I am bewildered at the shameless idiocy contained in the dominant political body in my state. You can read the whole thing here, but here are some choice examples:
Principles: “The laws of nature and nature’s God” as our Founding Fathers believed.
Protection from Extreme Environmentalists – We strongly oppose all efforts of the extreme environmental groups that stymie legitimate business interests. We strongly oppose those efforts that attempt to use the environmental causes to purposefully disrupt and stop those interests within the oil and gas industry. We strongly support the immediate repeal of the Endangered Species Act. We strongly oppose the listing of the dune sage brush lizard either as a threatened or an endangered species. We believe the Environmental Protection Agency should be abolished.
Free Speech for the Clergy – We urge amendment of the Internal Revenue Code to allow a religious organization to address issues without fear of losing its tax-exempt status. We call for repeal of requirements that religious organizations send the government any personal information about their contributors.
Filibuster – We support return to the traditional Filibuster in the U.S. Senate.
HONORING THE SYMBOLS OF OUR AMERICAN HERITAGE
Religious Symbols – We oppose any governmental action to restrict, prohibit, or remove public display of the Decalogue or other religious symbols. Pledge of Allegiance – We support adoption of the Pledge Protection Act. We also urge that the National Motto “In God We Trust” and National Anthem be protected from legislative and judicial attack.
STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, PROTECTING LIFE AND PROMOTING HEALTH
CELEBRATING TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE
Family and Defense of Marriage ― We support the definition of marriage as a God-ordained, legal and moral commitment only between a natural man and a natural woman, which is the foundational unit of a healthy society, and we oppose the assault on marriage by judicial activists. We call on the President and Congress to take immediate action to defend the sanctity of marriage.
Enforcement of the Defense of Marriage Act ― We support the enforcement of the State and Federal Defense of Marriage Act by state and federal officials respectively, and oppose creation, recognition and benefits for partnerships outside of marriage that are being provided by some political subdivisions.
Family Values ― We support the affirmation of traditional Judeo-Christian family values and oppose the continued assault on those values.
Supporting Motherhood ― We strongly support women who choose to devote their lives to their families and raising their children. We recognize their sacrifice and deplore the liberal assault on the family.
Homosexuality ― We affirm that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society and contributes to the breakdown of the family unit. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders, and shared by the majority of Texans. Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable “alternative” lifestyle, in public policy, nor should “family” be redefined to include homosexual “couples.” We believe there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin. Additionally, we oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction or belief in traditional values.
Pornography ― We encourage the enforcement of laws regarding all forms of pornography, because pornography is detrimental to the fabric of society.
Right To Life – All innocent human life must be respected and safeguarded from fertilization to natural death;
[unless you commit a crime in this state, right Mr. Governor?]
Morning After Pill – We oppose sale and use of the dangerous “Morning After Pill.”
EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN
Classroom Discipline –We recommend that local school boards and classroom teachers be given more authority to deal with disciplinary problems. Corporal punishment is effective and legal in Texas.
Controversial Theories – We support objective teaching and equal treatment of all sides of scientific theories. We believe theories such as life origins and environmental change should be taught as challengeable scientific theories subject to change as new data is produced. Teachers and students should be able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these theories openly and without fear of retribution or discrimination of any kind.
[There's a fucking surprise.]
Early Childhood Development – We believe that parents are best suited to train their children in their early development and oppose mandatory pre-school and Kindergarten. We urge Congress to repeal government-sponsored programs that deal with early childhood development.
Knowledge-Based Education – We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.
[Yes, they really came right out and said that!]
Sex Education – We recognize parental responsibility and authority regarding sex education. We believe that parents must be given an opportunity to review the material prior to giving their consent. We oppose any sex education other than abstinence until marriage.
[That's why Texas leads the nation in REPEAT teen pregnancies!]
U.S. Department of Education – Since education is not an enumerated power of the federal government, we believe the Department of Education (DOE) should be abolished.
