Wait, no, that’s not true — the Republicans are gunning for everyone who is tolerant of other people’s sexual orientation. The gays are just next in line.
This is reminding me of the 80s, when Ronald Reagan was leading an affable campaign of hatred. Rand Paul is a hardcore anti-gay crusader, always has been, but in the current political climate he’s more free to expose himself.
One of the people who resigned in opposition to the destruction of the CDC was Demetre Daskalakis, who Paul has decided was unfit for his position anyway.
Asked about the resignations on Tuesday (2 September), Sen. Paul said: “One of the guys that is the biggest proponent of doing all this is the guy who describes the risky behaviour that he and his lifestyle involve.
“A guy that is so far … out of the mainstream, I think most people in America would discount his opinion because of the things he said in the past. He does not represent the mainstream of anything in America,” he went on.
“He should have never had a position in government. He brags about his lifestyle, you know, this whole idea of bondage and, you know, multiple partners and all that stuff. He brags about that stuff, but he’s got no business being in government. It’s good riddance.”
Being out of the mainstream in one’s personal preferences and behavior has never (or should never) be a criterion in determining one’s expertise in doing science. I thought Paul was a Libertarian? To be honest, being a Libertarian should disqualify you from ever holding office, but fortunately I don’t have the power to make that decree.
Even worse, there is a candidate running to replace Dan Crenshaw, which normally I’d approve of — he’s poison. But the person running against him is Valentina Gomez, a woman who is upset that there are lesbians in the WNBA, who wants to take a flamethrower to books that “groom” children.
When I’m Secretary of State, I will 🔥BURN🔥all books that are grooming, indoctrinating, and sexualizing our children. MAGA. America First🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/m8waKi3yhP
— Valentina Gomez (@ValentinaForUSA) February 6, 2024
The video ends with an image of Gomez smiling into the camera, holding an AR-15 with an ammunition holder tied around her waist in front of a Tesla Cybertruck.
Charming. Fortunately, she has little hope of getting elected — she previously ran for the Secretary of State of Missouri, and came in 6th place with 8% of the vote. That’s more than she deserved, but it tells you about the power of being rabidly anti-gay.
I’d never heard of Demetre Daskalakis, so I checked his Wikipedia page.
Excerpt:
“He has explained that a large tattoo of Jesus on his stomach was inspired by the [Greek Orthodox] church.”
On his stomach? I find that more disqualifying than any consensual sex acts he might engage in.
They hate everyone who isn’t a cis white male MAGAt, so it is hard to say who is next in line.
The majority of the population, which are women are probably the next in line.
I’m sure they will try to outlaw abortion nationwide and in the near future.
The GOP is very predictable. If something is going to hurt other people, they will do it.
The latest push is from the GOP and RFK jr.
They want to outlaw RU-486 mifepristone, the medical abortion drug.
Since the GOP controls the FDA, this will probably happen.
Medical abortions with drugs is the main abortion method in the USA now at 63%.
They are widely available in the Red states via mail from…the Blue states.
The christofascists will stop this anyway they can.
The authors of Project 2025 also want a Manhatten project to increase the US birth rate which is now at a record low at 1.63.
Of course, being fascists, they want to use force and outlaw abortion, birth control, divorce. gays, and women working outside the home. This is their usual forced birthing and female slavery.
It goes without saying that when they mean more babies they mean more white xian babies.
It won’t work.
One of the main reasons the US birth rate is low is because people like the Heritage foundation now run the country.
A lot of people are going to think twice before bringing someone into a dystopian hellhole like the USA.
… the Republicans are gunning for everyone who is tolerant … says it all.
Which brings us to Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt.
Only in a few cases is our esteemed host’s “… the Republicans are gunning for everyone who is tolerant …” literally true – so far.
No one is safe.
PZ wrote: Only the heterosexuals are safe
I reply: If you look at the destruction of healthcare, massive corporate greedflation of everything (food, housing, electricity, etc.), the kidnapping of u.s. citizens by noem’s army, xtian terrorists taking over education (prageru and more) etc., you will see that even white heterosexuals are heavily negatively threatened and impacted.
Thus, my question is how long will the Death Spiral ride last (for all of us that are decent and caring) and what happens when we hit the bottom?
Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt. said, “We Americans are the sons and daughters of the Christian pilgrims that poured out from Europe’s shores to baptize a new world in their ancient faith,
I reply: We and our Hopi friends would like to have a word with you, you lying, bigoted, white, xtain terrorist ahole.
Odd factoid.
Valentina Gomez who somehow doesn’t have a very Anglo name, was actually born in Columbia.
Came to the USA at age 10.
Meaning she is an…immigrant.
Her campaign says more about her twisted mind than anything else.
She also hates Muslims and is on record as assaulting a Muslim woman.
