why I endorse Rick Santorum
Yesterday was International Women’s Day, marked by worldwide events that
chronicled the progress made in women’s rights and measured the distances
yet to go. The most curious marking would have to go to Afghanistan president
Hamid Karzai, who Tuesday supported a decision by a council of leading Muslim
clerics that “men are fundamental and women are secondary.”
The council’s code of conduct also allows wife-beating. Karzai has to cozy up
with the Taliban as international support dries up. The U.S. has already spent
at least half a trillion dollars, with the bulk of the bills yet to come. At least 1770
Americans have died there, with another 15,000+ wounded. Canada lost 157,
with about 2000 wounded or injured. Neither nation got their money’s worth.
Wednesday, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell signed a law requiring women
to have an abdominal ultrasound before having an abortion. The law originally
required a vaginally-intrusive procedure, but McDonnell had that provision re-
moved after public outcry. Mighty white of you, Bob.
Karzai’s comments and Virginia’s law cap a bizarre stretch of recent misogyny.
Rush Limbaugh’s hyper-publicized assailing of Sandra Fluke was loathsome,
but typical of him. It was a prime chance for him to boost sagging ratings. His
“apologies” as sponsors fled were almost as abrasive as his original assault.
Limbaugh can say anything he chooses. Even if he’s cancelled, he’s firmly in
the 1%. In 2008 he signed a contract extension with Clear Channel for $400
million.
Much more disturbing was the debacle in Washington last month when a House
hearing on insurance coverage of contraception featured only glum old guys
testifying. (Full disclosure: I’m an old guy, though happy.)
The absence of women was absurd. It was like a “Boys Gone Mild” video with
clergy flashing their paternalism. Ms. Fluke, chosen by the Democrats to be
their one witness allowed, was not allowed to by Republican Chairman Darrell
Issa. He decided that Fluke, a graduate law student, wasn’t qualified enough.
Hearing members Eleanor Holmes Norton and Carolyn Maloney walked out.
Issa did hold a second panel during which two women testified, but Alison
Garrett and Laura Champion, both medical doctors at Christian colleges,
merely echoed the tone of previous testimony.
The Republican presidential candidates couldn’t resist this issue. It’s right in
their wheelhouse: public policy and women’s rights repackaged as religious
freedom. After all, you can only threaten to bomb Iran and criticize an im-
proving economy so much.
Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, ever the professional pragmatists and oppor-
tunists, saw it as a possible wedge issue, even though U.S. adults — including
Catholics — overwhelmingly favor contraception. Santorum, though, is a
True Believer.
As a senator, he tried unsuccessfully to tack on a provision to the No Child
Left Behind act that would allow the teaching of intelligent design along with
evolution. He called contraception “a license to do things in a sexual realm
that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”
Santorum recently suggested that children would be better off with a father in
prison rather than having two lesbian parents. In 2003 he said “if the Supreme
Court says that you have the right to consensual sex in your home, then you
have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right
to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to everything.”
He was, however, able to distinguish homosexuality from pedophilia and bes-
tiality. Last September he called the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy
“tragic”, adding that “I would say any type of sexual activity has absolutely no
place in the military.”
That statement is simply precious in its cluelessness. It’s clear from that Rick
never served, or even visited the officers or enlisted clubs on any base or camp.
Napoleon said the army moves on its stomach, but I’m telling you the Marines
move on their genitals.
That’s why I’m endorsing Rick. If he represents the Republicans this November,
his candidacy will mobilize women to a level that might rival that of the suffrage
movements of the mid 19th Century and early 20th Century, or the campaigns
for the Equal Rights Amendment in 1923 and 1972.
Hell, he should scare everyone who wants to maintain control over their private
parts.
Santorum seems to glean his ideas from reruns of Father Knows Best, including
the sweater vests. He’s already losing the can’t-be-lost independent voters as he
woos the far right. There’s plenty I don’t like about the Democrats, but at least
they live in this century. With Rick at the GOP helm, he would preside over their
biggest drubbing since Lyndon Johnson walloped Barry Goldwater in 1964.
And, as the flagbearer (I hope that term isn’t is too risque for him) of the Repub-
licans, Santorum would likely take down many GOP candidates for House and
Senate seats. Fortunately, Rick knows how to handle a lopsided loss. When he
last ran for re-election in 2006, he failed by a 59 – 41 percent margin.
