Playing by the Rules: GOP Style

According to the laws of the playground the biggest, meanest kids get to make the rules - at least that was how it worked 20 years ago when I first started elementary school. Today, the biggest, meanest kids are labeled as bullies and taught to treat people fairly and with respect and our schools are becoming safer places that are recommitted to their core purpose, educating our children. This morning, on Capitol Hill, a new class took the oath of office and control of the House of Representatives shifted to a new group of bullies ready to change the rules once again.

Here at home, the District of Columbia is already facing a terrible rule change at the hands of the new Congress. Under the proposed rules, Delegate Norton would lose her ability to vote in the Committee of the Whole - the only vote the District of Columbia has in any part of the legislative branch of the federal government. Cher could only dream of turning back time, but the GOP is preparing to turn back the clock on recent Democratic reforms that have a critical impact on the citizens of DC. Of course, the GOP doesn't care about low-income people or people of color - in fact, those are communities they fear and it also describes a large portion of the population of DC - and by stripping DC of any voting rights in Congress, the voices of the underrepresented are once again being silenced. Damn, it looks like DC voting rights just lost a turn.

Now, in a brilliant moment of true GOP asshattery, their plans to repeal health care reform will be brought forward before the vote on new rules in order to avoid following their own proposed rules. Under the new rules, all bills must be budget neutral meaning that funds must exist for the enactment of legislation... so nothing will be passed that would create new debt. Unfortunately for them, repealing HCR comes with a $143 billion price tag. Now call me crazy, but that sounds like cheating to me. Too bad we can't send them to jail, directly to jail... do not pass go, do not collect $200.


At least where the House GOP is concerned, the 2010 mid-term elections have handed them a Get Out of Jail Free card and they are ready to mortgage all the property on the board to make sure their wealthiest supporters get richer while the rest of us struggle with debt, poor health care and no representation in our own government.

ObamaCare, Political Theater and Zombie Fucking Reagan

House Republicans have announced that they plan to repeal Health Care Reform this week with the creatively named "Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act." I'm not sure if the constitution fapping GOP is entirely unaware of the make-up of the Senate and how Article 1 Section 7 of the US Constitition works, or if they are deeply dedicated to wasting tax payer time and money while valiantly avoiding their responsibility to their constituents to solve America's problems.

So what is the deal? Most likely political grandstanding - they know it will pass the house, but never go anywhere beyond that, giving them the all important W in their column (because winning a meaningless victory is so much more important to the prosperity of the US of A than creating real, lasting solutions). Diverting attention from the real issues is highly likely- they have no idea how to fix our ailing economy, resolve long-standing issues in Iraq and Afghanistan, ensure national security beyond shouting slurs at anyone darker than a paper bag, and concocting new and exciting birther conspiracies. It's also their only shot to keep their base happy. The GOP had both houses and the presidency for 6 years. They never progressed much on the social issues that rile up their fan club. Abortion is still legal. Gays aren't being shot in the streets. Christianity isn't the offical religion of the United States of Jesusland. Zombie Reagan hasn't been resurrected to run for president-for-life (ha ha they opposed stem cell research funding). General asshattery is also on the table. Flying spaghetti monster forbid they actually look into fixing the crumbling economy they so generously forked over last decade.

So, this year, look forward to Republicans getting this victory, but not getting much further with it. There will be hearings, attempts to de-fund, and other shenanigans. It's unlikely that any real changes will be made, as the GOP works on it's only real goal, improving their rhetoric for 2012.

Since the economy isn't likely to improve much under these bozos, I suggest you save your entertainment dollars. Skip the pricey ballet and opera, the real theater is going to be on CSPAN.

Fuck You Delegate Marshall!

This weekend marked the biggest federal policy success for the LGBT community to date. The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is a huge victory won by grassroots activism and the slowly changing tide of public opinion regarding equality for LGBT people. One victory, however, is not enough to show homophobic assholes that it is time for them to sit down, shut up and learn to live in a society that values all citizens.

Today’s Fuck You! goes out to Virginia Delegate Robert G. Marshall who has announced that he is leading the fight to ban homosexuals from openly serving the Virginia National Guard. The full story can be found here: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/19/virginian-bar-gays-from-national-guard/ and makes me want to vomit.

Once again, a Republican is screwing with national security all in the name of bigotry. Fortunately, our good friends at Equality Virginia aren’t going to let this move forward without a fight. We have tasted victory and nobody is going to stand in our way.

Fuck you Sen. Corker!

Once again the GOP is getting ready to lube up and fuck LGBT Americans. I can't say that we are surprised that Senator Corker (R-TN) and the GOP are threatening to walk away from the new START Treaty if Majority Leader Reid brings DADT to a vote this weekend, but it does beg the question: Why does the GOP want to dismantle America's national security?

Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a disastrous military policy that has stripped the armed forces of some of the most talented and dedicated personnel. Translators, intelligence officers and myriad other servicemembers have been given the boot because of who they love, not their job performance. The House of Representatives thinks it is ludicrous and voted yesterday for repeal. So, why on earth can't Senate Republicans get their heads out of their collective ass and do something good for the country?

Let's reduce the global stockpile of nuclear weapons and allow all Americans to serve openly in the armed forces. I'm pretty sure that would be a win-win situation for our national security. But then, unlike the GOP, I actually value our national security.