Thursday, July 21, 2016

The Extremist Republican Platform


To the very limited extent it has any "ideas" beyond "Lock her up!", the platform of the Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid/ Shooter's Party Party of Trump is supposed to define those "ideas" and set an agenda for the next 4 years.  Steven Rosenfeld thas sifted through the steaming garbage heap that is the party's 2016 platform, and he's found "50 Shockingly Extreme Right- Wing Proposals...", but we'd like to share just a few from the fever swamps:
... Loosen gun controls nationwide: "We  support  firearm  reciprocity  legislation  to  recognize the right of law-abiding Americans to carry firearms to protect themselves and their families in all 50 states. We support constitutional carry statutes and salute the states that have passed them. We oppose ill-conceived laws that would restrict magazine capacity or ban the sale of the most popular and common modern rifle."
... Pass an anti-choice constitutional amendment: "We assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth."
... End federal funding for Planned Parenthood: "We oppose the use of public funds to perform or promote abortion or to fund organizations, like Planned Parenthood, so long as they provide or refer for elective abortions or sell fetal body parts rather than provide healthcare."
... Oppose stem cell scientific research: "We oppose embryonic stem cell research. We oppose federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. We support adult stem cell research and urge the restoration of the national placental stem cell bank created by President George H.W. Bush but abolished by his Democrat successor, President Bill Clinton. We oppose federal funding for harvesting embryos and call for a ban on human cloning."
... Allow states to shut down abortion Clinics: "We condemn the Supreme Court’s activist decision in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt striking down commonsense Texas laws providing for basic health and safety standards in abortion clinics."
... Bible study in public schools: "A good understanding of the Bible being indispensable for the development of an educated citizenry, we encourage state legislatures to offer the Bible in a literature curriculum as an elective in America’s high schools."
There's so much more frankly frightening nonsense about the usual right- wing hobgoblins (ignore global climate change, gut environmental regulations, repeal Obamacare, build a wall, support "clean" coal mining and fracking, etc., etc.) that we urge you to look at the list and see just how insane these people are.  It's not the Party of Lincoln.  It's not even the Party of Reagan.  It's the Party of Trump in all its bug- eyed, frothing, Nazi- saluting horror.  Chew on that if you will.

BONUS:  Here's your typical Party of Trump delegate.  She seems nice.