Judeo-Christian Nation – As America is a nation under God founded on Judeo-Christian principles, we affirm the constitutional right of all individuals to worship in the religion of their choice.
Safeguarding Our Religious Liberties – We affirm that the public acknowledgement of God is undeniable in our history and is vital to our freedom, prosperity and strength. We pledge our influence toward a return to the original intent of the First Amendment and toward dispelling the myth of separation of church and state. We urge the Legislature to increase the ability of faith-based institutions and other organizations to assist the needy and to reduce regulation of such organizations.
Equality of All Citizens – We deplore all discrimination. We also deplore forced sensitivity training and urge repeal of any mandate requiring it. We urge immediate repeal of the Hate Crimes Law. Until the Hate Crimes Law is totally repealed, we urge the Legislature to immediately remove the education curriculum mandate and the sexual orientation category in said Law.
Child Abuse – We recognize the family as a sovereign authority over which the state has no right to intervene, unless a parent or legal guardian has committed criminal abuse. Child abusers should be severely prosecuted. We oppose actions of social agencies to classify traditional methods of discipline, including corporal punishment, as child abuse. As a condition of funding, publicly funded agencies are to report all instances of abuse.
Unborn Victims of Violence – We believe a person who injures or kills an unborn child should be subject to criminal and civil litigation.
Dear reader, where did all these complete nut-jobs come from? The 1930s? How did they take over? Why aren’t more Texas residents voicing their outrage? Is it just guys like me and Matt? We more voices of reason, and we need to be LOUDER.
73 comments
5 pings
Skip to comment form ↓
maethor
June 28, 2012 at 11:21 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I’m studying in London at the moment, but I’ve already sent a very critical email to my mother, who helped write this garbage.
Andrew Skegg
June 29, 2012 at 11:52 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Does your mother subscribe to these views?
maethor
June 29, 2012 at 12:52 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
She doesn’t. She fought against the Paulites, who shes says steered the convention into the ground. She claims is was quite heated.
cultureclash
June 28, 2012 at 11:25 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
1930′s? I thought they were harking back to the 1730′s
Leo Tarvi
June 29, 2012 at 12:08 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Ahem,
So to answer your question: Yes, they came from the 1930s, at least in spirit.
bobwoodruff
June 29, 2012 at 12:32 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
How did you miss this one:
Voter Rights Act – We urge that the Voter Rights Act of 1965 codified and updated in 1973 be repealed and not reauthorized.
There seems to be nothing too bigoted or too stupid for a Republican to say
petejohn
June 29, 2012 at 5:31 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
In other words, we want this attempt to protect the right of every citizen to vote to be cancelled out. Then, we can go back to disenfranchising everyone we don’t like, who usually have darker skin than us or who are GLBT or anyone who likes either of those groups.
And these folks call left-leaning secularists “radicals.” I’d say denying the right of Americans to vote is pretty damn radical, but evidently I’m wrong.
Ender
June 29, 2012 at 12:42 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
They deplore all forms of discrimination, yet want to repeal a law that ends voter discrimination…hypocritical much GOP?
Stevarious
June 29, 2012 at 3:21 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
They (pretend to) deplore the thought of discrimination, but don’t want to limit anyone’s ability to actually discriminate, because FREEDOM!!11!!!1!eleventy!1!
petejohn
June 29, 2012 at 7:06 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I don’t think they really do deplore discrimination though. I’m reading a book on the Confederate States of America, which was run by people who fundamentally believed that Mr. Jefferson got it wrong. No, goes the argument, all men are emphatically not created equal. Even white men were not all the same, and the white men who were looked down upon by richer white men held the free and enslaved blacks in a similar level of contempt. I know that the Civil War was a long time ago but I’d imagine that fundamental belief hasn’t gone away, esp. since it was only a half century or so ago that African-Americans were being murdered, beaten, and disenfranchised in a dozen different ways, all for merely trying to register to vote.
