First, the good news:
Oregon Republicans have stripped anti-gay language from their 2012 party platform, a shift toward the political center in a state where the GOP has struggled mightily in recent years.
Wording that essentially condemned same-sex marriage and civil unions, and that stated such couples were unfit to be parents, was removed from the official party platform during a weekend convention in Bend.
“We want the public to take another look at the Republican Party and our policies,” said Greg Leo, spokesman for the state party. “It’s fair to say we’re more centrist.”
The North Carolina Senate on Tuesday approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage in the state, sending it to voters for their approval.
After less than two hours of debate, senators decided to send the proposed amendment to voters during the May primary election. The House gave its approval with a 75 to 42 vote on Monday.
Senators approved the bill with a narrow 30 to 16 vote. Constitutional bans require a three-fifths majority for passage.
They’ve managed to avoid this in the past because the Democrats in the state were able to kill it, but with the GOP in charge in NC, things done changed:
North Carolina is the only state in the Southeast without a gay marriage ban in its constitution. The idea has gone nowhere in the last decade because Democratic leaders quashed Republican efforts to debate amendment referenda.
Now with Republicans in charge of the Legislature for the first time in 140 years, conservatives are making their move. Lawmakers return Monday to Raleigh to debate proposed amendments, including one to let voters next year decide if a state law already on the books defining marriage as between one man and one woman should be imprinted into the state constitution as well.
Two thoughts. While it is nice that the Oregon GOP is making itself more centrist, the simple fact of the matter is if you are a Republican in Oregon, and you vote for a Republican candidate, you are still supporting the bigot party because a vote for a Republican Speaker or Senate Majority Leader in Washington is a vote for the homophobes. It’s nice and all that you’ve decided to be more centrist and all, but it won’t matter one bit.
Second, as the second article on NC goes on to state, this is right out of the Rove playbook. Get wedge issues on the ballot to motivate and bring out the troglodyte vote for the GOP, and help put the state in play. This is no different from all the gay-bashing amendments that mysteriously appeared on ballots across the country during the Bush years to help get out the wingnut vote, and considering Obama won NC in 2008, the Republicans are desperate to fix that.
We live in Lee Atwater’s America.
*** Update ***
As has been pointed out in the comments, I am wrong on point two. This will be voted on in the primary, not the general.
The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik
“You start out in 1954 by saying, “Nigger, nigger, nigger.” By 1968 you can’t say “nigger” — that hurts you. But by 2011, you can complain about not being able to say “nigger” while complaining about the “fags” and the “ragheads” and that’s how you win. Long as you don’t call them that of course.”
His legacy lives on strong.
Morzer
In a way, it’s reassuring to see the GOP trying this same nasty little game in North Carolina. That suggests that the state is continuing to turn blue, or at least purple, in a way that worries the GOP. Similarly, the fact they’ve given up on it in Oregon makes me feel a little more secure that Oregon will be solidly blue in the future. Yes, it is horrible to see the Atwater/Rove bastardocracy going about its bigoted business, and the sooner we can put them out of business the better – but this looks like a last, losing throw of the dice by a party with nothing to offer except to resentful old white people.
DJAnyReason
If it were a Karl Rove play, it’d be on the ballot in the general. Its on the ballot during the primary, where there will be a Republican race for Prez-o-Dent, but not a D one. That means their priority is passing the ban, not electing Team R.
cleek
according to the noontime talk show i was listening to, the NC Dems smartly got it off the November 2012 ballot – a thing like this is guaranteed to pull in lots of GOPers.
so instead, they moved it to the primary ballot, which, because there’s no Dem Prez primary, is bound to be overrun by… GOPers.
yay. frying pan, fire.
GOTV time.
JGabriel
John Cole:
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this vote scheduled for the day of a primary election, instead of the general? That what TPM says anyway:
That probably makes it more likely to pass, but it won’t affect the general election vote.
ETA: Looks like DJAnyReason & cleek got there first.
.
The Other Bob
If this was on the ballot in the general, would it have the same impact as this shit had in 2004? I know its NC, but has the public moved enough that it might not work in the general?
The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik
@DJAnyReason:
They want as much legally codified and enshrined so those dirty fucking hippies can’t undo it if and when they get control back. So when the state and country eventually give power back to the GOP before it can be undone, they’ll have even MORE chance to legally enshrine and re-enshrine their bigotry! And then we’ll truly have America back to those who deserve it!
