Republicans... what are you doing!?

[Dr Assbandit]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/13/us...on-issues.html

By this point I think the Republican party leaders are out of touch with the majority of their voter base.

An excerpt from the article:

"The platform demands that lawmakers use religion as a guide when legislating, stipulating “that man-made law must be consistent with God-given, natural rights.”

It also encourages the teaching of the Bible in public schools because, the amendment said, a good understanding of its contents is “indispensable for the development of an educated citizenry.”

The pornography provision was not in an initial draft that the Republican National Committee drew up and released on Sunday. But delegates added it on Monday at the same time they were inserting many of the amendments opposing gay and transgender rights. It calls pornography “a public menace” that is especially harmful to children".

It's like they are deliberately trying to lose the election as evidenced by trying to adopt far right policies in the past or to push away any moderates they had left.

Also since when is the US a theocracy?

[Redwyrm]

It's called bait and switch. The RNC puts that language in there to get the Christians in a frenzy so they think Baby Jesus is guiding the country if a Republican becomes president.

Then the RNC turns around and ignores half of it. Christians in turn forget that Republicans are just using them for cannon fodder and a piggy bank for nothing in return.

Repeat

[Cyberowl]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/13/us...on-issues.html

By this point I think the Republican party leaders are out of touch with the majority of their voter base.

An excerpt from the article:

"The platform demands that lawmakers use religion as a guide when legislating, stipulating “that man-made law must be consistent with God-given, natural rights.”

It also encourages the teaching of the Bible in public schools because, the amendment said, a good understanding of its contents is “indispensable for the development of an educated citizenry.”

The pornography provision was not in an initial draft that the Republican National Committee drew up and released on Sunday. But delegates added it on Monday at the same time they were inserting many of the amendments opposing gay and transgender rights. It calls pornography “a public menace” that is especially harmful to children".

It's like they are deliberately trying to lose the election as evidenced by trying to adopt far right policies in the past or to push away any moderates they had left.

Also since when is the US a theocracy?

They are out of touch with reality and their voters. They keep pushing ideas that don't even have support from their voters, not even mentioning everyone else, and push for laws fitting into the past, not future. They really must think they can turn back social developments 50 years back.

[Puupi]

"far right policies"?

You mean religious/Christian policies?

[Jotaux]

They are just doubling down on crazy.

[Fahrenheit]

The GOP is largely a barren wasteland intellectually speaking. You can only poison your own well so many times before the constituency demands asinine stuff such as the linked article.

[Dr Assbandit]

Did you just find out about the Republicans this morning or...?

I was on call since yesterday so hadn't had a chance to go over what their potential platform was going to be for the coming election, but this is insane.

A lot of my colleagues who vote Republican are scratching their heads as well.

- - - Updated - - -

"far right policies"?

You mean religious/Christian policies?

Far right could also mean very fiscally conservative but I think that ship has long sailed with them actually accepting "make a wall" as a proposal.

[Adam Jensen]

Anti premarital cohabilitation?

WTF IS THIS? The 1950s?

These guys could go back to WINNING the presidency if they kicked the religious right to the curb. And for fucks sakes, most of the religious creeps will die from old age in the next ten years anyways, so fuck 'em. Who cares about their opinions?

[Stormdash]

"The platform demands that lawmakers use religion as a guide when legislating, stipulating “that man-made law must be consistent with God-given, natural rights.”

So basically the governing philosophy of our country since it's founding? It's not a violation of the establishment clause to admit the historical fact that our whole system of limited government is designed around the premise that government must be limited to protect individual rights, that those rights are unalienable because they are an intrinsic part of the human condition (i.e. "endowed by our Creator").

[Dr Assbandit]

They are out of touch with reality and their voters. They keep pushing ideas that don't even have support from their voters, not even mentioning everyone else, and push for laws fitting into the past, not future. They really must think they can turn back social developments 50 years back.

Not only that they have officially accepted trying to repeal constitutional law regarding the supreme court decision on same-sex marriage.

[Dellis0991]

That's some insane shit.

[Jotaux]

These guys could go back to WINNING the presidency if they kicked the religious right to the curb. And for fucks sakes, most of the religious creeps will die from old age in the next ten years anyways, so fuck 'em. Who cares about their opinions?

Not to mention they would probably vote republican anyways to keep out a democrat...

[I Push Buttons]

Its been the dream of Republicans for several decades now to create a theocratic utopia filled with guns in the US... You know, kind of like the Middle East, but with even more guns.

[Dr Assbandit]

So basically the governing philosophy of our country since it's founding? It's not a violation of the establishment clause to admit the historical fact that our whole system of limited government is designed around the premise that government must be limited to protect individual rights, that those rights are unalienable because they are an intrinsic part of the human condition (i.e. "endowed by our Creator").

Except that I don't share your definition of "the human condition" and think you're forgetting the part about separation of Church and State.

Also it's not really "limited government" that the current Republican party leaders want when they have added trying to change the constitutional amendment to suit their agenda. This is keeping in mind that public opinion on social hot-topics have shifted to the left, even with Republicans, except for the ones running the party it seems.

[Eviscero]

So basically the governing philosophy of our country since it's founding? It's not a violation of the establishment clause to admit the historical fact that our whole system of limited government is designed around the premise that government must be limited to protect individual rights, that those rights are unalienable because they are an intrinsic part of the human condition (i.e. "endowed by our Creator").

So you're cool with gays getting married, right? You know, individual rights.

[Nathreim]

It's called bait and switch. The RNC puts that language in there to get the Christians in a frenzy so they think Baby Jesus is guiding the country if a Republican becomes president.

Then the RNC turns around and ignores half of it. Christians in turn forget that Republicans are just using them for cannon fodder and a piggy bank for nothing in return.

Repeat

Exactly the GOP establishment are all bluster they never fight as hard as the Dems except when it comes to defending gun ownership. Im still shocked they actually found the balls to block Obamas SC pick.

[Barnabas]

I guess the Op never heard of dominion theology?

- - - Updated - - -

So basically the governing philosophy of our country since it's founding? It's not a violation of the establishment clause to admit the historical fact that our whole system of limited government is designed around the premise that government must be limited to protect individual rights, that those rights are unalienable because they are an intrinsic part of the human condition (i.e. "endowed by our Creator").

Not everyone was puritan. Back then we had more deists.

[Macaquerie]

You know, we idolize the founding fathers these days but in many ways they were kind of chickenshit capitulators as well. It's common knowledge that pretty much none of them had any genuinely held religious beliefs, but they knew that plenty of Americans did and they threw in the bare minimum of vague references to appease them, which the religious right has been desperately clinging to ever since.

[D Luniz]

Exactly the GOP establishment are all bluster they never fight as hard as the Dems except when it comes to defending gun ownership. Im still shocked they actually found the balls to block Obamas SC pick.

what balls, they just refuse to even let the vote come up

[Dr Assbandit]

No, I mean this is standard Republican practice. For instance, the Texas GOP in 2012 added explicit statements that they oppose instructing students in critical thinking because it undermines the ability of parents to shape their world view. They removed that in favor of merely implying the same sorts of things in 2014, but attempts to slip Christianity into secular life, regardless of what non-Christians or even other Christians want, is nothing new. This is going to keep happening as long as Republicans are dependent on the vote of evangelical Christians.

Ah gotcha, of course I'm familiar with their usual posturing for the evangelical vote. I just assumed they would change tactics to be more inclusionary on social issues with how past elections have gone rather than double down and go full speed in the opposite direction.

It's like betting on the horse that's showing its age and has already lost a few times expecting a different outcome. I think they are just doing this to win their individual seats in their own far-right leaning States at this point.