Football and the Conventions

The biggest impact the party conventions are having on me is the NFL moved the opening game from Thursday to Wednesday.

I didn’t watch any of the Republican Convention and won’t watch any of the Democratic Convention. I’m going to go and watch the Cowboys and Giants slug it out instead.

My mind is made up. Despite my disappointment in his performance as president, I’m going to vote for Barack Obama once again. Perhaps I’m not so much voting FOR Obama as AGAINST the Republican Party.

The Republican Party has lost its rudder. It is drifting in a dangerous direction and doesn’t deserve the support of rational Americans until it manages to straighten some things out.

The “economic plan” of the Republicans would be an utter catastrophe. The so-called plan, which is really a few sound bites and slogans, is such nonsense that Romney would never in a million years ever attempt to implement it. The sound bites and slogans are purely intended to placate the under 80 IQ idiots known as the Republican base.

The nomination of Romney indicates that the business wing of the party is still in control. But it’s not firmly in control. There are far too many nuts in positions of influence and the party stands for too many things that I reject.

Republicans reject the Theory of Evolution. This isn’t an official plank (yet) but consider how many Republican law makers take this position. In the South they argue with each other about who rejects it more.

Republicans reject the science of Global Warming. This position is rapidly becoming as irrational as the rejection of evolution and it has far greater potential for harm in the short term. I’m finally convinced that the evidence is so strong that we need to consider actions that need to be taken.

Republicans reject access to abortion. Look, I’m the last guy in the word that would condone an abortion except under extreme circumstances but IT IS NOT MY DECISION. I’m never going to get pregnant and I think it’s safe to say I’m never again going to make anyone pregnant. No one can decide such matters for anyone else and the Republicans think they can. I firmly reject that idea.

Republicans reject the right of Gays to marry. I have to admit that this one baffles me. The state has chosen to confer certain rights upon married couples. The best science available indicates that sexual orientation is not a choice. Therefore not allowing Gay Marriage clearly violates the 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection under the law. Republicans are allowing their religious views to infect their political views.

Republicans reject the Separation of Church and State. I base this upon the plank of the Republican Party of Texas and the prominence of people such as David Barton in the Republican Party. Let’s remember that George H.W. Bush said that atheists shouldn’t be considered citizens.

Republicans believe the economic solution is to tax the working and middle classes while cutting taxes to the wealthy. While this might work in an inflationary environment, it makes absolutely no sense when companies can’t sell what they can produce due to a soft buying market. The path to economic recovery is to put more money in the hands of people that will spend it locally and that’s the working and middle classes. The only thing that makes less sense than the Republican economic solution is why any working or middle class voter would ever vote for a Republican.

Republicans believe the way to balance the budget is through cutting social programs while increasing defense spending. This is just another way to funnel money to the already wealthy. The U.S. already spends six times what the next highest defense spender (China) spends on defense. To continue the current level of defense spending in the face of current budget deficits is little more than insanity. To take money away from social programs is to penalize the most vulnerable segment of the population. Since when did it become ok to take from seniors and the poor and give to the wealthy?

The Republicans nominated Judge Roy Moore for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. This alone, all by itself, would prevent me from voting for any Republican.

If you’re a Republican, or thinking of voting Republican, feel free to observe that not all Republicans agree with all of the above. That’s obviously a true statement, but the problem is that these represent mainstream positions of the majority of Republicans.

There were always nuts in both parties. The problem is in the Republican Party, the nuts appear to be running the show.

So, anyway, I’m going to the football game tonight. I don’t have to hear what the Democrats have to say because I already know they’re the only rational choice.