(figure this will get past moderation easier than my update of Atwater’s infamous quote)
Morzer
@DJAnyReason:
The two are not necessarily incompatible.
DFS
The funny part is, gay marriage is already double illegal in NC. There isn’t just the one law banning it on the books, they have an extra one for emergencies.
As you say, it’s pure politics. Art Pope – recently outed as a member of the Koch brothers’ million-dollar club – bought us a Teabagger legislature last fall, and so the fun should continue at least through the end of 2012.
Hoodie
It’s on the May primary ballot, not the general. That was the reason it got the 3/5ths needed, some conservadems voted for putting it on the ballot. Although it’s awful that it’s on the ballot, that does mean that it won’t affect the general much and might possibly undermine Romney and other “moderate” repubs in the primary, as the socons will come out in force. Might also provide some oomph for the Dems in the fall if it passes. Some times we live in, eh?
Spaghetti Lee
North Carolina has a Democratic governor, as does Montana, and both of them has shot down some tea party bullshit these last two years. Now, they’re not the most Democratic of states, but the thing is they hold their gubernatorial elections in presidential years, which I think if more states did, it would cut down on the bullshit-there wouldn’t be these wild midterm swings that allowed wingnuts to turn everything to shit the second half of a Democrat’s term. Double-edged sword, of course, if it’s a Republican in office, but I think a government that doesn’t screech to a halt every midterm cycle is good for liberals in the long run.
cleek
@DFS:
at least till 2012. we’re getting redistricted, too.
@Spaghetti Lee:
apropos of nothing, NC has only elected three GOP governors since the 1870s.
Kola Noscopy
Pragmatically speaking, NC just isn’t ready for gay marriage, ya’all.
Let’s ask ABL! Pretty sure she’ll recommend that the Dems just play along with this and don’t push back…all the better to bring over a few bigot votes from the Republican side.
What’s a little bigotry among political pals, eh?
rikyrah
this is who the GOP is. plain and simple. it’s who they’ve always been.
taking away voting rights.
bashing gays.
come on- this is their bread and butter
JGabriel
@The Other Bob:
Yes, it would still work, probably.
Moves like this are not usually intended to get out the public, they’re intended to bring out conservatives who might not feel strongly enough about the candidates to come out to the polls, but hate gays enough to do it.
.
Calouste
They just removed some wording from the party platform. Do you want to put your house or your car or even a single dollar bill on it that they won’t introduce a bill banning gay marriage the moment they would take control of the legislature?
Jenny
@Kola Noscopy:
That’s what super-liberal icon Anthony Wiener would recommend.
Paul in KY
I generally think bemused derision is the best way for the NC Democrats to counter this political play. You say something along the lines of:
‘The Republican party is in charge of the NC legislative process for the first time in 140 years. In these uncertain economic times, our stalwart Republican majorities have focused like a laser on the number 1 threat to NC’s prosperity; Same Sex Marriage. Unlike those economic colossuses S. Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, we have had no constitutional amendments enacted to stop this insidious threat to our financial well being.
I hope you will call your NC representatives to let them know how you feel about their priorities. One last point to remember: The great state of NC also has no constitutional amendment allowing the burning of witches. But with our Republican legislators in charge, I’m sure that will soon change.’
How bout that?
West of the Cascades
I agree on the overall national implication of voting for Republicans in Oregon voting for Republicans for national office, but it DOES make a difference here in Oregon. Two friends of mine had a same-sex wedding last weekend here in Portland, which was exactly like an opposite-sex marriage except they can’t legally be married right now due to a provision of the Oregon constitution inserted by voter ballot initiative about five years ago. This shift by the Oregon GOP improves the chance that a ballot initiative to amend our constitution to declare marriage equality is more likely to pass in the next couple of years. That is a big deal (if it happens – when it happens – it will, I think, be the first equalization of marriage rights by statewide referendum).
For the last year, the Oregon House has been evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, and apparently it’s been one of the most productive legislative sessions ever because the two parties literally had no choice but to work together (there were co-speakers and co-chairs of every committee). I doubt the reasonableness virus will spread to the national GOP until the Great Wave of Crazy finally crests, unfortunately, but it’s been really nice for the last year to enjoy reading state political news and having it be far, far less crazy than what happens in DC (and in many other state legislatures).
