Bellicose Bumpkin

I sent this questionnaire to Keiko Orrall and Roger Brunelle Jr. – candidates for 12th Bristol district representative seat. The questionnaire was sent out Friday and contains questions on issues that are important to me and probably of interest to a lot of voters. So far I haven’t heard back from either candidate whether they would or would not respond – but keep in mind I only sent it out two days ago:

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Would you rate yourself liberal, moderate, or conservative in general?

Would you rate yourself liberal, moderate, or conservative on fiscal issues? Please provide a position that demonstrates your answer.

Would you rate yourself liberal, moderate, or conservative on social issues? Please provide a position that demonstrates your answer.

Can you offer any specific ways to control spending in state government?

Can you offer any specific ways that municipal governments can control spending?

What is your position on global warming, green energy and/or the green economy?

Do you have any specific recommendations on improving the public school system?

Do you support “No Child Left Behind”?

What are your thoughts on Charter schools?

Do you support same-sex marriage?

Do you support a woman’s right to legal abortion?

How do you feel about privatization of government functions?

Do you have any opinion on the Pacheco law?

Do you think any changes are needed in state government employee compensation packages? If so, what?

What is your position on collective bargaining of state employee unions?

Do you think cities and town are legally obligated to fund the state portion of the Quinn bill if that portion is not funded by the state?

Do you have any plan for addressing OPEB liability?

Do you agree with Governor Patrick’s stance on the “Secure Communities” program?

What persons or organizations comprise the top five contributions to your campaign?

What issue(s) are most important to you and what specific solutions would you propose to address them?

Open question: Why should someone vote for you?

So I was talking to my son Jake – who just entered sixth grade at Middleboro’s Nichols Middle School – and asked him “If humans evolved from monkeys, how come you don’t see monkeys turning into humans today?”. Jake thought for about three seconds and said “Because it takes millions of years”.

Which gives him better mastery of basic science than Christine O’Donnell – who is running for US Senate in Delaware. O’Donnell insists in this clip that “evolution is a myth”. As crazy as I find that to be, her opinion is well within the mainstream of Republican beliefs and even the beliefs of a significant number of Independents and Democrats. In a Gallup poll from 2007, a 68% majority of Republicans say they do not believe in evolution. That’s compared to 37% of Independents and 40% of Democrats. Unbelievable. Enjoy the clip:

It’s no secret that Democrats are facing a tough election this November. It’s common for the President’s party to lose seats in the midterm election – particularly when they hold a majority in both houses. There is also a lot of discontent with the way things are going – particularly the economy. Fueling that discontent is some pretty whacked out things coming from the fringe right of the teabagger party: Obama is a Nazi/Socialist/Marxist, Obama is not a US citizen, Obama is a Muslim, Obama/Pelosi/Reid are violating the constitution, and so on. Many are predicting that the Democrats will lose their majority in the House and Senate.

Teabaggers to the rescue.

With last night’s win in Delaware for Christine O’Donnell – fueled by teabagger support – the Republicans have to run a real lunatic fringe candidate that is way outside even the conservative mainstream. This may very well be the race that keeps the Senate in Democratic hands. From The Hill: “GOP strategist John Feehery told The Hill Tuesday that an O’Donnell win “means Republicans don’t take the Senate.”


Meanwhile, teabagger candidates have a significant number of other senate and house primary wins. The question is – is America ready to toss out moderates for the far right fringe. For every relatively moderate teabagger favorite like Scott Brown there is a Sharron Angle or Christine O’Donnell.

My prediction is that teabagger losses in the general election will preserve a slim Democratic majority in the Senate and possibly even the House.

Thank you teabbaggers. Especially you far right fringe teabaggers with your Hitler mustaches, birther nutjobs, Obabma-is-an-AAArab types, and people that show up at rallies with signs like these:

With Health care reform passed, there are those calling it the greatest progressive achievement of the last two generations and those that think it is disaster in the making – a valid concern providing you’ve gotten your information about the bill’s content from a reputable source.
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And then there are those on the Congressional floor calling Democrats Baby Killers, accusing the president of lying, and threatening violence if health care reform passed. And let’s not forget the teabagger protesters who called a 60′s era civil rights activists a ni**er, called Barney Frank a fa**ot, and spat on democratic members of congress. I’m sure the vast majority of Republicans are mortified by these fringe lunatics – and GOP leadership would do well to start denouncing this behavior and distancing themselves from them instead of speaking at their rallies.
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The November elections will be interesting. Without a single Republican vote, the Democrat’s rose from the ashes of the Scott Brown conflagration and snatched health care victory from the jaws of defeat. With they be praised or pummelled at the polls? Will Republicans be cast as the party of “No” who were still munching free chicken wings at happy hour while the health care bus roared past them on the way to history? Or will they be swept to victory by a pitchfork-wielding angry mob of voters.
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Interesting and historic event but the Hitler mustaches and crazy-talk attacks have got to go.

Here is the must have gift for the Republican in your life – a Scott Brown action figure.

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Fans can get get the “Everyman action figure” in blue jeans, T-shirt and sneakers.

There’s also the 2012 executive figure and then the “Cosmo man” — for adults only of course — complete with tiny fig leaf for modesty.

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Sign me up for the Cosmo model.