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Saturday, June 27, 2015
Bathing in the tears of the religious right
"I would love to bathe in the tears of Republicans who are just like... meh, because they didn't get their way." Heh, heh. That's why I'm posting this. I feel the same way. All the whining from the hate-filled and the bigoted is like music to my ears.
If you don't want to marry someone of the same sex, don't marry someone of the same sex. Problem solved. But if you just want to force your own beliefs on everyone else, you'll have no sympathy from me. Weep on, conservatives.
Of course, this is all about religion. There is no secular reason to ban gay marriage, none at all. This is a free country. Believe whatever you want, no matter how crazy I might think it. But don't force your beliefs on everyone - on anyone - else.
Jaclyn Glenn had other great lines, too. For example: "But... for this guy, marry your lamp. I approve. You're marrying up."
This Supreme Court ruling was great, but it was very close, just 5 to 4. Only one Republican was willing to join the sane justices in this decision. And the others are absolutely furious about that.
Right-wing Republicans already dominate on our Supreme Court, more often making decisions based on what's best for the Republican Party than on the law. (Make no mistake, this decision and the recent decision upholding Obamacare are both very beneficial to the GOP, much as Republicans may hate to admit it.)
And there's another presidential election next year, with the next president almost certainly going to select a replacement for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, if not for other justices. Even with a Democratic replacement, that will leave the Supreme Court dominated by right-wing Republicans. With another far-right Republican, we'd be screwed for generations.
Still, this is a time for celebration, so let's continue with right-wing tears:
Hmm,... I wonder if bathing in Republican tears will keep me young? Probably just the reverse, huh? Probably turn me into Rupert Murdoch. :(
It's a wonderful day for democracy but like you it worries the crap out of me that ONE person could have swung this the other way.
ReplyDeleteYes, John, it's scary, isn't it? The Republican Party has packed our Supreme Court not just with right-wing ideologues, but with partisan right-wing ideologues - and, at the time they were appointed, with young partisan right-wing ideologues.
DeleteThey have been attempting to lock America onto their right-wing path, no matter what. Of course, they've been doing the same thing with gerrymandering and voter suppression. And some are even planning to change the Electoral College system - just in particular states - to make a Republican president guaranteed in every election.
Their solid victories in November have made all of this more likely to continue, and we've got only the very thin thread of Hillary Clinton in 2016 to combat it. I think she'll win, but if she doesn't - or doesn't win big - it would be a disaster for America.
I'm not a huge Hillary Clinton fan, but at least she'd keep the Supreme Court from moving even further to the right. But will progressives sit this one out (as they did in November)?
"(Make no mistake, this decision and the recent decision upholding Obamacare are both very beneficial to the GOP, much as Republicans may hate to admit it.)"
ReplyDeleteGood point. It gives the GOP more "red meat" to throw to the "angry mob."
At the risk of sounding like a kill-joy, I'm a little concerned about the overflowing euphoria coming from us left-types. (In my best Yoda voice) "Backed into a corner the wounded right-wing animal is. Great care must be taken" At the same time, I don't begrudge the euphoria, either. You know as well as I do, whenever the Right scores a victory in SCOTUS or in an election, they rub our collective faces in it at every opportunity. This is a sad commentary on ALL of us. We're SUPPOSED to be grown-ups, but we aren't. And I'm just as guilty as everyone else.
As far as the dissenting Justices go, I'm reminded of the line from the movie "The Ten Commandments:" ..."once again, Pharaoh's heart was hardened."
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It gives the GOP more "red meat" to throw to the "angry mob."
DeleteNot just that, Jeff. If the Supreme Court had decided against Obamacare, millions of people would have been affected. And since Republicans control Congress, the ball would have been in their court to do something about it.
But they've been promising for years to "replace" Obamacare, without being able to come up with a replacement. And there was absolutely no consensus about fixing this problem, either - even though the fix would have been very, very easy for rational people.
I'm sure Republican leaders gave a big sigh of relief when the Supreme Court announced its decision. They will never admit that, of course, but it was still a win for them.
With gay marriage, it might not be so obvious. But they've clearly lost the American people on this one. Support for gay marriage has grown rapidly. It's already supported by a clear majority of Americans, and it's still growing. This has become a losing issue for the GOP.
The Supreme Court decision pretty much ended the debate. Oh, as you say, the Republicans will still throw red meat to the faithful, but they won't actually do anything other than that.
And it will stop being a political issue now, which it wouldn't have if the decision had gone the other way. Given that it's become a losing issue for Republicans (shockingly quickly, don't you think?), this was a huge win for the GOP in the guise of a loss.
Oh, sure, I'm very happy about both of these decisions. But they helped the Republican Party. Republicans may not recognize that, and they definitely won't admit it, but I still think that's true.