Cry4turtles
June 30, 2012 at 1:29 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Their platform is as contradictory as their bible. In one paragraph, just a few sentences apart they claim to abhor discrimination, and then call for the elimination of hate-based crimes. It boggles the mind.
Cry4turtles
June 30, 2012 at 1:32 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Add legislation to that. Who wouldn’t call for an end to hate-based crimes? Sheesh!
notmyname
July 4, 2012 at 8:34 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
While I do not like defending any of this garbage, I can almost see why they might want this. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 does a few things (which I will point out in a very simplified form):
1)It re-asserted the rights granted in the 15th amendment
2)It banned poll taxes and other methods of denying voting rights to specific demographics
3)It set up federal oversight of some states election procedures (namely the southern states)
I am not sure how anyone can see anything wrong with the first two groups (and even doing what the republicans have suggested would not change the first one and arguable the not second). The third group was intended to be temporary (and thus all the renewals) but is still in effect. If you look at the map you will see that the areas for special oversight. I suppose it could be argued that this is unfair treatment by the federal government (and perhaps an undue burden at this point). I certainly see where that would play well with the republican campaign narrative. I have mixed feelings about this third group. People obvious thought it was needed, but I am not sure if anyone has put serious thought into if it still is.
notmyname
July 4, 2012 at 8:39 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
*arguable should be arguably
In addition I think it is clear why Republicans might play this as government discrimination considering they need the southern states.
Brea Plum
June 29, 2012 at 1:18 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Tom Delay’s gerrymandering back in the 90s.
G.Shelley
June 29, 2012 at 1:21 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
You don’t even need to ask, they say straight out
Jasmyn
June 29, 2012 at 1:37 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
And this is why I never plan to return to my home state.
machintelligence
June 29, 2012 at 3:26 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
A rant, with some suggestions, from The Young Turks:
Sadly not from the onion – Texas GOP against thinking & voting
It’s on youtube, but I can’t seem to post a link to it.
Justin
June 29, 2012 at 3:36 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I read the first few and nearly vomited. I thought you might be overreacting at a moments glance, thought it couldn’t be all that bad, but Jesus Snausage Christ! What the hell is wrong with this state? I’m glad I didn’t read the stuff on homosexuality, I woulda probably raged.
Balstrome
June 29, 2012 at 4:04 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Maybe these people have not had the reasons why these things are bad for them, explained to them, so that they can understand it.
But I think the current generation is lost, and you have to focus more on the kids, from high school onwards, get them to experience the freedom of critical thinking. Find ways to make them question things, show them the dangers of the demands of their parents.
What would be interesting is to see a counter list of the dangers posed by this political policy document. Take each point and expand why it will cause harm, and to who. Do this for each point in the policy, then spread that rebuttal everywhere. Good information always kills bad information.
Collin
June 29, 2012 at 4:24 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I just finished reading the whole thing, and proceeded to have a long drink.
I’ve reposted the most aggravating bits to my facebook and it’s spreading quickly to the entire state of South Dakota’s skeptics movement (all 50 of us…)
You are not alone Aron. If it would make you feel better, you can move to Minnesota where our GOP is only about 20% crazy. Here’s one of the only horrendous excerpts from the MN GOP Platform:
feloniuspope
June 29, 2012 at 5:03 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
“Teachers and students should be able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these theories openly and without fear of retribution or discrimination of any kind.”
It’s sad, but there is still a controversy surrounding the teaching of evolution in public schools. My high school biology teacher didn’t teach me about it so I had to learn about it on my own.
petejohn
June 29, 2012 at 5:26 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
They should really look up what that phrase meant to founders like Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Paine. And not from David Barton’s psuedohistorical
toilet paperbooks.It is a little-known fact that in Federalist 178, Alexander Hamilton, writing of course as Publius, decried the rampant homosexuality of the young men of the state of Pennsylvania, and called for the summary execution of any young man caught in a homosexual act.
