"Homer, that's your solution to everything- to move under the sea, well it's not gonna happen!"

:)

The Republican party overplayed their collective hand so badly during the Bush administration, that the majority of the citizens of this country left them in the dust in November.

As it should be- they have no platform anymore. They have no solutions to our problems, only obstruction. What are they for now? They hate taxes, gays, and Obama- but this isn't something you can create a viable national party over.

All of the GOP's strongest positions were either destroyed under Bush (the myth of "small government" and "fiscal conservative"), or shown to be so utterly corrupt and repugnant (wars of choice, torture, corporatism, torture, suspension of habeas corpus, torture, Military Commissions Act) that no one will touch them with a ten foot pole.

The GOP is a stinking, rotting corpse. It will be many years, and a great deal of soul searching before they are able to be a viable party again- if ever.

I don't like the idea of an indefinite one party rule in this country. But the GOP will not be able to be a legitimate political counter as long as it is solely comprised of bigoted, teabagging, obstructionist whiners.

Foxx's comments are not only ignorant, but unconscionable. I grew up and lived forty minutes away from where Matthew Shepard was murdered. I knew people who knew him. There is no doubt in my mind, or the minds of thousands of others, that this was a hate crime. It- like the Republican party- was motivated by a virulent bigotry against gays.

The message that Republicans send about gays is not just about hatred for who we are, but a blatant belief that we are less than human, and therefore less worthy of legal protection or civil status. What else could motivate the Foxx's argument that Shepard's murder was nothing more than "robbery"?

This kind of hate mongering might have gained some traction when Anita Bryant was the hatemonger siren back in the late 70's, but this is the 21st Century. Nearly every American citizen knows someone who is gay, is related to someone who is gay - or is now more free to come out themselves. The unmitigated gay bashing that is the only solid plank in the GOP platform is becoming more repulsive by the day. In twenty years Americans will view Foxx and her ilk with the same disgust we now view segregationists.

"their meth-addled minds figured that a gay person would somehow not be missed,making it easier to get away with."

This is what I was referring to in my previous post- the mentality that assumes that gays and lesbians are somehow less "worthy", or less human, than straights. It is what motivates hate crimes, and more crucially, it is what motivates a societal belief that gays and lesbians are less worthy of equality under the law- something that Foxx's comments are suggestive of.

One aspect of Obama's recent prime time press conference that I found particularly heartening was his remark that abortion decisions are best made by women themselves.

Exactly what millions of us have been saying for years, but what a breath of fresh air to come from our President! Such a nice change from smug old men who feel that they know best about what women should be able to do with their own bodies.

then I will NEVER be a good person. And I'm okay with that.

I will say that it is refreshing that the columnist realizes that Republicans have cared more about "ruling rather than governing." This has been the Republican mantra since the Clinton administration, if not before. Never was it so blatantly demonstrated then it was under Bush's administration. That's a big thing that needs to be fixed- and something that all members of our government should pay heed to. Part of the reason that Congress enjoys perennially dismal approval ratings stems from the fact that most Americans feel that they have no recourse in expressing our concerns to our representatives- calls and letters are not returned, and most elected officials have a "damn the torpedoes" attitude.

"for the GOP to provide effective solutions to the problems facing the country, solutions that have their roots in conservative principles."

What are these, exactly? I almost had to stifle a chuckle here, because if there is anything the past eight years have proven, it's that so-called "conservative principles" are dead in the water. Trickle down economics? FAIL. Fiscal Conservativism? FAIL. Desire for a smaller central government? FAIL. The GOP's major problem at the moment is the fact that it is chock full of principles that DON'T work and no one wants.

"America remains a center-right country."

This Rove-ian myth needs to die a quick and painful death. Poll after poll suggests that Americans in the vast majority favor progressive solutions to healthcare, the environment, jobs, civil rights and education.

This is nothing more than a myth- propagated by the right- that Americans are nothing more than selfish, consumerist, fag-hating, greed bags just waiting for their turn at the trough. Not true. Most Americans are furious at the atrocious way the for-profit health care system is run in this country. Most Americans would like an environment where their children can grow up to lead healthy lives. And most Americans are coming to realize that gays and lesbians are not the devil- many are appalled at the sentiments of Miss California and her ilk.

The GOP is in a position where it will require a deep soul searching and a return to the drawing board- not only in regard to its core principles, but how they are executed. It's 2009- not 1950- Chicken Little cries of "Socialism!" and "Communist!" seem absurdly dated and out of touch, and are falling on deaf ears.