Short Attention Span Musing

...Guess the GOP has decided that it doesn't need the votes of women...

By now, everyone with a TV, access to the internet, or simply has a pulse has heard of GOP Rep. Todd Akin's remarks that women who are the victims of a "legitimate rape" cannot get pregnant as a result of that rape.  He supports a total ban on abortion and he used his assertion to rationalize his opposition to carving out an exception to the ban in the case of a rape that results in a pregnancy.

He's been getting heat from all over, even from Republicans looking to distance themselves from his remarks (even as a GOP committee added Akin's position to their 2012 platform).

Perhaps wanting to show solidarity with Akin's ignorance and misogyny, his colleague, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) chimed in today by announcing that he has never heard of victims of statutory rape or incest "getting pregnant" as a result of the statutory rape or incest.


...Guess the GOP has decided it doesn't need the votes of Latinos, either...

Exhibit 1 - They're bringing Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to their convention in Tampa next week to speak to delegates.  From KPHO (Channel 5), written by Sean McLaughlin -

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio will speak to Republican National Convention delegates in Tampa this month. He won't be speaking at the convention hall but at a special reception at the city's zoo.

According to a news release from the state's Republican Party, the self-proclaimed "toughest sheriff in the country" will address delegates from western states at the Lowrey Park Zoo on Aug. 30.

Exhibit 2 - They've added many of the provisions of the infamous SB1070 to the party platform mentioned above.  From The Hill, written by Cameron Joseph -

The Republican Party has officially endorsed its backing for Arizona-style state immigration laws, adding into its platform language that such laws should be "encouraged, not attacked" and calling for the federal government to drop its lawsuits against the laws.

That language and other provisions were widely approved by the party after being introduced by the co-author of the Arizona law, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R).

...Guess the GOP has decided that they can make up the lost votes by appealing to the "overgrown drunken frat boy" demographic.

From Reuters, via the Chicago Tribune (emphasis mine) -

A group of Republican lawmakers and staff jumped into Israel's Sea of Galilee last year after a night of dining and drinking, and one freshman congressman swam naked, Republican aides confirmed late on Sunday.

The incident, first reported by Politico on Sunday, was investigated by the FBI and led Republican leaders in the House of Representatives to reprimand the 30 lawmakers on the privately funded trip.

{snip}

Representatives Steve Southerland, Tom Reed, Ben Quayle, Jeff Denham and Michael Grimm were among the more than 20 lawmakers and staff that jumped into the Sea of Galilee, Politico said.

To be fair to Arizona's Ben Quayle, while he was there cavorting on some private lobbyist's dime, he kept his clothes on, more or less (at least, not as "less" as Rep. Kevin Yoder, the "au natural" swimmer).

Still, probably not the image that Quayle, whose biggest (non-papa Quayle-purchased) career accomplishment prior to winning a seat in Congress was writing for gossipy/near-porn site "Dirty Scottsdale", wants to project.


BTW - for this post, I think I deserve extra points for not going for a "tried walking on water" joke.  It was too obvious.  It was too lame.  It was...OK - who am I kidding?  I couldn't think of one on short notice that was good enough.