It is also striking to me that so many Christians are so full of hate. I was always taught that God is Love.
So if God is love, He must love everything. That’s real deep, thanks.
I know when I have a moral dilemma, the person I turn to – Cher!
I respect Cher’s opinion a whole lot more than I respect that of right wing Fundamentalists.
And it’s a great quote and I wanted to give credit to the person who first said it.
I’ve always wondered why there isn’t a steady stream of people like you ,who obviously hate more than you love, going off to Canada or Mexico or any other country because everything must be better somewhere other than here. Right? God did say he would help us all -didn’t he?
What about those children you want to defend after they are born? You people want the woman to incubate the fetus for nine months and for what? To end up unwanted, or in a terrible home or worse in foster care?
No one should be brought into this world to end up unwanted.
Right you are! Let’s kill those damn babies before they ever see the light of day! You know what? We could call them a fetus instead. Yeah, that would make it less uncomfortable before we burn them in saline solution, or cut their bodies to pieces with a surgical instrument while in the womb. Hey, and if they get too big, we could partially deliver them and stab their skulls with scissors to collapse their head. We can also call it pro-choice, has a nice ring to it.
…..
If my descriptors bother you, look the other way or just stick your head in the sand…there, feel better.
And BTW, a newborn baby can’t survive outside the womb on its own either. You want to kill it then or is it more palatable for you where you can’t see the barbaric procedure with your own eyes?
Abortion is a choice no matter how you split that hair.
Sure its a choice, murder it or let it live. Ultra-sound has had remarkable results in saving the lives of these babies. I would propose that any woman wanting an abortion be forced to watch that baby squirm in pain during the procedure. We have the technology, let’s do it.
You probably would also believe in the Gulag system if you believe anyone should be forced to watch an ultrasound. If someone has an unwanted pregnancy that is what it is- unwanted. End it.
It appears that the “mainstream” Republicans share Akin’s belief about “legitmate rape.” To insert a plank that bans all abortion is totally without merit. Such a plank may keep the “holier than thou’s” contented but it flies in the face of common sense and morality. As has been siad before, the Republicans care about the people from the time they are conceived til the time they are born; after that the Democrats do all the caring.
It does make a statement. I’m guessing the D’s platform will finally put caveats on abortion this year, like restrictions on sex selection.
Going off the deep end…
The straight and narrow path. Nothing new here.
Funny but the headlines BDN has here and the wording in the article describing the paltfor do not match.
“GOP endorses platform to bar all abortions, gay marriage”
On abortion the article only says the GOP would not use Federal Funds for abortions.
On gay marriage the article says the GOP would affirm the rights of States not to be required to recognize gay marriage.
Large bunch of Leftist BS spin here BDN and AP!
No surprise that though.
Both are in the tank for the left.
The quote for “all abortions” means even in cases of rape or incest.
The platform calls for a Constitutional (federal) ban on same sex marriage. I am getting really tired of the factless hatred spewed here.
Then stop spewing it.
Who are the liars? Federal funds aren’t used for abortions, that’s what the Hyde Amendment does. Who are the liars? The GOP still yet supports DOMA which bars states from having their own laws recognized when they choose to allow gay marriage.
Federal Dollars are used to advise wone to get abortions and the simple fact is some people are against that.
DOMA assures states their rights not to recognize radical beliefs that they do not agree with. If Nevada chooses to allow men to marry cattle then Maine does not have to recognize that marriage.
Seems like States rights are being protected from extremist views to me.
But federal money isn’t used to fund abortions, except in cases of incest and rape. Those are the exceptions the Hyde Amendment allows. So the GOP platform changes nothing unless it bans funding abortions for cases of incest and rape as well.
No, DOMA goes against the full faith and credit clause. Marriage is an issue left up to the states. But if a heterosexual gets married and lives in Mass. and then they end up in a hospital (or whatever) in Maine and one needs to make a choice for the other, their marriage is recognized there. It’s recognized across the country. If that same visiting couple is gay, DOMA bars Maine from recognizing Mass.’s law. That’s not how the 10th Amendment is supposed to/has ever worked.
Then tell them to stay out of Maine. Here’s a tissue.
And you say you’re not a bigot.
You do realize that a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage goes against “affirm the rights of states”, don’t you?
You do realize that there isn’t a chance in a million of getting an amendment passed don’t you?