Amanda in the South Bay
@Calouste:
Oregon already has an amendment voted on sometime in 02 or 04 (cant remember) which banned SSM, IIRC.
-Did a comment of mine end up in moderation that talked about Oregon politics?
Amanda in the South Bay
The Oregon GOP has moved very far to the right since the early 90s, when they supported a property tax measure that destroyed Oregon education.
Instead of the party of Mark Hatfield, you now have the party of rural/suburban/exurban Oregon. It seems like a lot of the Oregon GOP is either Lake Oswego rich fuckers, or really mediocre suburban/small town right wing fanatics, like the Constitution Party nutjobs.
Nemesis
Gay rights on the ballot in NC for 2012.
Typical election year stuff from the gop. Always turns out their base.
West of the Cascades
@Calouste: Same-sex marriage is currently prohibited by the Oregon Constitution.
ed drone
So if it were part of the general election, it would bring out the GOP voters, but might fail on its own.
As part of a primary election mainly of interest to GOP voters, it’s pretty sure to pass.
It looks to me like they are more interested in Gay-bashing than in prevailing in the general election.
Who woulda thunk it? They’re putting bigotry before politics!
Ed
asiangrrlMN
Good news is that SSM approval polled nearly seventy percent at the MN State Fair. Seriously. If we can get the Fair goers….
OT: Emily (ee), my compadre and co-blogger at ABL’s place, has written a powerful piece on Troy Davis for The Atlantic. Please read it and pass it along, especially to any lawyers you know (double especially in Georgia).
DFS
@cleek: Yeah, the Southern Strategy only worked so well down here, at least as far as the governor’s mansion.
Which way NC swings will be interesting to watch next year. I’m honestly not quite sure what’ll happen. Obama won the state by the skin of his teeth in 2008 (I think by less than 15K votes), in part because the central and western parts of the state are increasingly liberal and in part because of the black vote in rural areas. (If you look at the county-by-county breakdown from 08, a number of dirt-poor nowhere hellholes like Robeson County went Democratic.) Then two years later we had a teabagger surge that pushed a bunch of state legislative races to the GOP.
If I was to guess, the story in 2012 is going to be demographics versus Art Pope’s wallet. If unemployment stays over ten percent, I fear the smart money is on the wallet.
Villago Delenda Est
The Oregon GOP has some serious internal issues. The usual theocrat assholes have trying to seize control of it for decades, but the Oregon GOP has a very strong tradition of not towing the line of the national party…think Mark Hatfield, Bob Packwood, Tom McCall (the greatest governor of Oregon in my lifetime)…men who were pretty much outsiders at the national GOP level, because they refused to go along with the overall GOP agenda of racial resentment and free market free-for-all. McCall was a very strong environmentalist, and it was under his stewardship that Oregon’s landmark state wide land use planning legislation was enacted.
The Oregon GOP’s very soul is at stake, and the theocrat Johny-come-latelies who moved up from California to impose their neo-feudalist bullshit have a tough fight ahead of them.
CarolDuhart
Ironically, this just might give the Dems a ready chance to practice GOTV. Use this opportunity to register voters, to get out the kinks in GOTV for the General, and since Obama is already on the ballot, there’s nothing to lose by getting out all the younger and more liberal voters to defeat this. This is an opportunity to get new voters, especially those who disagree with this, to actually register and vote.
About ABL: For some folks, she is a much needed reality check. We Dems are a coalition-not all parts of which are equally liberal on all accounts. Gay marriage may not be popular with some Democrats who also support labor and other civil rights, but who will elect representatives who at the very least won’t be an obstacle to it. No Democratic group is crusading against gay rights, even if they have reservations about gay rights.
Some of it is generational. Some of the more reliable Dem constituencies are church-going, immigrant, and such. They may not necessarily agree-this generation-with a lot of the social liberal ideas of more entrenched, and higher class-groups. As more and more generations become integrated into the American mainstream, and more and more diverse, attitudes will change a bit. That’s what ABL is trying to get across.
Earl Butz
Republicans hard at work on jobs, I see.
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
@Kola Noscopy: Actually, why don’t you go read ABL’s post again. Her argument was that it would push away Democrats who are still uncomfortable with gay marriage. Or, in a question: Is it better to have someone in office who says the right things, or someone in office who can change things?
Keith G
@Jenny:
There you go using that phrase again. Given your chosen context, I do not think it means what you think it means.
