Democratsand the rest of the countryare rightly upset by the comments by Missouri GOP Senate hopeful Todd Akin about “legitimate rape.”<br /><br />His comment was uninformed, wrong and just plain offensive.<br /><br />What struck me the most was how out of touch Akin, and his fellow Republicans, really are with real-world concerns. <br /><br />In Republican World, it\'s men only, preferably white and Christian. <br /><br />The government solely exists to fight wars and give tax breaks to millionaires and corporations. The free market is never wrong. (Except when the free market self-destructs so you <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://dailycaller.com/2010/02/14/paul-ryan-explains-his-votes-for-tarp-auto-bailouts-and-tax-on-aig-bonuses/\">vote for the bank bailout</a> in an effort to save capitalism from itself, as Paul Ryan did. Shouldn\'t the good Randian from Janesville have let the economy collapse so that it could remain free of government intervention? Hm.)<br /><br />Anyway, back to Akin. What I saw and heard in Akin\'s interview was a guy who is totally clueless. Sort of how I feel when I see Wisconsin GOP Senator Ron Johnsona small-town big-shot who doesn\'t know a whole lot about the world beyond his backyard, someone who doesn\'t care a whole lot about people who aren\'t exactly like him. <br /><br />Akin\'s belief in “legitimate rape” and his lack of understanding of the consequences of rape weren\'t a problem for him thus far, because he\'s solely circulating among folks who think just like he does. Folks who are completely unconcerned with those who live outside of Republican World.<br /><br />Akin is the mainstream of the Republican Party, folks. <br /><br />After all, Paul Ryan, the GOP\'s vice presidential candidate, authored billsat times with Todd Akinthat would grant <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/08/20/712501/paul-ryan-and-todd-akin-partnered-on-radical-personhood-bill-outlawing-abortion-and-many-birth-control-pills/\">constitutional rights to fertilized eggs</a> and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/paul-ryans-strong-views-on-abortion-add-to-campaigns-polarization-on-womens-issues/2012/08/20/97988ff8-ea92-11e1-866f-60a00f604425_story.html\">make all abortions illegal</a>, with no exemptions for rape or incest, and even created a type of rape known as “<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://www.businessinsider.com/todd-akin-paul-ryan-rape-bill-forcible-legitimate-mitt-romney-2012-8\">forcible rape</a>.” (As opposed to consensual rape? Asking-for-it rape? Boys-will-be-boys rape? Am I missing something here?)<br /><br />The <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/20/first-on-cnn-gop-prepares-tough-anti-abortion-platform/\">Republican platform of 2012 calls for outlawing abortions</a>, all abortions, as it has in 2000, 2004 and 2008.<br /><br />Mind you that the Republicans\' shift to the fringes isn\'t limited to the national party. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"/blog-5992-women-for-walker-seriously.html\">Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and almost all Republican legislators were endorsed by Pro-Life Wisconsin</a> in 2010a group that opposes all abortions and modern contraceptives. Contraceptives!<br /><br />And why is this so? Well, I doubt that Akin has ever met a rape survivor. I wonder if he\'s ever thought through the consequences of his position. Like, why must a victim of a crime be further victimized by carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term? Isn\'t the original crime punishment enough? OhI forgot. A “legitimate” rape victim\'s body has some sort of magical way to prevent that pregnancy. Magical thinkingthat\'s what the GOP mainstream is all about now.<br /><br />Akin is staying in the race, although Republicans are allegedly trying to push him out. There are reports that Paul Ryan manned up and phoned Akin, his partner on many Neanderthal-esque bills, to drop out of the race. <br /><br />I hiiiiiighly doubt Ryan did this on principle and that he\'s outraged by Akin\'s disrespect for women. <br /><br />Ryan did it because he\'s a consummate opportunist. <br /><br />Not only that, he wants to burnish his image in the press. He wants to seem like a principled, stand-up guy. But he\'s really as clueless, and reactionary, as Akin. <br /><br />No wonder why the Obama campaign was delighted that Ryan was tapped to run with Romney. <br /><br />A little daylight shone on Romney, Ryan, Akin et al. in Republican World could prove to be a wonderful disinfectant. If only the American public will pay attention.<br /><br />
|
|