Oh wait… no, that didn’t happen. In fact, I don’t recall the founders writing anything about homosexuality. Huh, how about that.
In other words we’re fucking sick of the liberals convincing women they can work and do something other than make and raise babies.
Small government indeed. A public school teacher, who is an employee of a governmental agency in a roundabout or not-so roundabout way is empowered to hit a child, aka a young citizen, for misbehavior. Intimidation and violence in the classroom is perfectly okay. Let me repeat. Intimidation and violence in the classroom is perfectly okay.
I’ll grant the ridiculous claim that we’re founded on Judeo-Christian principles for just a second. Can Texans be a Muslim or Sikh? If they chose to be a Muslim or a Sikh, will the the citizens of Texas leave them the hell alone and allow them to worship as they chose? If they are hassled by a Christian citizen of Texas, will the law enforcement officers of Texas protect the rights of said Muslim or Sikh? I ask because it’s all well and good to say you’ll protect the constitutional right of people to worship as they choose, but I care about the actual respect and enforcement of that right.
Back to the first premise that we’re a Judeo-Christian nation. It’s a little known fact that in Federalist 211, James Madison wrote that one real concern of the Founders in Philadelphia was that the government would command citizens to boil baby goats in the milk of their own mothers. As this was clearly against one of the 10 Commandments, Madison argued that the individual mandate to boil baby goats would not be a part of the new Constitution. Oh wait…. that wasn’t true either. Damn.
For the record, that is one of the Ten Commandments. They don’t say anything about slavery or assault and battery, but they do contain a commandment against boiling a baby goat in it’s mother’s milk. Seriously. Pretty lame for something that is supposedly at the basis of all morality.
This is frightening stuff. Truly. The idiocy would be deeply hilarious if it weren’t backed up by serious electoral and political power. These folks are well funded and well supported by a not insignifcant number of eligible citizens. Like I said, frightening. This stuff needs to be read from the rooftops so the eligible voters who weren’t sure about whether they’d vote would get their asses to the polls and vote these willfully ignorant theocratic-minded bullies right back to the dumbass asylum they came from, and do so proudly.
isochron
June 29, 2012 at 12:35 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
For the record, no it isn’t. There is an instruction not to do that in the bible (Exodus 34:26) but it isn’t one of the ten commandments.
The bible does have quiet a lot to say on slavery and assault (although, as you state, not in the decalogue). It’s in favour of both of them.
aronra
June 29, 2012 at 2:04 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Read Exodus Exodus 34 again. It says that line about boiling baby goats *is* one of the ten commandments. That other list in Exodus 20, in which only the first two commandments werebn’t changed is not described as “the ten commandments”. The second set (which the Bible says is identical to the first set) *is* described as the “ten commandments”.
isochron
June 29, 2012 at 6:38 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I stand corrected…and even further confused why anyone finds this book convincing.
petejohn
June 29, 2012 at 7:10 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I think it’s mostly subtle or not so subtle familial and cultural intimidation. Some people hear the lies for so long they believe them to be true.
SPACKlick
June 29, 2012 at 2:55 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
The commonly referred to 10 commandments (Exodus 20, Deuteronomy 5) are never referred to in the bible as commandments and do not conform to the stories about tablets etc. associated with the 10 commandments.
Exodus 34 is referred to as the 10 commandments within the bible EX 34:28 KJV”28 And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.” and includes
1) Don’t make covenants with other nations/gods, Destroy their sacred sites, worship no other god
2) Don’t make Idols
3) Keep the Festival of unleavened Bread
4) All the firstborn of the womb is God’s
5) Keep the Sabbath
6) Keep the feast of weeks
7) 3 Times a year all males are to come before god
8) Do not offer Yeast with Sacrifices
9) The best of the first fruits belong to God
10) Do not boil a kid in its mother’s milk
Cry4turtles
June 30, 2012 at 1:44 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Who ever thought to boil a baby goat in it’s mother’s milk? That’s fucking sick!