Behind the Bastards – John Schmitz: The First Trump (1:09:40)
(Part one was titled How Orange County Incubated American Fascism)
OT, but likely of interest to everyone here. A video discussion on Paul Krugman’s substack with Michael Mann and Peter Hotez regarding their new book “Science Under Siege”. 51 minutes.
https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/science-under-siege-a-talk-with-peter
In Australia 8% of the vote is enough to get a seat in the Senate. Extreme right nutters and religious fanatics have been elected with less than that and have held successive governments to ransom.
For the two people who aren’t aware of this, Valentina Gomez wants to burn your bibles. “I will 🔥BURN🔥all books that are grooming, indoctrinating, and sexualizing our children.”
Remember when EVs were Woke. She should be standing in front of an F350 with Dualies and lift kit. You can’t roll coal with a Cybertruck.
@garydargan : Whilts in the USA now extreme right nutters and religious fanatics have been elected thanks to those who did not vote for the Democratic party and now are the government.
@ StevoR
Funny how you always blame the voter for not voting how you wanted, and never the party for being repulsive to voters.
Is the obligation on the party to earn votes, do ya reckon, or do the people just owe them votes regardless?
It would be refreshing if for once you were, “fuck Harris for allowing Trump to win by supporting genocide”, instead of, “fuck voters for not accepting genocide and letting Trump win”.
#9 Raven: She just cannot get enough of the taste of that fine, young kitty.
@ ^ Silentbob : Kamala Harris did NOT support genocide. As I’ve already pointed out before. Kamala – and Biden – criticised Netanyahu, called for restraint sanctioned some extremist settlers and eevn withheld some weapons fromIsreal and she was being criticised for being too anti-Israel by some groups.
As I’ve asked you before, why are you happy to defend people who actively undermined and argue d solely against the non-Fascist party thereby enabling the victory of the Fascist religious Christianist extremist, racistr worst of the worst to take power. Power they will not now relinquish.
Kamala did NOT “allow”Trump to win – she did her best and all she could to stop Trump and so your premise is false again.
Those who white-anted and attacked her OTOH, certinly DID help Trump.
@17 StevoR
Were you living under a rock for the first fifteen months of the Gaza genocide? Biden obviously supported it. Harris made every indication she would pursue Israel’s interests in an ironclad alliance and no indication that she would break with Biden’s plans.
If you won’t acknowledge that, then you’re not describing reality. And you’re attempting to shame me for not indulging your delusions, right? Each time you bring this up it strengthens my convictions and reminds me that I made the right choice in November.
beholder, you were the one under a rock; basically, Trump is even more supportive.
That’s why Israel was very very happy he won the presidency.
cf. https://www.politifact.com/article/2024/jun/25/joe-biden-and-donald-trump-on-israel-and-gaza-comp/
beholder @18:
Tell that to transgender folk. Tell it to those who will lose health insurance. Tell it to those being dragged off the streets and sent to dog knows where. While you’re at it, tell Gazans that they’re better off with Trump in office. I’m sure they’ll all sympathize.
You’re a fucking disgrace.
Can we all just agree to push the next candidates to be anti-genocide so that we don’t need to settle for voting for the lesser evil? (Among more direct forms of action.)
I did vote Harris, and even then some people blame for her loss because I dared to mention Palestine before election day.
@17,
“Kamala Harris did NOT support genocide.”
This is really the most bizarre ongoing denial of reality I have seen here for a long time. Of course she did, of course Biden did, why would you even be arguing this when there are 50 million quotes, TV appearances, speeches where she makes her support for genocide abundantly clear?
Some other massively life-destroying obscenities not satisfactorily addressed by Democrats: lack of gun control; lack of universal health care.
By all means, refuse to vote for Democrats until they enthusiastically pursue solid, implementable solutions for these and other problems. I’m sure that will work out as well as last November did.
@22. rorschach :Really?
Citations needed.
Specificlly for where Kamala Harriis specifically said she supported genocide specifically. Not Israel.
@ 18. Proudly now openly Trnmp supporting disingenous troll beholder : So you are admitting that you are happy Trump won and support Trump;’s policies then here?
You STILL think Trump was better for Gaza and everything fucking else compared with the only other actual choice you had which was Kamala Harris?
Wow.
You really are a worthles, disgusting, disgaceful excuse for a human being and the equivalent of toxic waste that shoud be scraped from our metaphocal shoes.
@24 StevoR
What a load of BS. Support for a genocidal regime is an implicit endorsement.
Your standards for evidence of genocidal intent are dubiously explicit. I don’t think Trump or even Netanyahu would qualify. It’s a meaningless distinction that only muddies the waters. At best it’s a pretzel of cognitive dissonance that keeps you confused and unable to think effectively about Israel. Less generously it sounds like the old StevoR surfacing again, the one that got banned from Mano’s blog. Absolutely disgusting.