I do. Which is why it has become clearer and clearer that the GOP has become the party of delusion, disconnected from reality.
Are you saying that everything in the Democratic platform is 100% achievable.
Please!!!!
Nope, I am not saying that. But on social issues, I wish the GOP would abandon this pandering to extremist wingnuts and focus on economic issues in their platform.
Why is it that only the Rs have to stop listening to their wingnuts?
You still got the Reverand Jesse Jackson right?
I didn’t recall where this article talked about democrats. Projecting?
But since you asked, I haven’t seen Jackson visibly active in the Democratic party in years.
It does not matter what the party platform rules say because this GOP does not follow any rules or regulations even their own. If for some reason the rules don’t serve them well they just change them, no big deal. Have at it boys and girls like my mother always said “you have made your bed now lay in it. ”
“A platform to ban all abortions and gay marriage.”
They will lose the election……
One party democrats want to turn us communist, the other party, republican want to turn us into the middle east religious zealots. Son pas mal toute fou fou…
Ah, yes, the party that Richard Nixon wouldn’t recognize.
I doubt that even Ronald Reagan, hero to many in the GOP, would recognize it. Or Barry Goldwater even. When I was a kid growing up in Southeastern Massachusetts, my Democrat parents always voted for GOP moderate Margaret Heckler as our representative in Washington. I am sure all the aforementioned are turning over in their graves now at what their party has become. And Abraham Lincoln, perhaps the greatest Republican president ever, is probably spinning like a top in his grave.
Re Margaret Heckler:
“She opposed abortion, but did not favor a constitutional amendment to ban it at that time. Later in life, Heckler has become a speaker and activist for pro-life causes…
Heckler also lost the support of the National Organization for Women because she opposed federal funding for abortion.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Heckler
Abortion is not the only political issue that Americans need to address.
Oh, I agree.
Out-of-control entitlement spending is the largest issue by far.
Out of control corporate welfare and Defense spending needs to be addressed. It needs to get on the radar.
If the Republicans win, forget about cuts to defense spending. A lot of military contractors contribute to the Republican party. Those contractors are not happy with cuts to military and the Republicans don’t want to alienate a generous political contributor.
When we spend more on defense than the next 20 nations combined, I think it can be said that our defense spending needs to be reigned in as well.
Yes, a case can be made for reducing some defense spending, but as a percentage of GDP, defense spending is at 4.5%, entitlements are at 9.7%.
Medicare and Other Entitlements Are Crowding Out Spending on Defense
“Ever-increasing entitlement spending is putting pressure on key spending priorities, such as national defense, a core constitutional function of government. Defense spending has declined significantly over time, even when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are included, as spending on the major entitlements – Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – has more than tripled.”
http://www.heritage.org/federalbudget/defense-entitlement-spending
You are so wrong! Defense spending is much lower than welfare spending. Would you rather pay a soldier or pay a drug addict sitting on the couch watching his tax payer funded cable tv? Have you ever traveled the country and seen all the bases which are closed? Do you know how much our military has been downsized? Do you think we could fight a three phase war?
Don’t mix up entitlements and welfare spending.
Welfare spending is a minute fraction of our overall national budget. Medicare and Social Security are the primary entitlement programs that make up its spending.
And if you notice, I didn’t saw we shouldn’t touch that, I said we should include defense spending as well if we want to make meaningful cuts.
Yeah I’m sure Abe would vomit to see the democrats calling for SSM and the murder of innocent babies.
Nixon: “I’m not a crook by today’s standards.”
au poil
I guess the AmerikkkanTaliban members of the Republican party win a round. Good news for America their true colors are showing. Now we see if Americans or Amerikkkans will vote for them. My guess most true Americans will not. OTOH I want me one of them 100 round drum magazines for my deer hunting rifle sure will save me a lot of time reloading after making all them sound shots. LMAO! Republicans can’t be taken seriously, can they????????? Only thing missing from this list is mandated creationist education in the public schools did they forget to include it or is it hidden under Noah’s ark? Whew!!!
Listen Up- Especially to spin-happy liberals that paint conservatives to be bad….
Not all Republicans follow this line- Just ask Snowe & Collins
Myself, I view:
*Job Creation- Much like Obama,, Michaud, King, Dill & Pingree have no clue about economic development…!
