As a nation, we appear to have stepped back about 150 years when it was apparently okay to some people to characterize those with dark skin as apes or monkeys. If a newspaper in Europe can show a photoshop pic of the Obamas with monkey faces, and Donald Rumsfeld can refer to Obama as no better than a trained ape, with no shame and no public outcry of disgust, we have lost all moral compass.
I am sad beyond words that conservatives are actually competing with each other to see how far back they can turn the hands of time. Outlawing abortion doesn't go far enough. Now it's up to my boss to decide my choice of contraception? Voting is not a right, but a privilege? Christianity trumps government? Alternative lifestyles are evil and will land all of us in hell? Ryan had no idea his "inner city" comment would offend?
They are overreaching, stretching the bounds of sanity as well as morality. I believe they are doing this on purpose. They are dragging the crazies beyond the bounds of right-wing in order to alter the center. And it appears to be working.
Would it help to create some far left counter-proposals? How about an affirmative action initiative to limit the number of old, white men in Congress to their actual portion of the population? How about no Viagra without a prostate exam? How about a law limiting voting rights to those who have incomes at or below the poverty level? And instead of standing on line, they would be driven to the voting booth in limos?
How about outlawing all overt displays of religion? If someone sneezes, we must say gesundheit - not god bless you. Take "in god we trust" off the currency. Take "under god" back out of the pledge. Outlaw bumper stickers with any reference to jesus. Force all children to read Sermon on the Mount, but without connotation regarding origin.
Make criticism of homosexuality a crime unless the critic can prove he/she has tried it at least once. Force all health classes in high school to have at least one assembly featuring a transgender adult. Make anyone convicted of bullying spend a month at Rikers.
Of course, such outreach would fail. It would only further anger the righteous right. But why then are their excesses not creating any substantial backlash on the left?