SPACKlick
July 2, 2012 at 1:40 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Ancient Middle Eastern Religions who did it to improve the fertility and yield of the next generation of goats.
It was a prior religious ritual.
Deen
June 29, 2012 at 6:41 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
That to me is the most surprising part of this. It seems over the last few years, Republicans have stopped bothering to speak in code, dog-whistles and maintaining some form of plausible deniability. Now we have Republicans admitting that voter ID laws will help Romney win the election, that they’re effectively eliminating abortion from Mississippi without having to overturn Roe v Wade, and now they just come right out and say they are against teaching kids to think critically. Somehow, the Republicans have become convinced that their position is now so secure they no longer have to hide it. And that’s scary – especially because there is a possibility that they are right.
radpumpkin
June 29, 2012 at 6:54 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
This strikes me as oddly progressive for Texas Repubs. Now granted, their usual platform is more akin to Spain ca 1500, but this is clearly 1790-ish France! Normally I would try to parody things like this, but I think this is a hopeless prospect. How does one mock something so unbelievably stupid? Oh well, time to don my European smugness, drink a coffee and laugh at you yanks, all the while silently thanking Cthulhu for having allowed me to escape Texas last year.
Ex Patriot
June 30, 2012 at 1:52 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I am in kind of tthe same as you I didn’t leave Texas but did leave OK in 99 when I retired and now live in small coutry on the Adriatic Sea and am enjoying my retirerment a bunch. I have good life here and many good friends, so I also sit here on my terrace overlooking the sea and shake my head in wonder at the stupid taking over the U.S.
Noktelfa
June 29, 2012 at 7:02 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Reading this literally made me feel ill. If it weren’t for my job and joint custody of my child, I would leave this gosh-forsaken state and never look back. The problem is, Republicans everywhere are getting to be worse, but Texas seems to lead the country in that regard.
Mike Haubrich
June 29, 2012 at 11:08 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Pretty sad, but just remember that this is only the Republican platform and as they are the more powerful party in Texas right now they are not the only political power. Platforms are crafted out of resolutions presented and voted on in local caucuses and then voted up or down by the state parties at conventions. Caucuses and conventions are usually functions of activists who trend either more rightwards for Republicans or leftwards for Democrats.
The Republican Revolution of the early 90′s has been paying off for the national party in the current elections because the activists adopted a strategy of “acting locally, thinking globally” by encouraging the activists to run for offices locally; school boards, city councils, dog catcher, etc and gaining the political experience to get into the state legislatures and Congress. (Not just in Texas, but all over. Michelle Bachman started out on a school board, after all.) The sane Republicans lost their power through a bit of complacency, assuming that they would be able to keep their offices by running campaigns of rationality. Unfortunately, local elections inspire low turnout and so the crazies were able to get into office.
People don’t pay enough attention to local elections, to find out about the backgrounds of people running for local office or to find out what their eventual goals are and the rightwards radicals knew that they could take advantage of it, and that is why the Republican Party of Texas has been taken over by such theocrats and anti-elitists.
Liberals slept and concentrated on national elections while we should have been paying closer attention to local elections.
The Republicans realize how successful this has been and are not letting up.
Josh
June 29, 2012 at 1:15 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
How does this statement:
“Early Childhood Development – We believe that parents are best suited to train their children in their early development and oppose mandatory pre-school and Kindergarten. We urge Congress to repeal government-sponsored programs that deal with early childhood development.”
Match up with the fact that nearly 1/5 of Texans are illiterate.
Source – http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/docs/09illitmap.html
Yeah the best people to teach your children aren’t individuals who went to college for the express purpose of teaching children. No that would make sense. The best person to teach your child is their illiterate parent. Why would anyone think this is a good idea?