*Small Business- Much like job creation, Obama,, Michaud, King, Dill & Pingree have no clue.
*Taxes- Hello,,, ObamaCare…!
*Marriage- I have no problem with gay’s, but if you allow liberals to redefine marriage, then it will have to be completely redefined…!
*Voter Integrity- Some misguided inidividuals have stated that they know there is no voter fraud,,,, sure, whatever, can y say ACORN, and yes, voter fraud “has” been alive in US history for decades…
*Energy- I agree with their position, but with a LePage spin,,, it “must” survive on its own…!
*Medicare & Meicaid- No matter what they do its not going to be there for me…
*Immigration- Stop supporting them, and send them all back..!
*Health care- I am doing just fine, my plan is “not” going to change because of some dink in DC..!
*Education- We dont even rank fifth….
*Gun Control- I agree totally with their pledge, I just hope Romney follows through…!!!!!
*Abortion- Children are a blessing and I think a good start to avoid this area starts with a tighter family unit. I live this issue in conflict; while I dont care for abortion, I also believe that a woman needs to be ultimately in charge of the decision- much like ObamaCare, and me telling politicians what part of my anatomy that they can kiss… :-P
Hey GOP, get your filthy hands off my body and your filthy “morals” out of my bedroom!
I had hoped the repub platform would issue
EBT cards to every American. Illegals would
only get 1/2 of a card. I was kind of hoping
that their platform would allow every American
to sit and collect food stamps and welfare for their whole
life, no work required. They disappointed me by not
allowing people to marry their dogs. I had hoped they
banned all forms of energy and moved forward on bird
poo as the chief means of energy. I am extremely disappointed
that they want to do something about tax reform and lower
taxes. How will all those cradle to grave social programs
stay in business? Lastly, I was most disappointed that they
didn’t come out and say they hated women, clean air, clean water,
granny, people who work. Damn it, their platform is so terrible,
no wonder the freeloaders are libbers.
If you want to understand the Control Party (should be the real name of the Republican Party) then all you have to do is ask, which path would allow us to control other people? And the answer is…
Controlling who can marry who
Controlling whether you can have sex education, birth control, access to health care, and yes abortion (I’m not pro-abortion but I am anti-control).
Controlling how you can live or die.
Controlling other countries by bribery, threats, or yes, even invasion.
Controlling what forms of energy are available by ignoring any that are healthy for the planet
Controlling our future by ignoring ALL scientific evidence about anything
Controlling who can enter our country, now that the controllers are already in the country.
Controlling our destinies by establishing policies that will leave millions without help and it will be too late to change by the time they need it. If you need health coverage for an life threatening illness, it’s too late to lobby for changes then, you’ll simply have to die, but that will help the bottom line.
Controlling fear by arguing for righteousness, when there seems to be none in their party in the first place.
Read your history books, we are in Germany in the early 1930s. Do you remember what hatred and extremism lead to there?
P.S. I’m okay calling it the Hypocritical Party too, that works.
They keep saying “limited” and “small” government — but it never seems to add up. What’s small or limited about their proposals?
In my lifetime, Republican administrations have been responsible for record deficits. It was not until Obama that a Democrat approached their level of deficit spending.
I therefore predict that the next Republican administration will surpass the Obama administration on deficit spending.
Yes, excellent..people should read the history of germany in the 1930’s…But its weird you would advocate for that, as Germany’s thirst was for a central controlling government, like the current administration…you sure you want peoples eyes opened up to that?….You might want to encourage a little more propoganda from the current adminstration as people are starting to notice the similarities of the democrats and the german government in the 30’s….you know. weaken states rights, make the states carry a higher burden of costs associated with the federal gov’t mandates…you know…stuff like that….
Weird, because the Republican platform affirms states rights and personal rights and freedom……is there righeousness in late term abortions….or loosening parental notification laws…or use taxpayers money in such a negligent and treasoneous way as to purposely weaken a country financially as to create a national security threat along with a financial crisis?…without fear you lose in Novemeber…..
Do you really read history books? Did you know Hitler was an author? Also, did you know he wanted government controlled health care? Have you ever spoken to anyone who actually lived in this time period?
