Tuesday, June 06, 2006
I Am So Disgusted With Republican Posturing
I am a lobbyist in Washington, DC. I have seen every kind of political posturing. I have seen elected officials shamelessly pandering -- cynically saying one thing for constituent consumption, and doing quite another.
I should be used to it by now. Nothing should phase me any more.
But this week, I just can't take it.
Realizing they face the real risk of losing control of one or both houses of Congress in November, they are trotting out the old reliable issues to rile up their base -- the anti-gay marriage amendment to get the religious conservatives in line, and the repeal of the estate tax to get farmers and small business owners in line.
On the anti-gay stuff, I still cannot understand how a commitment to each other between two people of the same sex is destroying heterosexual marriage. Dana Milbank of the Washington Post was on TV last night and said he interviewed the eight protestors at the Capitol yesterday who were concerned about gay marriage, and one of their main talking points is that gay marriage will lead to more masturbation. Is that the best they can come up with?
On the estate tax repeal, Republicans have convinced farmers and small business owners that their heirs will have to sell everything to pay taxes. That's simply not true, but no one seems to care. Paris Hilton, if she were capable of thinking about it, no doubt would favor repeal of the estate tax, since the current tax affects only very large estates -- less than 2% of all estates, I am told.
I guess Republican posturing will be over after this week -- at least until after the August vacation.
America deserves better. Let's work to restore Democratic majorities in Congress.
I should be used to it by now. Nothing should phase me any more.
But this week, I just can't take it.
Realizing they face the real risk of losing control of one or both houses of Congress in November, they are trotting out the old reliable issues to rile up their base -- the anti-gay marriage amendment to get the religious conservatives in line, and the repeal of the estate tax to get farmers and small business owners in line.
On the anti-gay stuff, I still cannot understand how a commitment to each other between two people of the same sex is destroying heterosexual marriage. Dana Milbank of the Washington Post was on TV last night and said he interviewed the eight protestors at the Capitol yesterday who were concerned about gay marriage, and one of their main talking points is that gay marriage will lead to more masturbation. Is that the best they can come up with?
On the estate tax repeal, Republicans have convinced farmers and small business owners that their heirs will have to sell everything to pay taxes. That's simply not true, but no one seems to care. Paris Hilton, if she were capable of thinking about it, no doubt would favor repeal of the estate tax, since the current tax affects only very large estates -- less than 2% of all estates, I am told.
I guess Republican posturing will be over after this week -- at least until after the August vacation.
America deserves better. Let's work to restore Democratic majorities in Congress.
