Have a cookie — support a Girl Scout ‘terrorist’? – Leonard Pitts Jr. – MiamiHerald.com

Thus does social conservatism skid through the last barriers of basic intellect, simple decency and common sense, hurtling breakneck off the deep end. Next stop: utter incoherence. …

But then, social conservatism is where logic fears to tread. It is a worldview driven by fear of the world beyond its racial, gender, religious, cultural and intellectual borders. Historically, it always has been. …

And you have to wonder: How narrow must a man’s worldview be, how paranoid his outlook, what a bunker his very life, when he is scared of Girl Scouts?

Some of us have argued that social conservatives use fear as a tactic. And there’s likely some truth to that. But one senses little of tactical planning in Morris’ missive. No, the fact is, he believes what he says. Many of them do.

If you want to be scared of something, be scared of that.

Have a cookie — support a Girl Scout ‘terrorist’? – Leonard Pitts Jr. – MiamiHerald.com

I’ve been fearing this for some time. Last weekend, Maureen Dowd said there is talk of a Republican savior emerging. When I mention Jeb Bush, my liberal friends think Duhbya destroyed the brand (as he nearly did America), but look at the loons the party has taken all-too-seriously so far. A friend thinks it might be a general, a hero. Leaving less than 2 months to find the skeletons before the election.

Michigan, Arizona Prepare For Tuesday’s Primaries : NPR

ROBERTS: Now, I don’t think most Americans think their kids shouldn’t go to college for ideological reasons. The effect of all of this, David, is that people in the party – the governors who were here in Washington this weekend – are beginning to say maybe we need another candidate; maybe we need a brokered convention – a wide open convention. Now, those things tend not to happen. But there’s a tremendous amount of nervousness, particularly with a new poll out today showing President Obama beating any Republican handily and doing very well with independents.

GREENE: There’s still a chance for a fresh face in the time that we have left, is political commentator Cokie Roberts.

Michigan, Arizona Prepare For Tuesday’s Primaries : NPR

Rick Santorum’s rhetoric goes to the extreme – The Washington Post

By Eugene Robinson, Monday, February 27, 12:11 PM

Something had to change — so, in recent days, Santorum’s avuncular smile has become a nasty sneer.

On Saturday, he attacked President Obama for advocating higher education. Yes, you read that right: Santorum came out against going to college.

“President Obama once said he wants everybody in America to go to college,” Santorum said in Michigan. “What a snob.”

Huh? Santorum elaborated: “There are good, decent men and women who go out and work hard every day, and put their skills to test, that aren’t taught by some liberal college professor trying to indoctrinate them. Oh, I understand why he [Obama] wants you to go to college. He wants to remake you in his image.”

Ridiculous? Offensive? Hypocritical? Manifestly, all of the above.

Only a fool or a liar is unaware that higher education is all but a prerequisite for success in the post-industrial economy; the unemployment rate for college graduates is just 4.4 percent, compared to 9.5 percent for high-school graduates. The idea that encouraging young people to go to college is really an attempt to lure them into indoctrination camps, or campuses, would be grossly insulting if it were not so comically paranoid. …

Progressives have an obvious interest in seeing the Republican Party choose a weak nominee, but they shouldn’t hope for Santorum. He would be the most extreme candidate since Barry Goldwater — and probably would suffer the same fate. But the nation can’t afford to take that chance.

eugenerobinson@washpost.com

Rick Santorum’s rhetoric goes to the extreme – The Washington Post

Read the whole thing. It’s mind boggling. Hat tip to Pat Lyford.

Ghastly Outdated Party – NYTimes.com Maureen Dowd

The Republicans, with their crazed Reagan fixation, are a last-gasp party, living posthumously, fighting battles on sex, race, immigration and public education long ago won by the other side.

They’re trying to roll back the clock, but time is passing them by.

Ghastly Outdated Party – NYTimes.com

What’s the opposite of progress? The GOP.

Back to the ‘days’ of knees and aspirin – Leonard Pitts Jr. – MiamiHerald.com

By Leonard Pitts Jr.

lpitts@MiamiHerald.com

You know, back in my days, they used Bayer aspirin for contraception. The gals put it between their knees . . . — Foster Friess, Feb. 16, 2012

Friess, a major financial supporter of presidential wannabe Rick Santorum, managed to capture something telling and important about the way he and other social conservatives see this country.

It has been argued that they seek to forestall the future, to interdict social and demographic trends suggesting tomorrow’s America will be gayer, browner and more Islamic than today’s.

But that’s only half the story, isn’t it? Friess’ “joke” suggests they seek not just to challenge tomorrow’s changes, but also yesterday’s. They seek to re-impose what they regard as “the good old days,” as in a time when women were “gals” to be lectured by doctors on their sexual morality.

That should be an eye-opener for those who feel yesterday’s victories are impervious to challenge or change. Maybe it is time to wonder if that assurance is not misplaced. The very fact that we are debating contraception in 2012 suggests that it is — and that those who are sanguine about battles won 40 years ago might do well to reconsider.

Back to the ‘days’ of knees and aspirin – Leonard Pitts Jr. – MiamiHerald.com