With minor tweaking this platform looks like something most Taliban members could agree to with it’s emphasis on guns/war, religion based morals laws and controlling elections. They even have the same “every person for themself” attitude toward healthcare, especially women’s healthcare. And they want my vote??
oh no,no,no….nobody is looking for your vote…..it is crystal clear you favor a large controlling government that spends money because it can…with no respect for the citizens of this country who willingly pays taxes and defend freedom for this country (and the world for that matter) Your vote is pretty secure with the democrats and if you receive mail otherwise, kindly let them know they can spend thier resources elsewhere…
when the repubublicans say “limited” and “small” government, they mean for big business not individuals.
The Republican Party’s platform is largely meaningless, pandering to the extremists.
But this one is really a piece of work.
The pro-discrimination marriage plank, for example:
How exactly can you simultaneously stand up for states’ rights and also propose a constitutional amendment banning something? Do they realize that constitutional amendments are explicitly taking rights away from states to govern themselves?
actually a this constitutional amendment does not ban anything…it just affirms that marriage is between a man and a woman….your side brought up this part about banning this meaning of marriage and replacing it with something you want called marriage…….so to recap just for you…it upholds the states rights to define marriage legally (that means put it in law) what we all have known for thousands of years…and doesn’t ban anything….I know…weird…
I guess the democrat platform of abortion has a great deal of meaning to you.
Attacking straw men, are we?
There is no “democrat platform of abortion”.
Do you even know who is speaking at the Democratic Convention? The President of NOW and the president of Planned Parenthood.
You seem to be implying that those two agencies are solely about abortion and nothing else.
Do not confuse freedom with endorsement of what people do with their freedom.
i thought santorum, in particular, did an excellent job in explaining the republican platform of race-bating, plutocracy disguised as populism, homophobia, xenophobia and misogyny.
Might want to read the platform, not just comment on the article by the author…who is commenting…
Normal people should read this lengthy platform document…it says we should move this country toward America and away from tyrannical government rule….I know…weird..
here is the pro-life section, taken right from the platform with no edits……
Maintaining The Sanctity and Dignity of Human Life
Faithful to the first guarantee of the Declaration of Independence, we assert the inherent dignity and sanctity of all human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution, and we endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children. We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion and will not fund organizations which advocate it. We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity and dignity of innocent human life.
We have made progress. The Supreme Court has upheld prohibitions against the barbaric practice of partial-birth abortion. States are now permitted to extend health-care coverage to children before birth. And the Born Alive Infants Protection Act has become law; this law ensures that infants who are born alive during an abortion receive all treatment and care that is provided to all newborn infants and are not neglected and left to die. We must protect girls from exploitation and statutory rape through a parental notification requirement. We all have a moral obligation to assist, not to penalize, women struggling with the challenges of an unplanned pregnancy. At its core, abortion is a fundamental assault on the sanctity of innocent human life. Women deserve better than abortion. Every effort should be made to work with women considering abortion to enable and empower them to choose life. We salute those who provide them alternatives, including pregnancy care centers, and we take pride in the tremendous increase in adoptions that has followed Republican legislative initiatives.
Respect for life requires efforts to include persons with disabilities in education, employment, the justice system, and civic participation. In keeping with that commitment, we oppose the nonconsensual withholding of care or treatment from people with disabilities, as well as the elderly and infirm, just as we oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide, which endanger especially those on the margins of society. Because government should set a positive standard in hiring and contracting for the services of persons with disabilities, we need to update the statutory authority for the AbilityOne program, the main avenue by which those productive members of our society can offer high quality services at the best possible value
Whenever the left says radical…it is thier radicalism they are commenting on
Whenever they say hypocracy, it is there hypocracy…
When they say hatred and extremism….there is no example like thiers in the history of this country…
When they say extreme religious fanatics……they are talking about thier religion of government as the god….
And when they say, “George Bush left us a real mess….”…it means in January 2013 Romney will have a mess like no country never experienced before…..but we’ll clean it up….like we always do….
Romney/Ryan 2012….for those who may want to know what it would have been like had socialism/fascism won in Europe…For Status Quo..Barack and Joe….
GOP Platform = Antique Philosophies as regards Women’s Rights..Cramming Dubious Religious Tenets into the Political Process …Pandering to the Wealthy and exploiting the Poor for Profit. All in all completely Outrageous!
Democrat platform= we believe in killing babies, therfore we will have the president of NOW speak and the president of Planned Parenthood speak at our convention. Never mind the economy, we just want to focus on abortion.