Comments are closed.
Anchor Struck 
Well, you just can’t lose can you? If he wins the nomination but loses the election, as you suspect he will, he carries many tea-partiers with him and all is better in the US. Should he by some chance win the election (remember many of Carter’s folks were hoping Reagan would be nominated in 1980 cause they thought he be a cinch to beat), more of your friends in the States will be joining you in Canada.
I’m covering all bases. Jude and I plan to break ground soon on a retirement village called “Little America”. For a small additional fee, residents can have the sounds of sirens, gunfire, squabbling neighbours and jets overhead piped into their apartments. There will be a McDonald’s on site. It will offer poutine with your fries.
Poutine? Hoping that’s a great Canadian sausage or something similar.
I will educate you in my next post.
Thanks Allen. You have inspired me to launch a new campaign- the “I Pledge/Swear/Affirm That I Will Have Sex As Often & With as Many [insert your choice of gender{s} here] as I Can” or, alternatively, “We’re Gonna Get It Together Baby” (tip of the hat to the late, great Barry White).
So, please spread the word far and wide! Fuck for freedom! Fuck for the future! Fuck for fun!!!
Go, horndog! Doesn’t the credit really go to Santorum and friends, though? The 37 years I’ve known you, you’ve always gone out of your way to piss off fundamentalists.
I have made up my mind that I am not voting this term republican. That leaves Obama. Is he really that bad? Is he as bad as the republican canidates? I am so confused.
I would easily choose Obama over the GOP’s eventual choice. Both major parties are beholden to Big Business, but I still see a worthwhile difference.
OK, but you may be
underestimatingoverestimating thestupidityintelligence of the American voter.Let’s hope that the truth is somewhere in the middle of those two options.
Can’t resist making a comment on this…given that Intl. Women’s Day fell on a beautiful Full Moon, somehow amplifying the sweet spot in my heart for both events.
I’ve been reading friend Allen’s blogs from the very beginning, as well as everyone’s comments. Thank you all so much! I really enjoy the intelligent humor and wit of so many of you, and also appreciate the compassionate sensitivity I see. Some of Allen’s posts really make me think…and look at topics and issues he presents through my own lenses. I will probably bore you all with my perspectives and lengthy stuff and occasional overt seriousness, so should I comment another day, you’ll know to just skip right over Inveterate Teacher’s comments.
I tend to view the recent “assaults” on women’s rights, etc. in the context of a larger movement going on, which could be described from various perspectives, but….
Let’s talk astrology! (I’m not an astrologer, just have more than an average interest in it. My sources for the following information are well-known astrologers Jessica Murray and Rick Levine, both of whom make the point that they are not predictive astrologers and are not forecasting, but rather, just educating re: astrological trends. Same goes here for me.)
According to these and other astrologers, the big event happening this year is a Uranus-Pluto square. This is a “very big, rare, world-altering” event. The last time it happened was 1965-66. The square actually happens 7 times between June 24, 2012 and March 16, 2015. The energy builds then has an “exactitude” on specific dates (such as June 24), and then has ripple effects, so the actual date of the alignment, while significant, is not the whole picture. Anyway…..
Uranus is the planet associated with “explosive, intense energy releases,” and is known astrologically as the “Great Awakener.” It rules surprises. It also rules democracy, which means “rule by principles of social equality.” (Of course you all knew that.) And it is the ruling planet of the sign of Aquarius.
Pluto is the planet (or non-planet as science now claims) associated with “total metamorphosis,” deep transformations that are dramatic and complete, e.g. like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. It rules passion. It also rules plutocracy, which means “rule by principles of power and wealth.” (Now did you all know that?) And it is the ruling planet of the sign of Scorpio.
So…one way of looking at current affairs is through the lens of these planets forming an opposition, an angle which represents a cultural awakening, social revolution, and deep cultural transformation to be brought about through conflict between the forces of democracy and the forces of plutocracy, in strong opposition to one another. (As if we’re not noticing that already…the Arab Spring uprisings that continue and the Occupy Wall Street movement being the most obvious.) (BTW, in Chinese mythology, we’re in the Year of the Dragon, which represents “power and wealth, growth and change.” And numerologically, 2012 is a 5 year, 5 years representing “freedom through struggle.”)
