"longest political suicide note in modern Texas history"

[iconoclastic cat]

Check this out! Very interesting:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/2610350

Taxes, gays, abortion targeted by state GOP
SAN ANTONIO -- Texas Republican delegates on Friday adopted an ultraconservative party platform that attacks a wide range of targets -- from taxes and homosexuality to abortion and the United Nations -- and gives a mixed review to Gov. Rick Perry's priorities.
(snip)
Benkiser said the platform represents Texas ideals.

"Our issues, our principles resonate with Texas voters all across this state. And I think that bodes well for our future and the future growth of the party in our state," she said.

Texas Democratic Chairman Charles Soechting disagreed. He called the platform the "longest political suicide note in modern Texas history."

*****
Oh, this is funny. Why do I suddely hear "Speedball Baby" by Black Cat Bone in my mind?
Sorry. Obscure band reference.

[wellstone_democrat]

1. Well....perhaps

If you live in Midland/Odessa/Lubbock triangle it isn't suicide: It's Gospel!

One day Texas will return to a more populist Democratic stance. At that time, all of these loons will go right back to having the same audience they did from the 20s through the late 70s: the religiously insane which we breed here by the carload.

This too will pass in the sense of it being something that appears to have a wide audience. God help them when the more normal among us wake up-- so, in a way its a suicide note if you take into account the long term.

But, damn, no one can turn a phrase (in political rhetoric) like a Texan, eh?

[hlthe2b]

2. Texas Style Naziism......

I dearly appreciate our rational Texan colleagues, but forgive my periodic fantasies of letting Texas secede from the US....

[cjbuchanan]

3. Look for change

Right now Texas is about 60% Repug 40% Dem. However, those numbers are changing due to population growth. Also, as noted by Mr. Soechting, the Repug party is going further right every convention. The party that picked W. as their leader in 1994 is no longer there. They have gone much further right and it is starting to backfire.

People are pissed about redistricting; people are pissed at the inability of the Repug party to figure out a solution to school financing; and people are starting to raise eyebrows about "anti-gay" being the main battle cry of the repugs.

All these things will help the Dem party provided we offer a good alternative.

Mark my words, by 2012, Texas will be a toss-up state.

[Beatrix]

9. Only if we get the message out

A lot of people vote republican here because of the almost total right wing slant on every message, or because "everyone else" they know does. These are not politically savvy people. They are generally politically naive and don't have a full understanding of exactly what they are voting for or the two partys truly represent.

I've had people tell me they were voting republican. I ask them why. They give me some position they have that is a democratic rather than a republican position. Yet, they had no idea. They also have no idea just how far right the repub party down here is.

I think if we could get the message out that republicans in this state (by there own platform) want to abolish a ton of federal agencies, abolish minimum wage, make the state a theocracy, etc. they would rapidly lose power.

Unfortunately it may not be possible to get the message out, and even if we did the repubs would either lie, or people would refuse to believe even if the info is coming straight from the republican party.

[carpetbagger]

18. YOU NAILED IT ON THE MONEY!

Anglo Texans live in an extremely sheltered political coccoon. Politics is not something for which there's actually any dissenting views for most of them. Combined with a distaste of discussing ideas (I have almost never had another Texan, at least a non-native Texan, bring an idea into a discussion), you get a populace with no ability to understand complex issues.

Texans also are sorely lacking in basic values like sharing. Selfishness is ingrained and admired in the culture (it really is like Dallas the TV show in the suburbs). However, things like the New Deal carried the day because it spoke to the needs of most people, and didn't require empathy to be agreed to.

[cjbuchanan]

19. I agree

we need to get the message out. We need to do it in small ways. Had people a one page summery of the Repug position and let them make up their own mind.

I know that both my parents, who have been on the R side of things since 1984, are starting to question things.

[Beatrix]

4. Texans should post this on every street corner

Let the public know what the agenda is. After all, it's official repub platform. No need to comment. Just post it around town.

Oh here are the highlights from the 2002 platform.

"The Republican Party of Texas reaffirms the United States of America is a Christian Nation ..."

1. GOVERNMENT
"We reclaim freedom of religious expression in public on government property, and freedom from government interference."

Support government display of Ten Commandments.

Dispel the "myth" of the separation of church and state.

"A strong and vibrant private sector unencumbered by excessive government regulation"

Oppose Campaign Finance Reform

Oppose any form of gun control

Abolish:

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms;
position of Surgeon General;
EPA;
Department of Energy;
Department of Housing and Urban Development;
Department of Education;
Department of Commerce and Labor;
National Endowment for the Arts
2. ECONOMY
Abolish the dollar in favor of the gold standard.

Abolish the IRS

Eliminate income tax, inheritance tax, gift tax, capital gains, corporate income tax, payroll tax and property tax.

Repeal minimum wage law.

" ... gradually phase out Social Security tax" for a system of "private pensions"

3. UNITED NATIONS
" ... we immediately rescind our membership in, as well as all financial and military contributions to the United Nations."

We should " ... evict the United Nations from the United States and eliminate any further participation."


4. FAMILY
"We believe that traditional marriage is a legal and moral commitment between a man and a woman. We recognize that the family is the foundational unit of a healthy society and consists of those related by blood, marriage, or adoption. The family is responsible for its own welfare, education, moral training, conduct, and property."

