Oh, goody! A new culture war!

(Mike Luckovich)

All that job creation stuff is boring. And besides, the rich don't need jobs. But Republicans just love war, so how about a new culture war against women's health? How much fun would that be?

(Jim Morin)

The celibate old men who run the Catholic Church are certainly in bed with this. So what if their parishioners aren't? The church isn't a democracy.

(Mike Luckovich)

In fact, the vast majority of Catholics do use birth control. You don't even have to believe the polls to see that. Look at Catholic families. How many Catholics have a dozen kids these days?

(Lalo Alcaraz)

Sure, they don't control their own church. As I say, the Catholic Church is not a democracy. But the church itself hasn't exactly been pure as the driven snow when it comes to sex, has it? How much will American Catholics take before they finally throw in the towel on that archaic institution?

(Joel Pett)

And today's Republican Party, re-created in their "Southern strategy" by merging those old racist "Dixiecrats" with the GOP's home-grown loons, just can't resist these divisive "culture war" issues. Well, despite their foot-dragging, despite their active sabotage, the economy is getting better.

And even Republicans, often enough, find it hard to be really enthusiastic about tax cuts for the rich. Oh, sure, they'll parrot that "job-creator" line dutifully enough, but for real red meat, they want social issues. And their leaders are always willing to oblige.

(Stuart Carlson)

It's funny, too, because culture wars are the only wars Republicans seem to be eager to fight themselves. Oh, they love war - except the war on poverty, of course - but mostly as a spectator sport. But when it comes to slut-shaming, they're right in the front lines for that. Funny, huh?

(Chan Lowe)

Rick Santorum might be the worst offender - he really seems like he actually believes this stuff - but the whole Republican Party is eager to appease the GOP base. And the base hasn't been happy since the Civil War - or perhaps since they stopped having the power to burn witches alive.

Remember, these people include the old "Dixiecrats," white southerners wooed away from the Democratic Party after the 1964 Civil Rights Act outlawed segregation. When it comes to the Civil War, this isn't the party of Lincoln anymore.

And I'm really not sure which century they'd prefer, though I know it's not the 21st.

(Pat Bagley)

So how will this turn out for the GOP? Even Republicans use birth control. Even Catholic Republicans use birth control. And most Republicans are working people. Somehow, they've been persuaded to support that tax cuts for the rich insanity, but do they really want their employer telling them what they can and can't have covered by health insurance?

(Clay Bennett)

I really don't know. The GOP base seems crazy enough for almost anything, but aren't there any moderate Republicans left anymore? And how about independents? How about independent women? Do even conservative women like what they've been seeing? Perhaps this will open some eyes.

(Jeff Danziger)

Make no mistake, even though men also use birth control, this is an attack on women's rights. Did you see my previous post about turning back the clock on women's rights? Republican policies aren't good for anyone (except, perhaps - in the short term only - for the very rich), but there's a real reason why women tend to vote Democratic.