Gee, thanks, Republicans! Don't mind if I do.
If you go to AmericaSpeakingOut.com, site funder John Boehner and friends, including Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, invite you to submit and vote on your very own ideas for making (Republican) America great. However, while the site does have its share of predictable right-wing screeds from the Faux News-watching crowd, other ideas posted on the site are probably not what the Congressional Republicans quite had in mind.
More at the jump.
The America Speaking Out Web site was announced by Georgia Representative Phil Gingery in the weekly Republican radio/Web address. According to Gingery, the GOP forum:
will allow people to submit ideas for a "new agenda," regardless of which party they belong to.
Gingery also says America Speaking Out will feature town hall-style meetings with constituents.
Well, gee, what a brilliant idea, if it really did welcome bipartisan ideas for a new agenda. The only thing is that this site apparently intends to lead its audience--and hence its ideas--down the path of a decidedly right-wing agenda:
This site was developed as part of an official effort to increase the dialogue between Americans and their Congress. Here, Americans are provided a new platform to share their priorities and ideas for a national policy agenda. As House Republicans, we are committed to our principles of limited, more accountable government; economic freedom; lower taxes; fiscal responsibility; protecting life, American values, and the Constitution; and providing for strong national security. This is an open forum, however, where all Americans are welcome to respectfully offer their opinions, regardless of party affiliation and whether we endorse them or not. It is our hope the active engagement of the American people will produce a robust debate that will aid in the construction of a new American agenda.
Although it is certainly admirable for the House Republicans to, as they
claim, "respectfully offer their opinions, regardless of party affiliation and whether we endorse them or not," a quick look at the Let's Get Started topic categories suggests that they're more or less directing the site's visitors into submitting ideas based on Republican pet issues. A list of the categories, per the Let's Get Started section on the home page:
American Prosperity - Providing Americans the Opportunity to Succeed
Well, maybe if you're in the top 5 percent of income earners. The rest of you worthless, unemployed or under-employed Americans, well--screw you.
Fiscal Accountability - Restoring Discipline and Respecting Your Hard Earned Dollars
Translation: Respecting Our (Rich People's Not-So) Hard Earned Dollars. More Bush Tax Cuts, Dammit!!
American Values - Protecting Those Things We Hold Dear
Such as "Opposite-Sex" marriage and unborn fetuses!
National Security - Providing a Safe and Secure Nation
Insert "White Christian" before "Nation" and that would about sum it up.
How helpful! There is even an Open Mic category where you can submit your own ideas for getting America back on track. Predictably, as I mentioned above, the site has its share of right-wing ideas (or not, as shown in this tired non-argument from an anti-choicer:
Please, pro-abortionists, realize and admit that the unborn child is NOT a part of the woman's body. The unborn child is unique, has its own genetic code. Stop the simplistic argument that a woman has a right to do whatever she wants with her own body. The baby's body is separate--it is not an organ--but a PERSON!
And a conservative-ideas site just wouldn't be one without some crazy who wants to up the ante on Arizona's already-horrible immigration law:
Make the Arizona immigration law a national law! Don't let the illegals run out of Arizona and hide. We have had enough of congress dithering on this. This will make it easier for us to find the illegals and deport them. And I think that we should do something to identify them in case they try to come back over. Like maybe tattoo a big scarlet "I" on their chests -- for "illegal"!!! What do you think?
Or this well-intentioned, albeit admittedly terrible, idea for a big plug to stop the oil flow in the Gulf (sadly, this guy sounds serious):
We need to put some grease and A big plug in the oil spill to stop it. Grease Can clog any hole stop spilling. Get a big vaccum to get the oil out the water to make the water clean ans safe for the animals and the sea.
To my surprise, however, the truly right-wing testimonials--mostly having to do with immigration--were outnumbered by more moderate and liberal ideas and testimonials, and also some reasonable conservative ones. Some examples from throughout the site:
Stop the outsourcing of jobs from America to other countries that do not pay taxes into the U.S. and stop the tax breaks that are given to these companies that are outsourcing. If there company is in the United States, hire people in the United States. That would create more revenue for the government as the American workers would pay taxes and the companies would be paying taxes to America as well.
By user jcogar
Make health a right, not a privilege. Treat protection from injury or disease just like protection from crime or fire. Imagine if the police and fire departments were a for profit industries. Wealthy neighborhoods that could afford top quality protection would prosper, middle class neighborhoods would become slums, and poorer neighborhoods would simply deteriorate from crime and burn to the ground. Take the profit out of healthcare. Single payer. Period.
By user Jogor
Abortion is a complex, difficult moral issue. It is not the proper role of the government to make our moral decisions for us. Let people make up their own minds and take responsibility for their decisions. If we are to be the party of small government, less government intrusion, and personal liberty, we must stop trying to legislate abortion away. It's not the government's place to be a nanny that chooses our morality for us.
By user Sue D. Nymme
What happened to my Republican Party, the one I remember from my youth? Fiscal discipline, wariness about foreign entanglements and taxes but a sober commitment to the public good. I just don't see it in today's Republican Party with its courting of gun owners, anti-environmentalism, and the religious right. Forget the social issues, forget the divisiveness, put some intellectual heft behind the party in place of Beck, Palin, and Limbaugh. What you are gaining in frenzy you are losing in wisdom and leadership.
By user TomPaine
Release non-violent drug offenders - taxpayers are sick and tired of paying for non-violent drug offenders to sit around all day in jail. For one, there would be less of an 'overpopulated jails' issue. Secondly, it would save taxpayers money (housing, feeding, rehab programs, etc.). Third, it would create jobs if we grant more PTI (pre-trial intervention) programs and workers to help rehab people with drug programs.
By user raspo86
Decriminalize/legalize marijuana and tax it like alcohol and cigarettes. We waste way too much law enforcement resources in arresting and prosecuting individuals for simple possession. Taxing legal marijuana sales could add millions of dollars in revenue.
By user downout0551
And here's a recent post made by some liberal asshole named boofdah:
How about raising taxes on the top 1 percent of American earners like we did during the Eisenhower administration? That would go a long way in helping us reduce the deficit AND respecting the rest of the 99% of American earners' "hard-earned" money. Stop letting the exhorbitantly rich have a party and a free ride on the backs of the rest of us Americans who really DO work hard for a living. Thanks.