A Hermit
June 29, 2012 at 4:11 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
“We oppose the teaching of…critical thinking skills…”
Well that kind of sums it all up right there doesn’t it?
Wow…. just ……. wow….
Bronze Dog
June 29, 2012 at 5:10 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I’m still facepalming over this, since nearly every one of my regular blogs has brought it up. So much fail. There was a time where I was worried about moving out of state for job prospects, but not anymore. I’ll happily move after I finish my degree.
One aspect I haven’t touched on in other threads: The line about capital punishment. Given how many people on death row were convicted and then later exonerated by DNA evidence, I doubt it’s a deterrent. A would-be murderer has a good chance of getting off scot-free because the corrupt courts will find some innocent person to execute on the altar of “tough on crime.” And they’ll happily do that because being soft on justice while acting “tough” about it is just so much easier than actually having principles.
Paddy
June 29, 2012 at 6:19 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Am I naive for being shocked that this level of sickening, bigoted, dangerous ignorance is possible in a government party/institution?
As others here have stated, I was physically ill after reading this.
It’s wrong, it’s so very, very wrong. I often have to stop reading or watching the news, just so I can clear my mind, and not fall into a complete depression at the idea that this could exist in my country…in the 21st century.
Ugh…how do you digest this?
Marcus Ranum
June 29, 2012 at 7:41 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
CELEBRATING TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE
By “traditional” they mean “christian” apparently. There were same-sex marriages in early China, men marrying horses in druidic Ireland, and – of course – muslims and mormons with multiple wives. The Chinese and Irish were doing it long before christianity had been invented so I suppose that the title of “traditional” goes to those with priority.
redwoods81
June 29, 2012 at 11:09 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Shit, from your state’s GOPers’ lips to my state GOPer’s ears, this style of BS will be everywhere over the next couple years. Virginia sucks like that, I hate hate HATE that having 2 XX’s is a fucking liablity right now.
had3
July 4, 2012 at 4:11 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Does that equal 4 X’s?
tanoro
June 30, 2012 at 1:27 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I agree with your sentiment, Aron, that more of us need to have a voice. Religious crazies are rampant in my state too. I also blogged about this and left some commentary of my own.
http://www.tanoro.com/blog/06292012-texas-gop-platform
Charly
June 30, 2012 at 8:39 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Now you got me worried. I had a vision of not-so-distant future, when finally religious nutcases in US take all the power and declare war on that goddamn heathen liberal communist EU.
Rich Woods
July 8, 2012 at 9:29 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
What makes you think they could find the EU on a map?
sanshajohnson
June 30, 2012 at 9:56 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
That is a whole lot of unbelievable crazy right there. I was interested to note that they say that they support mothers who chose to raise their children by staying home but I’m guessing that doesn’t come in the form of paid maternity leave or income support for single mothers? How exactly is it that they support mothers who stay home with their kids again?
I love the insanity of the ‘we deplore discrimination but equally deplore making anyone learn not to discriminate’.
Behold the decline of the American Empire.
DLC
June 30, 2012 at 6:08 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Yes, they intend to establish Christian Theocracy.
Yes, they mean to return to the Good Old Days, where Tom Cratchit lovingly carried his son Tim, and where good old Ebeneezer Scrooge overpaid the thieving bastard and even gave him a day off. Yes, that’s what they want. Practice touching your forelock, or dipping a curtsey if you’re female. No need to say “Missy” or “Massa” you can use the more modern “Sir” or “Madam”.
The good old days, where factories made Pittsburgh and London two of the worst possible cities to live in. The good old days, when Pinkertons or other such private police forces did what was necessary to keep those damn soshulist unions from organizing. The good old days, where no pesky EPA kept shit like the Cuyahoga river from catching on fire. (yes children, it’s not a myth. the river actually did catch fire, more than once.)
If they get their way, you won’t have to worry about people coming in, but about how to keep them from leaving in droves.
