Foley Scandal Even Worse Than You Think; Christians were fooled again

[barondave]

I haven't jumped on the sad, pathetic, sleazy Mark Foley "Masturgate" scandal because it just seemed like piling on. Still, today's revelations should convince even the most diehard Republican that their party has abandoned any sense of morality:

How Rove Twisted Foley's Arm

It seems increasingly clear that the GOP congressional leadership, eager for every safe incumbent in the House to run for re-election, looked the other way as evidence accumulated that Mark Foley had a thing for pages. Holding onto his seat became more important than confronting him over his extracurricular activities.

But there's more to the story of why Foley stood for re-election this year. Yesterday, a source close to Foley explained to THE NEW REPUBLIC that in early 2006 the congressman had all but decided to retire from the House and set up shop on K Street. "Mark's a friend of mine," says this source. "He told me, 'I'm thinking about getting out of it and becoming a lobbyist.'"

So... not only did high ranking Republicans know about Foley's predatory sexual practices, they went out of their way to ignore them just to win an election. I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Republicans don't believe in Democracy. Conservatives don't believe in America.

Nor do Republicans put much faith in Christianity, except as a cynical ploy to manipulate devout but gullible people:

Exclusive: Book says Bush just using Christians

More than five years after President Bush created the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, the former second-in-command of that office is going public with an insider’s tell-all account that portrays an office used almost exclusively to win political points with both evangelical Christians and traditionally Democratic minorities.

...

Kuo, who has complained publicly in the past about the funding shortfalls, goes several steps further in his new book.

He says some of the nation’s most prominent evangelical leaders were known in the office of presidential political strategist Karl Rove as “the nuts.”

“National Christian leaders received hugs and smiles in person and then were dismissed behind their backs and described as ‘ridiculous,’ ‘out of control,’ and just plain ‘goofy,’” Kuo writes.

More seriously, Kuo alleges that then-White House political affairs director Ken Mehlman knowingly participated in a scheme to use the office, and taxpayer funds, to mount ostensibly “nonpartisan” events that were, in reality, designed with the intent of mobilizing religious voters in 20 targeted races.

Evangelical Christians unite: Zero tolerance for Republicans!

Comments

[rebeccax.livejournal.com]

Republicans don't believe in Democracy. Conservatives don't believe in America.

Amen, sister!

[dmnsqrl.livejournal.com]

Hmmm.... wonder what that will do for people who's primary fear about Bush and his administration is the idea of them making religion-based decisions?

I suspect such people will ignore this book an any evidence it might present as supportive.

(I made a post... maybe a year ago... where I noted that whether someone felt Bush was making decisions based on religion... or a cynic about religion... said more about what that person had already decided about the Bush administration and how that person already felt about religion than anything else.

People who feel positively about religion and support Bush assume that he's making the decisions he is because of his religion. People who are uncomfortable with polititions making decisions based on religion who support Bush assume that he's humoring a powerful lobby and making decisions based on a secular viewpoint. People who feel positively about religion and do not support Bush assume that he is a cynic who only mouths religious words and makes decisions with no actual reference to the beliefs he claims to have. People who are uncomfortable with politicians making decisions based on religion who do not support Bush assume that he is a religious fanatic who makes all decisions based on his interpretation of the Bible.'

Go ahead. Ask around what people think Bush's policies are based on. Then ask yourself what that person's position has been on Bush and how that person tend to feel about religion. Each demographic seems to feel that all the evidence supports their view of the situation. It's like a Rorschach(sp?) administration)

[barondave.livejournal.com]

wonder what that will do for people who's primary fear about Bush and his administration is the idea of them making religion-based decisions?

Bush has appointed religious nutcases to Federal courts and put them in charge of scientific research. The fear isn't that Bush will make religion-based decisions -- if he really believed in G-d, he wouldn't lie -- but that he panders to the worst elements of the far right.

I feel positively about religion, but I don't feel positively about everyone who claims to follow religious teachings. Like Bush, too many use a professed "faith in a higher power" to ignore the world G-d created.

Bush isn't dangerous because he's a fundie, he's dangerous because he's a drunken frat boy who doesn't care about American values. He has his own selfish agenda, and is only trying to steal money for and give power to his friends.... and we are not his friends.

[dmnsqrl.livejournal.com]

Ok, well there are people out there who seriously think that Bush is doing the things he has done because he is trying to bring about the 'End Times'/Rapture.

[dmnsqrl.livejournal.com]

Might grab the link, though, to bring to the attention of some of the more vocal "Bush is dangerous because he's a fundie" people in my listening sphere just to see if it does have any effect on their viewpoint.