"The practice of sodomy tears at the heart of our society..." "The party opposes decriminalization of sodomy."

Oppose all forms of abortion - even in cases of rape or incest.

"We unequivocally oppose United States Senate ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child."

5. EDUCATION
“We call for the abolition of the U.S. Department of Education and the prohibition of the transfer of any of its functions to any other federal agency.”

Support official prayer in public schools

Oppose Early Childhood Development Programs

"We support ... a program based upon biblical principles..."

Terminate bilingual education

"Since Secular Humanism is recognized by the United States Supreme Court as a religion ... Secular Humanism should be subjected to the same state and federal laws as any other recognized religions."

6. THE ENVIRONMENT
Oppose the "myth" of global warming

Reaffirm "the belief in the fundamental right of an individual to use property without governmental interference"

Oppose EPA management of Texas air quality

7. THE MIDDLE EAST
" ... Jerusalem is the capital of Israel ... " therefore, the United States should move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

[gpandas]

8. can't wait for the freedom of religious expression on public property

so my church of the penis and vagina can display our icons in judge moore's courtroom

[LittleApple81]

10. Is this a sarcastic version of the platform or is it based on reality? n/t

[Beatrix]

11. It is quite literal

You can find the full version here: http://www.texasgop.org/library/RPTPlatform2002.pdf

Every one of those positions is advocated in it.

The main Texas GOP site is here (but apparently it's closed for a while to respect reagan): http://www.texasgop.org/

[LittleApple81]

16. Oh my...oh my... oh my...oh my....oh my... I hoped it was irony and

sarcasm... I live TOO CLOSE TO TEXAS for my taste!

[loudsue]

14. That's a GREAT idea, Beatrix !!!

I totally agree that if this was posted.....or better yet, sent as a "flier" to every household in Texas, these repukes would be TOAST.

I'm an 8th generation Texan that has left there...for good. All the more progressive members of my family have left, and all the neocons remain. But even THEY wouldn't go along with 90% of the republican agenda.

POST IT!!!! Do a fund-raiser of some kind, and print this out and send it to every household! Say it in Spanish on the flip-side. It would get some very independent-minded Texans out in the streets... and hopefully to the polls.

Of course, the polls in Texas are HORRIBLY corrupted, for the most part.... the first thing we ALL need to do is get rid of the black boxes that make stealing an election as easy as the stroke of a keyboard.

:kick:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

17. Abolish the dollar in favor of the gold standard?

What?!? Oh, that's rich.

[Gold Metal Flake]

21. Are all these NOT the on the agenda of the National GOP?

Questions, not comments cloaked as questions. Keep in mind, folks, I am late to the party and am playing catchup (catsup? Ketchup?).

Have not the Neocons and the Norquist followers (whatever they are called) not espoused all of these at one time or another?

Have the GOP leadership in any other states composed a similar document?

Is this now the Official Stance of the national GOP?

[LoZoccolo]

5. John Birchism!

Another plank re-emphasizes long-standing conservative antipathy toward the United Nations by calling for the United States to rescind its membership in the U.N. and physically evict the U.N., which is headquartered in New York, from U.S. soil.

Oh shit! Look at that! Those people who're paranoid about the New World Order probably had a hand in this!

Yeah it's a suicide note. You could go back to the party and say "well is that person who wrote ____ still in ____ position in the party?" for years!

[TheFarseer]

6. That goes too far

even for most conservatives down here I think. People don't think the UN does anything but I'm sure that most people don't want to leave it and kick them out of NY. People don't want to give homosexuals special rights, but they can't see any sense in condemning them. I think only extreme activists still oppose all forms of gambling. I can't see repealing the minimum wage being popular. Death penalty for rape!! jezus christ that's getting carried away to say the least. Probably just Spurs fans mad at Kobe. There's alot to attack here. Not even most republicans are going to be behind this.

[charlie]

7. Hardly

Texas is a whole nuther planet. Politics there have always had an over-the-top cartoonish quality, even when it was a Democratic bastion.

[mourningdove92]

12. OMG, I just read the article

repeal hate crimes law? repeal MINIMUM WAGE? death penalty for rape? Evict the UN?

oh my.

[rumguy]

13. They are going off of the fuckin' deep end

This is going to be fun to watch.

[Blue_Tires]

15. comical

i agree...make sure this list gets printed out and posted EVERYWHERE...see how many seats they keep in the next election...If the dems don't turn right around and use this against them, then there's not much to be said...

BTW: PISS on the cowgirls, too!!

[louis-t]

20. Can you say....

'Extremists'? How 'bout 'Anarchy'? Texas rethugs need to start their own country.

[katusha]

22. i hate to say this

but this is almost the same as their 2000 platform. the Texas republican party was hijacked by the religious right long ago.

2000 STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM
http://www.rlctx.org/RLCTX/Texas%20Republican%20Party%20Platform%202000.htm

this is my favorite part:

Preserving National Security – The Party strongly urges the implementation of more stringent requirements for the issuance of National security clearances to individuals. Furthermore, in light of recent security fiascos, we urge our legislators to fully investigate and prosecute, where appropriate, any breeches in national security.

[Gold Metal Flake]

23. kick

kick