ROMNEY / RYAN 2012 !!!
Are you really trying to say homosexuality can’t be taught? If some homosexual hit on some poor kid who was going through the usual confusing adolescencent years and took him under his wing he couldn’t drag that kid into the homosexual lifestyle? You really believe that! You really believe animals engaging in what appears to be homosexual
Behavior are doing it out of lust? Really? I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
Who are you talking to?
Disquisition won’t allow me to post where it’s intended, but hey, you saw it and it certainly applies to you.
How sad that there is actually people like you that approve of this barbaric act of senseless killing in the name of money. On a brighter note, the ultrasound is slowly changing the tide to this as more and more women are seeing what a lie this has been all along.
Thats right I’m not. You have been brainwashed into using that word so much you don’t even realize that is you that is the bigot. America clearly does not want homosexual marriage.
Really?
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1755/poll-gay-marriage-gains-acceptance-gays-in-the-military
March 2012 Public Policy Poll – http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/03/maine-miscellany.html
April 2012 Pew Research Center poll – http://www.people-press.org/2012/04/25/more-support-for-gun-rights-gay-marriage-than-in-2008-or-2004/ (I like that there is more support for gun rights, too!)
May 2012 ABC News/Washington Post poll – http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/polling/gay-marriage-opposition-hits-new-low/2012/05/23/gIQAd8yRjU_page.html
Or check out any of the polls conveniently listed here that show the trend – http://pollingreport.com/civil.htm
Can you show me a poll that is recent that backs up your claim? Or are you just projecting?
Ah, honky done learned it on his computah. So your great grandfather three million time removed was along on all fours and just stood up to take a peek over the blueberry bush and realized just how good it felt to stand up. Of course his back felt better, but didn’t his feet hurt having all that weight on just two feet. Time for this gorilla to invent some comfy shoes.
It’s generally a good idea not to post drunk.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse … we bring you the GOP Convention! Where’s all the “love” that Ann Romney burbled on about last night? Sickening!
That glamorous society dame sure is someone *I* can identify with! She totally looks like someone who understands the working man!
Honestly. The article is laying the framework for the Republican Party “political core value system,” and if I recall from my refined public school education the U.S. is a two-party government. So this is “truly” only “half-of-the-story.” Why does the B.D.N. assign these Liberal Socialist Hacks to “report” (questionable) on Rebublican platforms, and present the column like it was hardcore journalism. The message the Liberal Hacks are sending is “it would hurt their Socialist agenda more to report on the pure failure of their Hope & Change party.”
As far as the Republican Foundation, the only “citizens of the United States” that disagree 100% are self-appointed, Hope & Change, Socialist Liberal children that need the “boob” of a perversly large Federal Government to care for them from birth ’til death.
The Republican Platform makes Socialist very uneasy because the core-foundation involves personal responsibility and accountability. Also, if you are not a “legal citizen” and choose not to work you are entitled to nothing because you are a criminal.
Marriage: Why are Liberal Socialist so upset and angry that Republicans believe it is a “right” for one-man and one-woman? Even your “Hope and Change” hipster President was against same-sex marriage until he started going broke and needed votes. From the concrete fundamentals of nature and science: “Two Roosters Can Not Lay An Egg,” (my quote).
Education: Freedom of Education. This is a concrete belief system because The United States is not a Socialist country. Freedom. Choice. If the Liberal HACKS had it their way pictures of the Obama regime would be placed in all public schools. This is such a amazing fundamental right because the choice allows me, as a parent, to keep my child out of the “Everybody wins and equal” Socialist platform of our public school system.
As far as the Liberal Socialist HACKS projecting themselves as the party of understanding, tolerance, Hope & Change, celebrate diversity and all. You presented yourself as very intolerant, angry, disgusting, stinky-vile individuals that “Occupied Wall Street” in from of MY city Library, but never once went into the Library and read a book. You loser HACKS! Sorry your four year Liberal Studies degree has not paid off, but “when you try nothing. nothing works.”
You have until January 2013 to begin thinking of a career choice when R&R begin generating real jobs for the economy. Unlike those “phony” Green jobs that are all bankrupt like your phony President.
The BDN sends liberal hacks because Fox news has Hannity, Coulter, and CNBC spewing fair and balanced. :)