Allen
Being a life long resident of Oregon and having followed our politics pretty close I’ve watched the Republican party here destroy itself. From being a solid Republican state, I’ve watched it go solid Democratic over the years. We now have a Governor that was term limited out, sat on the sidelines 8 years,ran again a beat the best the Republicans had to offer. After the years of the criminal Bill Sizemore, a relief.
Amanda in the South Bay
@Villago Delenda Est:
Yeah, but what about lately, since the 90s?
When a semi knowledgeable person thinks about Oregon Republicans, they think of…Bill Sizemore? Measure 5? The ban on SSM passed several years ago? Chris Dudley? Gordon Fucking Smith?
TBQH I’ve long since written the Oregon GOP off as Clackamas County nutjobs.
ThatLeftTurnInABQ
So why aren’t we putting ridiculous amendments on the ballot (in every state that matters) to guillotine the banksters and distribute their money to everyone else? Why can’t two play at this game?
Spaghetti Lee
@Allen:
ran again a beat the best the Republicans had to offer.
Didn’t Kitzhaber beat some ex-NBA player who’d never held public office? Or is that, in fact, the best the Republicans had to offer?
KG
Not for nothing, but I’ve been wondering about the new primary system here in California. They call it a “jungle primary.” Basically, everyone is on one ballot in the primary, Dems, Reps, third parties, even independents. Top two move on to the general. Here’s what I’m wondering about, let’s say you have a fairly popular incumbent (say, DiFi), and no other Dem decides to run. But you also have 2 Republicans running to challenge her, and fire up the GOP base. And somehow, they end up finishing 1-2 in the primary because Dems didn’t GOTV… Odds of this actually happening? Anyone from Louisiana where you have something similar?
Keith G
Now to the greater issue, this type of back and forth will be common for much of this decade. Progress will be sloping in the good direction, but on a saw tooth course none the less.
This is not to advocate apathy or encouage appeasement. The steadfast advocacy of this moral truth will not only bring justice sooner, but will save lives.
KG
@Allen: sounds like California.
Amanda in the South Bay
@Spaghetti Lee:
Pretty much. Chris Dudley was an ex Blazer who lives in upscale Lake Oswego, IIRC. There simply isn’t any halfway competent, non whacko GOP officeholder who can run for statewide office in Oregon, I think.
jibeaux
@The Other Bob:
It polled at about 30% by PPP, so not so hot. There is still a plurality that opposes allowing gay marriage here, but the amendment is different from the laws already on the books, in the most important factor that it would bar any sort of civil recognition, which many municipalities and of course some employer benefits recognize.
JGabriel
ThatLeftTurnInABQ:
THAT WOOLD BE CLASS WARFEAR, YOU cOMMIE fREAzK!
.
Spaghetti Lee
@KG:
I think the main political effect of jungle primaries is to solidify party strength in areas already dominated by one party. In blue California, it will be harder for Republicans to get on the ballot (although with out Republicans to worry about, it might help Greens and the like), and in the central valley and such, it will be more likely that two Republicans square off against each other. It can be convenient at times, and it does kind of shake up politics in interesting ways, but I personally think it’s ultimately a net negative. People of differing political persuasions already don’t understand each other, cordoning them off further isn’t going to help.
KG
@Spaghetti Lee: I figured it would help the Greens in more liberal areas and probably the Libertarians in more conservative areas… but what I’m wondering about is more Statewide… I’m imagining a situation where DiFi or Jerry Brown don’t have an opponent in the primary but two fairly popular (among Republicans) candidates run in the primary and the vote come out 36-33-30 for the two Republicans.
ETA: I’m figuring either some Dems voting for Republicans in the primary because either they think the popular Dem will be more likely to beat them or because they’re pissed at the incumbent and want a more centrist challenger; or just no GOTV effort, being the cause
jibeaux
We have one brain trust here in the NC House who not only said that not having a constitutional amendment attracts “homosexual mischief”, but that it wasn’t targeted towards gays and lesbians. Perish the thought. Duh, any straight folks who want to marry someone of the same gender will be treated the same way, so no discrimination!
