Prime example of why I've tried to tune out Washington. Republicans spend their time appealing to their fringe base, trolling for campaign ads, and distracting people from their failure to lead on the issues of importance.
Why do we continue to fall for it?
WASHINGTON - House Republicans intend to hold votes this summer and fall touching on abortion, guns, religion and other priority issues for social conservatives, part of an attempt to improve the party's prospects in the midterm elections.
The "American Values Agenda" also includes a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage — which already has failed in the Senate — a prohibition on human cloning and possibly votes on several popular tax cuts.
Here is a page that shows you the latest polls on America's priorities- and, well, human cloning didn't make the list. It seems the top concerns are the war, the economy, and rising energy costs. The "Values Agenda" falls towards the bottom of the pack, but that won't stop Denny from launching the "Weapons of Mass Distraction"-
"Radical courts have attempted to gut our religious freedom and redefine the value system on which America was built. We hope to restore some of those basic values through passing this legislative agenda and renewing our country's commitment to faith, freedom and life," Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said Tuesday.
Back to the Big Three- Guns, God and Gays. Let's start by repealing the law on gun locks! Yes! That is the burning issue that keeps us all awake at night! Why, that will solve everything! I feel so much better now.
It seems the Pubs couldn't even drag themselves to protect the words "under God" in the Pledge, though. Maybe the "agenda" is ringing hollow with some of them, too.
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans failed Wednesday to advance a bill protecting the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Only a day earlier, the GOP had placed the measure on its "American Values Agenda" in hopes of bolstering the party's prospects in the fall election.
But Republicans could not muster a simple majority on the issue in a committee where they outnumber Democrats by six.
The legislation tries to strip federal courts of jurisdiction over cases challenging the pledge. It responds to a federal appeals court ruling in 2002 that the pledge is unconstitutional because it contains the words "under God." A district court judge made a similar ruling last fall, citing the appeals court precedent.
Because nothing says "freedom" like stripping the courts of their power.
We do have some relief for a group of Americans that has suffered from terrible oppression over the years. Finally, there is justice.
House Republicans, who have the ability to dictate the floor schedule, got a head start on their agenda during the day, winning approval of legislation designed to guarantee members of condominium associations or similar groups the right to display the American flag. The measure cleared with no dissent.
Condo owners everywhere are breathing a sigh of relief this morning. To hell with the heat bills, those didn't really matter, now, did they? You can just wrap yourself up with that flag when you take it down at night.
Democrats are trying to bring light to some real issues- but I fear the media, which always goes for the lowest common denominator of sensationalism, will ignore them. That is just fine with the Pubs- why, it's almost like they planned it that way. Somewhere, Karl Rove is smiling.
Still, political strategists argue that by bringing controversial issues to a vote, one party can broadly emphasize differences with the other on an issue such as abortion, and increase the determination of its own supporters to go to the polls. Several GOP aides, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Republicans were hoping to increase voter intensity among conservatives.
At the same time, a vote on a controversial issue can occasionally present individual lawmakers in difficult races with a politically tough choice.
Ask Debbie Stabenow, who is getting raked over the coals from the left for her vote on flag burning- I didn't like her vote at all, but I understand why she did it. Still, it has left the door open for the Young Turks to play "Whack a Democrat" once again, and I'm so tired of the negativity. It's no wonder we can't seem to muster up any support. These guys are getting to be a real drag- and I don't feel like fighting them anymore. I spent five years on a bipartisan board arguing with people, and it just gets so tiring after awhile. (and, damnit Marybeth, if I ever needed you, I need you now. You were the master at this. God I miss you so much.)
The Republicans yell at the Democrats, we yell at the Democrats, and it's no wonder they act like a bunch of abused dogs. Yes, everyone has the right to bitch, Dems deserve it sometimes (probably most of the time) - BUT - we keep falling for these same tricks over and over again. I'm frustrated, but most of all, I'm bored. Always on defense. I want to play offense.
I feel like it's time to unite, time to stand up and call the Republicans out on their lack of attention to the things that really matter- and we need to do it vociferously. Their failures on the big issues are glaring. Let's make it a priority to point that out.