That reminds me — anyone know how hard it is to emigrate to a horrible socialist country like, Britain, for example ?
Rich Woods
July 8, 2012 at 9:35 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Sadly we currently have a bunch of right-wing bastards in charge, busy running down, tearing up and selling off to their free-market friends the remaining parts of our evil socialist safety net.
The really bad news for you is that they also want to shut down all immigration (unless, that is, you can prove that you are able to earn at least £35,000 a year).
Lana Coxx
July 1, 2012 at 10:27 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
What I learn about our enemy:-He is ancient/old and is very experienced at doing his job: that is, harming us. Hes serious about it hurting us is not some cartoon thing.-Hes powerful and effective at his task (I had a hard time using the phrase good at what he does because Satan is un-good. But there might be a better word than effective, too. The translator on the blog I posted used the word cunning).-He hates us, and no power on earth is as powerful as Satan.
Rich Woods
July 8, 2012 at 9:39 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I really don’t know what to make of this. I thought I was reasonably au fait with satire in all its delicious forms, but I’m struggling to see anything worthwhile here.
Kevin McCarthy
July 1, 2012 at 10:44 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Not just you dude. Unfortunately, it’s pretty much the population of Austin and a few people outside that area against people who think Friday Night Lights is a documentary.
Hank Fox
July 2, 2012 at 12:55 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I should read your blog more often.
I discovered the platform document only today, and blogged about it here: O Texas, My Texas! Where Did You Go Wrong?.
Only then did I see you’d covered it days ago. Oops.
Neicie
July 2, 2012 at 2:32 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Wow. Thanks for sharing this. It’s pretty scary stuff. … And sad.
Desertphile
July 2, 2012 at 5:11 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Of course by “Extreme Environmentalists” they mean scientists who point out the fact that human-caused climate change has already been disastrous, and who point out the evidence that shows it’s getting much worse. “Extreme Environmentalists” like the National Science Foundation, the The National Research Council, the National Academy of Sciences, the US Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, NOAA….
fernando
July 3, 2012 at 4:31 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
As a non-american – I am speechless! unbelievable! My heart truly weeps for the U.S.
mooniekate
July 4, 2012 at 2:50 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Let’s not forget, when women were fighting for the vote, there were men that went around and punched random protesting women in the face. There will always be some douchebag that thinks his right to be an asshole trumps someone else’s right to be a human being.
Eban
July 4, 2012 at 12:05 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Aron when I saw the GOP nonsense I thought of you. I really hope you home school your kids. Texas is becoming frankly absurd.
yoav
July 4, 2012 at 3:34 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Actually committing a crime is not a requirement, being black with no alibi and too poor to afford a good lawyer is more then enough.
And we should not let them get by with this judeo-christian nonsense, they mean christian (their flavor of, not these notrealchristians™ of course) and have stuck the judeo as a camouflage so they can pretend not to be the bigots they are, it’s not as if jews were exactly welcome in the 18th century America they want to go back to.
petzl20
July 4, 2012 at 4:34 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
There are many reasons to support Israel, but this is not one of them:
yoav
July 4, 2012 at 4:58 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I don’t speak republicanese but in the universe I live in, push Israel to peruse policies that will lead to an all out war were they are all slaughtered thus fulfilling the end time prophesies and heralding the return of jeebus, ≠ support.
petzl20
July 5, 2012 at 12:16 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Here’s a section that’s so explicitly religious, I cannot believe it’s part of their platform:
Peter
July 5, 2012 at 3:40 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Where in the document (page /paragraph) is that?
Rich Woods
July 8, 2012 at 9:44 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
People have been looking forward to the imminent return of their dead carpenter on a stick for over 1900 years. You’d think they’d have got the message by now.
Andrew
July 5, 2012 at 10:49 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
“Additionally, we oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction or belief in traditional values.”
