Monday, May 31, 2010

typical repugs

GOP won’t allow ideas to raise taxes on new site, but Hitler references and anti-Hispanic rhetoric are ok.

House Republicans launched a new website (America Speaking Out) yesterday to “listen” to Americans’ policy ideas in order to craft a new Party agenda. However, the site is not an open forum for just any idea. Project leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said the GOP will stick to its “principles” — meaning they won’t incorporate any idea they don’t already agree with. Moreover, the new site comes with some caveats. “Someone who wants to come on and make the suggestion on how to raise taxes, for example,” said Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL). “They are welcome to do that, [but] that’s not something that we are going to take up.” Also discouraged? “Suggestions on amnesty or a path to legalization for illegal immigrants and anything pro-choice.” However, it appears that references to Hitler are just fine. In addition to mentions of Hitler, the Washington Post’s Dana Millbank reports some other rather odd and offensive suggestions the GOP has allowed on America Speaking Out:

End Child Labor Laws,” suggests one helpful participant. “We coddle children too much. They need to spend their youth in the factories.”

“How about if Congress actually do thier job and VET or Usurper in Chief, Obama is NOT a Natural Born Citizen in any way,” recommends another. “That fake so called birth certificate is useless.” [...]

“Don’t let the illegals run out of Arizona and hide. … 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’!!!” (Filed under “job creation.”) [...]

“I oppose the Hispanicization of America,” said one. “These are not patriotic people.” Another contributor had parody in mind (we hope): “English is are official langauge. Anybody who ain’t speak it the RIGHT way should kicked out.”

The Wonk Room’s Andrea Nill observes some other friendly suggestions on the website, such as: “Why support illegal immigration to bring this country down to the level of Mexcico [sic]? Whe [sic] to the Hispanics just go home?”

(Think Progress)