WaterGirl
@asiangrrlMN: Maybe Emily’s article could be front-paged here.
jibeaux
Also, too, from my Facebook: “The North Carolina General Assembly is an unnatural union that we should not recognize.”
daveNYC
@jibeaux:
Homosexual mischief? Is that the new way of saying Yankee carpetbagger?
jibeaux
@daveNYC: It might be a way of saying “I hope I made my profile on gay dot com anonymous enough.” I dunno, I have no fucking idea what it means, but I do know a name that needs to go on the glitter bomb list.
Villago Delenda Est
@Amanda in the South Bay:
From a Lane County perspective, there are many Republicans who have not yet given up to the Clackamas County nutjobs, but given how the congressional race here went in ’10, with a certified loon giving DeFazio a tough fight, it’s nasty.
There are still holdouts of the old Oregon GOP, but they can’t keep up the fight forever. The GOP left Oregon, not the other way around. It’s not as totally theocrat as the wretched Washington State GOP is, but it’s getting there. There is a rear-guard action by more traditional Republicans, as this change indicates, but I think, as you clearly do, that it’s a losing battle. The crazies want to take total control.
Redshift
@KG:
Any party that doesn’t do GOTV in a seriously contested primary deserves to lose. In other words, I don’t think your scenario is at all likely — even a “safe” incumbent should have enough political sense to realize that this sort of primary is basically a general election split in two (not to mention that they wouldn’t want to look weak and vulnerable in the first round, even if they’re sure they’re going to win.)
curiousleo
A poll by Elon University in Feb 2011 showed 57% of North Carolinians favored civil unions or same-sex marriage.
Today’s vote is not a reflection of the people of NC.
Allen
@Spaghetti Lee: Yes, Kitzhaber beat Chris Dudley, the ex NBA center who, for some reason thought it was a good thing to campaign wearing a Carhart jacket, from a guy who never lifted a shovel outside of his own yard. And yes, that was the best the Republicans could come up with.
KG
@Redshift: my hunch as well, but other scenarios that were considered unlikely 20 years ago:
1. sitting president impeached
2. president winning the electoral college while losing the popular vote
3. California governor being successfully recalled
4. black man winning the presidency
Morzer
“Do you object to right-wing politicians using Big Government spy drones to peer into your bedroom windows? Do you believe that adults should be free to love their partners without Republican busybodies filming their sexual activities? If so, vote against the GOP Peeping Tom measure that would enable them to spy on you and your loved ones”.
I’d love to see that ad run in North Carolina.
MattR
@Belafon (formerly anonevent): So what should Democratic office holders in North Carolina do? Should they come out against this referendum even though it may hurt them politically?
cleek
check out this bullshit from the NC GOP House leader.
jibeaux
@cleek:
Yes, I’m sure this is all about our insufficiently equipped courts to decide custody battles, which for some unspecified reason are dramatically different with same-sex couples.
I hope you called him, cleek. I have Brad Miller, for now, and called to thank him for being not a jackass.
Redshift
@ThatLeftTurnInABQ:
It’s all about issue intensity. We have more people who agree with us on most issues, but they have more people who care intensely about single issues, and so can be motivated to come out by bigot-mongering.
This is partly because the Dems don’t engage in patently false fearmongering 24/7 to keep the base in a frenzy (which is good), but also because a lot of populist issues that might do some good would also draw massive opposition from big money, which is something the bigot ballot measures don’t have to contend with.
cleek
@jibeaux:
my Rep is David Price, who’s awesome. Apex gets to hang out with Chapel Hill and Durham, in the 4th district.
this Stam jackass is the NC House leader, also the Apex rep. i’ll send him a note.
Redshift
@KG: I’m not saying it won’t ever happen, but I think if it does, it will be more comparable to a longtime incumbent being surprised by an unexpectedly strong challenger in any other election than to an experienced politician not bothering to do basic campaigning.
curiousleo
@MattR: But the majority of North Carolinians support civil unions or ssm in a poll done this year by Elon Univ.
A GOP House Rep told the NC GOP caucus in July that this anti-ssm bill needed to be on the ballot in 2012 to bring out more GOP voters. This really is part of a naked power play.
curiousleo
I have no idea why my comments keep getting stuck in moderation. What trigger word(s) am I using
Catsy
FTFY John.
HyperIon
As a current resident of the State of Washington and a former resident of the District of Columbia, I would prefer that the term “Washington” NOT be used as a synonym for DC. It is very confusing here in the US and especially abroad, where all foreigners assume “Washington” = DC.
Cain
@West of the Cascades:
They have been doing a great job. I”m really happy with our state legislature. Both them and the Governor have actually been working on solving problems.