The astrologers say that the forces of plutocracy will trend toward “taking off their gloves,” becoming obvious in their plutocracy. They also say the U.S., due to other planetary configurations, will trend toward experiencing the most stress around all this, but that essential truths will break through in abrupt and surprising ways.
So there you have it, or how it seems to me. The passionate plutocrats–whether ruling from the power of wealth, or the power of position, or the power of their personal religion, or the power of maleness or belief in male superiority–are taking off their gloves, and in the process, becoming very obvious. It may seem outrageous, and it is, and yet, we all know plutocracy has always existed; it’s just less in the shadows nowadays, much more obvious, which perhaps, or perhaps not, will be advantageous in the long run. Being Aquarian and naturally on the side of great awakenings, I tend to feel it will.
And so there you have it, your Astrological Outlook 101 for all things in upheaval.
With a nod to the sky and a vow to next time remember “less is more,” I’m outta here!
Thank you for that extensive explanation, and congratulations for sending the longest comment in the history of the blog. Your astrological interpretation certainly makes sense when you consider the rise of super PACs and billionaires bankrolling politicians on one end of the spectrum, and the Arab Spring and OWS on the other. I’ve never seen the U.S. more polarized. This upheaval might explain the brief turns in the national spotlight by outliers like Trump, Bachmann, Cain, Perry, Paul, Gingrich and hopefully Santorum. Romney may get the nomination by default. We know that U.S. voters move back toward the centre when given options like Goldwater or McGovern. What troubles me most about the recent misogyny is its robustness, like the last 40 years of women’s gains meant nothing to the power structure. The next eight months in the states are going to be crucial and fascinating.
I’m afraid Romney will be the guy for Obama to beat. Let’s hope ol’ Mitt shoots himself in the foot a few more times. Changing the election venue – did you hear the one about Putin? After the election count came in, Putin’s aide rushed up to him and said “Your opponent got 75% of the vote”, Putin’s face fell, but his aide said “it’s OK Vladimir, you got 76%!”
Obama leads Romney and Santorum by 10 or so points in recent polls. Mitt can likely close that gap better than Rick, because he’ll have no problem transitioning back to the middle. It would be expected. Santorum, though, doesn’t seem capable of that; and if he does, he’ll hopefully alienate his True Believers. My hope is that Barack replaces Biden with Hillary. That would be a tough ticket to beat.
I am learning so much! A big thank you to you. I just wanted to understand since it seems that the more I heard the less I understood.
I voted for Obama and for the most part have not regreted it. I had a few issues that I didn’t agree with but that is with anyone.
A small change of subject here.
Allen you posted on my Fb Page that with Jude by your side things were easier. You my man are a very lucky man to have such a lady and I believe Jude is a lucky lady as well. It makes my heart happy to see happy couples as well as also friends.
One more thing. My almost at one time dil is going to have her labor induced on thursday and I will be a grandma again. Sort of, the baby is not my sons since they seperated over a year ago but she is still family to me and so i consider this child as much mine as Alex.
Just wanted to share that and i will be online tomorrow and will post my blog. good night and i wwill talk to you later.
We have two families, don’t we? The one bound together by DNA and marriage, and the one we build through mutual beliefs, likes, dislikes and such. I am continually thankful that Jude is in both my families. I’m getting too crusty to spend everyday with someone I don’t adore. How many grandchildren will this make for you?
I think that we are truely lucky to choose certain people to share our lives. This little one Conner James will make 4 So far there will be 3 boys and one girl and time to stop.
Allen my sister and I are planning a vacation in Canada this coming year. Could you give us the do’s and dont’s and where we should visit?
She and my sister Linda is going to Jamica this summer and she and I decided to plan our trip to Canada. Might even get to see you and Jude if we plan it right.
Good night and I will talk to you later.
I can only speak for Vancouver Island, which is a fantastic place to visit. August would be the ideal time. It would get you out of the Arkansas heat and humidity into 70 to 80 degree dry weather. If you’re flying, consider coming into Seattle and renting a car. That could save you a bundle. You have to have a passport to get in. It takes a few months to get one. I’ll be in contact by e-mail with more info.
never underestimate the stupidity of the american electorate.. they elected bush twice after all. they elected the current bunch or teabaggers.. they have made santorum a real factor in the republican race.. i mean think about it.. morons, morons, morons..
kris, I do think about it until my mind hurts, then I watch Stewart/Colbert as an analgesic.