Honestly, this was the thing that struck me the most out of this paper. Basically, what they’re saying is that they want to allow anyone to do whatever they want, as long as they say they’re doing it in the name of God. They worded it so it sounds like what they’re talking about is people who picket gay pride rallies, but, what they’re really talking about are the people who publicly harass homosexuals, or assault transsexuals in restaurants, subways, and schools.
It’s not even about homosexuality. It’s about a group of people who want exemption from the law when it comes to attacking anyone who holds different beliefs(be they political or religious)from themselves. It hurts me to see things like this. I’d say it seems almost alien to me, but I live in the bible belt south as well, and have seen these atrocities first hand, even though they still baffle me.
Rich Woods
July 8, 2012 at 9:56 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
They’ll use homosexuality as a standard bearer at first, and if they were to get their way with that they’d move on to classifying adultery, pre-marital sex, etc in the same way. Eventually, if enough crazies found it appealing, mowing your lawn on a Sunday, or walking more than a thousand paces, would be punishable by death.
But I bet the commandments against usury wouldn’t be enforced.
Bruce
July 7, 2012 at 10:51 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
You guys sure have a problem on your hands. Hell, I’m half way aroung the world, and it scares the hell out of me.
CurbYrDogma
July 9, 2012 at 1:55 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
This doesn’t surprise me in the least, especially with the very first statement. Considering the fact that foreign manufacturing may soon become too expensive for the U.S. market, the mega-corporations are probably reminiscing about the days when the USA provided cheap sweatshop labor c. 1910.
No environmental regulations; a culture that promotes breeding a la the Duggards; and anti-education with special emphasis on not teaching critical thinking. …A perfect setup for cheap manufacturing and cheap labor!!!!!
Texas is already quite business friendly and I’ll wager that religion is just a tool of manipulation the Republicans and their corporate friends are using to their advantage.
So it appears Texas is trying to gear up to become the next China (the only difference being a state sponsored religion to make it appear not so).
Townes
July 11, 2012 at 2:47 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I never thought I’d say this, but after reading this mess of a platform, I guess politics here in Bulgaria are not so bad after all, being completely secular and all…
I lived to see the day where I actually state “Hey, US folks, take a look at Bulgaria to see how to run things!”.
Now I can die happy.
And my condolences for Texas, this is horrible.
shuckstuck
August 3, 2012 at 6:50 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I have only one thing to say: what does “detrimental to the fabric of society” mean?
trx training
August 25, 2012 at 9:27 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Our Brand new trx breeding software system Work Even When You Take a nap!!.
Teachers Day Quotes in hindi
October 18, 2012 at 2:31 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Wow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is great, let alone the content!. Thanks For Your article about Excerpts from the Texas GOP platform | Ace of Clades .
Me
November 5, 2012 at 1:16 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Are they talking about a new U.S. Constitution that I don’t know about or are they just making it up as they go along?
Simon Swain (@SimonSwain1)
March 3, 2013 at 8:03 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
It doesn’t matter how insane the policies of David Cameron’s Conservative Party become: you can always rely on the Republicans to come up with something infinitely worse.
Texas Republicans - Au courant with the Latest Trends in Medieval Thinking | One Utah
June 30, 2012 at 1:04 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] Free Thought Blogs, you can read some quotes from the document. Marcotte is wrong – the 17th century would represent real intellectual [...]
Godless Business | Just me and Ronnie Williams
July 1, 2012 at 11:59 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] Excerpts from the Texas GOP platform | Ace of Clades [...]
Godless Business | Ronnie Williams and I
July 29, 2012 at 10:26 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] Excerpts from the Texas GOP platform | Ace of Clades [...]
Godless Business | Ronnie Williams
July 29, 2012 at 10:27 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] Excerpts from the Texas GOP platform | Ace of Clades [...]
Talkin’ Politics at NAPCon » Ace of Clades
April 7, 2013 at 11:23 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] this on video, I’ll include links to my earlier video and also where I talk about this on my blog, and provide a list of notable [...]