Tea party bullshit is pretty low here, although we do have them. We have our local fiend, Bill Sizemore writing anti union bills from the safety of his jail cell. Luckily, his name is toxic. Even republicans wont vote for his bills. BUt it does cause the unions to spend a shit load of money fighting it. I think that’s what Bill likes to do, make the unions spend money.
jibeaux
@cleek: Oh, right. Still, what the hell.
Cain
@Allen:
It was still a close race. Sadly enough. Multinomah County once again pulls off an upset.
Of course, conservadorks are trying to do things like conservative churches in blue areas.. that should be fun.
jefft452
Redshift
“It’s all about issue intensity. We have more people who agree with us on most issues, but they have more people who care intensely about single issues”
I don’t know, a policy of guillotining the banksters would do a lot for my intensity level
Amanda in the South Bay
@Villago Delenda Est:
I didn’t mean to pick on Clackamas County specifically, but it seems like Clackamas and Washington County exurbanites are particularly vulnerable to being right wing douchebags.
I grew up in St. Helens, and I didn’t start paying attention to local/state politics till I was out of high school, and it seemed like all the GOP types were…angry lower middle class white men who flirted with the Constitution Party.
My mom is a Rockefeller Republican type, and she’s functionally been a centrist plain vanilla Democrat for a long time.
Villago Delenda Est
@Cain:
Multnomah (with help from Lane) put Jeff Merkley into the Senate as well.
The early returns in Oregon are from the barren wastelands east of the Cascades, and tend to skew the early trend Rethug. The thing is, Multnomah and Lane report later, and seemingly turn the tide on election night after the people on the east coast have retired to their comfy, comfy beds.
Pay no attention to the early Oregon returns on an election night. Lane and Multnomah decide things, often. Both are deep blue.
gene108
@cleek:
Which is an anomaly for the former Confederate states, post-1964.
The Democratic Party machine in North Carolina held together a lot better than it did elsewhere in the South.
The problem with the NC Democratic Party, of late, is that it has been tarnished with some level of corruption scandals plaguing former Gov. Mike Easley, as well as some of it rubbing off on Gov. Perdue.
I don’t know, if the NC Democratic Party has been able to rehabilitate its reputation since 2010, but that would be crucial to keep NC from following other Southern states to being a safe pick up for Republicans in all state wide offices.
Odie Hugh Manatee
So the Oregon Republican Party has donned their sheepskin cloak to hide the ugly wolves they are? This Oregonian will NEVER vote for another Republican. Nor will my wife and our daughter. The Republican party is dead to us and we would like to see it dead to the rest of the country.
The Republican party is not a political party of the people. They are a bought and paid for apparatus of the rich and powerful that is used to incite hate, resentment and sow divisiveness among citizens in their quest to divide and conquer our nation.
The Republican party is an enemy of the people and our country.
Mike in NC
They want to exhume the rotten corpse of Jesse Helms and run him for office again. Bastards.
bemused
@cleek:
Hmm, it seems that a lot of people have moved into the Raleigh area from other regions and then some decided they didn’t like school busing. They got people elected to the school board on that issue so the board is divided 5 to 4. I had been reading up on this because I have family in Apex. Not a pretty situation involving teaparty, private school owner backers and the new board bringing Brig. Gen Tata (big Sarah Palin fan) to be superintendent. What is going on there now?
I guess to your Rep, it all depends on what type of people are moving down there from the northern regions.
Allen
@HyperIon: Agreed.
Allen
@Villago Delenda Est: @HyperIon: Agreed.
Allen
@Villago Delenda Est: I grew up in Eugene, would have gone to the Honors College at U of O if Oregon hadn’t decided that I was no longer a resident of the State. That decision came in August of 1969, which left me with little time to find another College. I was kind of keen on keeping my little white ass out of Viet Nam. On the plus side I lived a few blocks from Wayne Morse. Old Wayne had more courage in his little finger than Bob Packwood had in his whole body (just ask JFK).
superdestroyer
If voting for any Republican is voting for the anti-homosexual Republicans, then isn’t voting for any Democrat the same as voting for the racist members of the Congressional Black Caucus who want separate and unequal standards for whites and blacks in the U.S. ?
If progressives hate racism and hate so much, why do they continue to support politicians who believes that blacks should have admissions or hiring standards than whites?