Below are a few excerpts from the final version of the GOP’s 2012 Platform. The information below is by no means exhaustive, I just pulled a few quotes that I thought were worth highlighting.
“NO” TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
“We reaffirm our support for a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. We applaud the citizens of the majority of States which have enshrined in their constitutions the traditional concept of marriage, and we support the campaigns underway in several other States to do so.” (p. 10)
LET’S MAKE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO EVER RAISE TAXES
“We call for a Constitutional amendment requiring a super-majority for any tax increase with exceptions for only war and national emergencies, and imposing a cap limiting spending to the historical average percentage of GDP so that future Congresses cannot balance the budget by raising taxes.” (p. 10)
No one likes paying more taxes but sometimes it is necessary and a requirement that “a super-majority” – meaning 60 Senators – is needed is an excellent obstacle to thwart the process.
“NO” TO A BETTER ELECTION PROCESS
We oppose the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact or any other scheme to abolish or distort the procedures of the Electoral College. We recognize that an unconstitutional effort to impose “national popular vote” would be a mortal threat to our federal system and a guarantee of corruption as every ballot box in every state would become a chance to steal the presidency. (p. 11)
This coming from the group that stole the 2000 election. Wow.
SUPPORT OF VOTER ID LAWS
“…we applaud legislation to require photo identification for voting and to prevent election fraud, particularly with regard to registration and absentee ballots. We support State laws that require proof of citizenship at the time of voter registration to protect our electoral system against a significant and growing form of voter fraud.” (p. 11)
Translation: if we can continue to keep traditional democratic voters from being able to vote that totally works for us.
FEWER GUN CONTROL LAWS
“We acknowledge, support, and defend the law-abiding citizen’s God-given right of self-defense. We call for the protection of such fundamental individual rights recognized in the Supreme Court’s decisions in District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago affirming that right, and we recognize the individual responsibility to safely use and store firearms. This also includes the right to obtain and store ammunition without registration.
We support the fundamental right to self-defense wherever a law-abiding citizen has a legal right to be, and we support federal legislation that would expand the exercise of that right by allowing those with state-issued carry permits to carry firearms in any state that issues such permits to its own residents.
We condemn frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers and oppose federal licensing or registration of law-abiding gun owners. We oppose legislation that is intended to restrict our Second Amendment rights by limiting the capacity of clips or magazines or otherwise restoring the ill-considered Clinton gun ban.” (p. 13)
The belief here is that everyone should be allowed to carry a firearm any where they go – coffee shop, work, school, etc. See the prevailing thought in this crowd is that if everyone in the movie theater in Colorado had been carrying a firearm then the crazed shooter would have been stopped a lot sooner. Yes of course, because everyone who picks up a gun instantly becomes a skilled marksman. Nah it wouldn’t make more sense to simply ban the sell of assault rifles – come now that actually sounds reasonable. #sarcasm
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROHIBITING ABORTION
“We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children. We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion or fund organizations which perform or advocate it and will not fund or subsidize health care which includes abortion coverage. (p. 14)
We also salute the many States that have passed laws for informed consent, mandatory waiting periods prior to an abortion, and health-protective clinic regulation.” (p. 14)
Rules put in place to impede your legal right to choose. Period.
REPEAL OBAMACARE
“The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – Obamacare – was never really about healthcare, though its impact upon the nation’s health is disastrous. From its start, it was about power, the expansion of government control over one sixth of our economy, and resulted in an attack on our Constitution, by requiring that U.S. citizens purchase health insurance. (p. 32)
If fully implemented, it could not function; and Republican victories in the November elections will guarantee that it is never implemented. Congressional Republicans are committed to its repeal; and a Republican President, on the first day in office, will use his legitimate waiver authority under that law to halt its progress and then will sign its repeal.
Then the American people, through the free market, can advance affordable and responsible healthcare reform that meets the needs and concerns of patients and providers. Through Obamacare, the current Administration has promoted the notion of abortion as healthcare. We, however, affirm the dignity of women by protecting the sanctity of human life. Numerous studies have shown that abortion endangers the health and well- being of women, and we stand firmly against it.” (pgs. 32-33)
What studies? I call bullsh*t. And I call more BS regarding the effectiveness of using the “free market” to reform healthcare – that’s what we’ve had in place FOR YEARS! It wasn’t working, health costs were skyrocketing and millions of people were uninsured OR worse those with insurance were still denied coverage based upon BS policies by providers that were allowed to thrive in the free market. Note – the GOP does NOT have an alternative health care program to replace Obama
And last, don’t piss on me and tell me its a tropical rain, the GOP claims that it is “affirming” the dignity of women by removing our right to choose? Liars.
It is worth noting that the language and tone used is fashioned to be persuasive and reasonable sounding. Not all Republicans are fire-breathing right-wing lunatics who do not understand female anatomy and basic biology (here’s looking at you Todd Akin) but that doesn’t mean that all of their policies are really for the greater good of all Americans as they propose. Tragically in some areas their platform harkens back to a bygone era of bigotry and intolerance.
This isn’t just about the Presidential election, although that is a supremely important contest, it is also about who will be in control of Congress and the Senate. I’m not saying Democrats are perfect (I am acutely aware that they are not) however they at least appear to understand that the way forward involves acknowledging the changing mores of a modern society. They at least seem to understand that finding solutions to the problems of a modern society do not involve starving the poor to feed the rich. They believe in universal healthcare. They believe in gun control laws that ban assault rifles and the types of ammunition that can kill 100 people in under a minute. They do not treat women as second class citizens incapable of making decisions for their own well-being.
Everyone wants America to be a strong and prosperous country where we differ is how we maintain that goal. Is everyone involved in the process or only a few privileged individuals?
Vote like your way of life depends on it, because it does. #Democrats2012
“don’t piss on me and tell me its a tropical rain”
^^THIS. The bullshit smoke & mirrors doublespeak makes me NUTS. GOP would like to control women, plain and simple, and no sycophantic flowery language can change that cold, hard fact.