Lies, Hypocrisy and a Democracy in Peril

The GOP shifts farther and farther right these days, with social and fiscal policies that harken back to the days when blacks rode the backs of buses, and women were fighting for equal rights. Oh, and as gay rights have also come a long way, they are also in a one-step-forward-two steps-back situation as the frontrunners for the Republican presidential nomination either can't stand gays (Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich) or have contributed a lot of money to a "pray away the gay" organization (Mitt Romney).

But those things are just part of the picture that is painted with lies, hypocrisy and an attack on democracy that is being put up for sale by a GOP serving Tea laced with poison.

The lies? The likes of Romney and Karl Rove are not above lying to America--and they did so last week when they misquoted Bill Clinton by taking his words out of context, conveniently pulling words out of a quote from a 17-minute documentary put together by the Obama/Biden campaign. They were trying to say that Obama was egotistically taking credit for something any president would have done.

Hypocrisy? Look no further than Romney, who flip-flops and changes his mind as if he's using anEtch-a-sketch (his aide used that term!) on almost every issue. But also look at Santorum, who goes far out of his way to protect a fetus but once that fetus is born, and especially if that fetus becomes a woman, we need to deny them of contraception, even if it's something prescribed for a health issue or condition other than pregnancy. And why is Santorum and Romney and Michelle Bachmann, for that matter, so hell bent on overturning Obamacare? Because it's Obama's policy, that's why. The individual mandate is and was a Republican idea at the start. That's hypocrisy in its truest sense.

Attack on democracy? It's everywhere, and while we won't have a ruling on Obamacare until June, most believe it will be shot down by a 5-4 conservative Supreme Court. And it may even be totally wiped out rather than to have some of it survive without the mandate. Remember that this court gave us Bush v. Gore, and Citizens United, and you see that this court undermines our democracy, because in cases like this it votes on party lines. That's sad. But I have a proposal. We should add one justice to the Supreme Court, and then if they wind up in a tie in a situation like this, the decision is put up to a vote by the American people.

There is so much more I can say, but really, I'm so fed up with the GOP and especially the tea party. I'm fed up with their lies, their hatred, their racial slurs, their policies that cater to the rich at the expense of everyone else, and their blatant disregard for American principles, while trying to hide behind words like "liberty," "freedom," and "prosperity." And as money pours in to right wing causes and candidates courtesy of Citizens United, these right wingers who liken President Obama to a socialist are the ones driving our country toward something worse--an oligarchy, and a step away from communism.