Category Archives: Poltics

Today’s Boston Globe has an interesting article addressing the rift between the Republican Party and American public regarding marriage equality.  Matt Viser’s article, GOP hopefuls challenged by growing gay marriage tide, is really worth reading.  Viser briefly touches upon how continued opposition to marriage equality could pose problems with attracting younger voters who overwhelmingly support marriage equality.  Republican analysts have every right to worry, because with nearly 80 million Millennials now in the workforce and voting, Republicans can no longer afford to only appeal to Baby Boomers.  The Republican Party needs to be able to woo Millennials if they want to be able to win national elections.

The primary process for both political parties tends to allow the party base to flex its muscle and shape issues that are important to them.  With Democrats a populist message perhaps best articulated by my US Senator, Elizabeth Warren, will potentially move Democrats further left.  Republicans seem stuck on a 2004 political playbook using xenophobic and homophobic language to appeal to their base and while this will win primaries – it has not served their party in Presidential elections.  How will centrist political heavy weights like Jeb Bush and Chris Christie traverse their party’s self-made political land mines?  I don’t know but I’m glad to see the reality of their reactionary stances coming to bite them in the ass.  It is time for both major political parties to move beyond pandering to homophobic elements in their party.

The conservative “Iowa Freedom Summit” was hosted this past January.  This group of crazies can be best described as the xenophobic, homophobic, reactionary, creationist wing of the Republican Party.  After the summit on Sunday, Feb. 1st, Governor Huckabee’s spoke to the media.  Among many of his comments that day homosexuality and marriage equality inevitably arose. Speaking to the media Huckabee inferred he had gay friends and they agreed to disagree on certain issues but remain friends. Following his assertions he then offered this helpful bit to clarify.

“I don’t chuck people out of my circle or out of my life because they have a different point of view. I don’t drink alcohol, but, gosh, a lot of my friends, maybe most of them, do. You know, I don’t use profanity, but, believe me, I have got a lot of friends who do.”  – Gov. Mike Huckabee,  February 1, 2015

This man equates one’s sexual orientation to that of a choice between would I like a glass of wine with my meal.  What a dick. No actually, what a dumb ass dick.

If I didn’t know any better I would think that some of the Republican Party’s leaders have started to listen to Massachusetts Senator, Elizabeth Warren.  Have you noticed that nearly every potential Republican Presidential primary candidate is all of a sudden incredibly concerned with income inequality and they blame it on President Obama and his Administration?

“While the last eight years have been pretty good ones for top earners, they’ve been a lost decade for the rest of America.”  Jeb Bush PAC mission statement

“Under President Obama the rich have gotten richer, income inequality has gotten worse and there are more people in poverty in American than ever before.”  Gov. Mitt Romney, January 2015

“Income inequality has worsened under this Administration…policies that have allowed the poor to get poorer, and the rich to get richer.”  Sen. Rand Paul, January 2015

During the last election cycle, Gov. Mitt Romney, tried to ‘humanize’ corporations to justify massive tax breaks and layoffs by imploring “corporations are people too.”, and the Republican Party found themselves defending Romney’s infamous 47% quote.  So why is the Democrats focus on ‘income inequality’ no longer considered “class warfare” by Republicans?  Who can say?  I’m glad to see the Republican Party adopt a more populist message that seems more in line with Senator Elizabeth Warren’s rhetoric, but stonewalling legislation like raising the minimum wage tells me that their actions speak louder than their words.

What an inconvenient truth.  Well said Mr. President.

Much thanks to Jennifer White for sharing this.

Are you eligible to vote?  If you are, I’m sure you have also registered but you may be unsure of where to vote tomorrow so I wanted to share this nifty website,  MA Elections and Voting.