LESS THAN FINEST HOUR

In this the 30th Congressional election I've followed since 1952, I've never before witnessed a minoirt party determined to sabotage the economic recovery program of the ruling party making inroads on the near economic collapse under that same minority party when last in power. Their apparent electoral strategy is to cause another mini-meltdown so they can blame the ruling party and regain Congress in the mid-terms.

To paraphrase Winston Churchill in describing the RAF fliers who saved Britain during the Battle of Britain seventy years ago, "never have so few done so much to hurt so many".

If the GOP strategy works and they triumphantly gavel Congress into session come January, ready with a program of renewed tax cuts for the rich, more deregulation for the Banksters and Oil Barons, and possibly a third war, this time against Iran, we can harken back to Winnie once again, but proclaim instead, "this was not their finest hour".

Also published in USA Today, August 16, 2010

TRIBUNE'S CHAPMAN BACKS WRONG SIDE IN GAY MARRIAGE DEBATE

Steve Chapman in his opposition piece (Overreaching on gay marriage, August 7) reminds me of the faux progressive defenders of Jim Crow laws in the 1950's who agonized that the attempt to legislate equality from the bench would backfire because you cannot change racists' hearts and minds that way. Chapman is deeply troubled that the federal circuit court decision allowing gay marriage in California and a possible Supreme Court decision allowing it nationwide "would spark a furious backlash from Americans who...think such decisions belong with them and their elected representatives". So when it comes to granting gays marriage equality and relief from second class status, versus assuaging the feelings of homophobes, he comes down in favor of the homophobes, just like his forebears came down in favor of the racists.

But the corker is when Chapman frets about granting gays the right to marry a single same sex partner but not granting polygamists the right to multiple wives. It's unfair, he argues since it denies the polygamist's claim to a natural right to multiple wives just as banning gay marriage denies the gay's natural right to a single same sex spouse. That is utter nonsense. Even Chapman is careful not to use the usual homophobe's canard that same sex marriage will lead to an avalanche of men seeking their Constitutional right to marry a goat. Substitute goats for multiple wives as a non-sensical social wrong that must be corrected along with the very real social wrong of denying same sex marriage, and you come off as a fool. But as goats don't cut it for denying same sex marriage, neither does polygamy.

Chapman, who says he supports gay marriage, is trying his best to push back this long overdue reform for another generation.