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Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential candidate, is the king of crass, the maven of craven and the show pony of phony. He switches positions quicker than a porn star and is more slippery than an okra plate dipped in country butter. I never thought the religious right would be gullible enough to buy Romney's eleventh hour conversion, but apparently he can buy theirs. According to an article in Sunday's New York Times, the ultra-wealthy Romney is desperately funneling cash to right wing organizations and literally banking on their support.
The Times revealed that a foundation of Romney's recently made $10,000-$15,000 contributions to the anti-abortion Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Massachusetts Citizens for Limited Taxation and the Massachusetts Family Institute. Moneybags Mitt also funneled $10,000 to a non-profit organization tied to the National Review magazine; he slipped $35,000 to the Federalist Society; and pumped $25,000 into the coffers of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.
Some of these American Mullahs were critical of Romney until he showed them the moolah. In a comic, if unintentional, slip, Citizens for Life praised Romney as one of Massachusetts "strongest assets." Yeah, I guess an estimated net-worth of $500 million would qualify as such. Not surprisingly, these "values" groups claim that their recent inclinations to support Romney had nothing to do with his donations and that their sudden helping hand is not a quid pro quo for his handouts.
Amazing how these protectors of the family don't question why their new Daddy Warbucks hadn't bought them so much as a Starbucks coffee before he started running for president. Personally, I don't believe that any of these organizations truly support Romney. I just think he has given them so many hundred dollar bills that they have begun to confuse him with Ben Franklin.
In the most shamelessly transparent move yet, Romney even joined the National Rifle Association giving new meaning to the term "soldier of fortune." There are still concerns in Evangelical circles about Romney's Mormon religion, but it seems his affiliation with the LDS will matter less if he becomes an ATM. The almighty dollar is the right wing's equivalent of an ecumenical prayer.
Perhaps, the gay movement should embark upon a new strategy. Instead of spending millions of dollars on lobbying, we should just buy off our opponents at a fraction of the cost. I suspect we could get a hate crimes law for under a million. Marriage would cost a bit more, but we could sweeten the deal by throwing in free passes to the Holy Land Experience amusement park in Orlando.
On an equally troubling note for religious purists, the Southern Baptist Convention is redefining Sin to accommodate Republican presidential candidates. The SBC's Richard Land intimated in the Times that some divorces are more troubling than others, calling John McCain's divorce a "molehill" compared to Giuliani's "mountain."
On MSNBC's Hardball, Land even said that Evangelicals would likely accept two marriages - but three brought up character and trust issues. With this shifting moral landscape among such "absolutists," can acceptance of Republican homosexuals be far behind?
It is amazing how the right wing creates Biblical loopholes when it fits their political needs. The Bible, if Land has read it, does not say that Giuliani's latest divorce was worse because he announced it at a press conference before he informed his wife. According to the Good Book - all divorce and remarriage is equally sinful.
Speaking of the Republican Marriage-Go-Round, Newt Gingrich told Focus on the Family's James Dobson that he was having an affair with a younger woman while he was working to impeach Bill Clinton for his affair with Monica. If this wasn't bad enough, America was reminded that in 1981, while his first wife Jackie Gingrich was recovering in the hospital from cancer surgery, Gingrich discussed divorce terms. Newt now claims that he does not remember the incident.
To most people, serving divorce papers to your wife in her sick bed would be a pretty seminal moment. If Newt can't recall this event, he must opt out of the presidential race because he can't be trusted with state secrets. In the meantime, I hope he finds a good neurosurgeon and I wish him a speedy recovery from his bout with nuptial amnesia.
The mere thought of a group that calls itself the Moral Majority endorsing any of these reprobate panderers and philanderers is perplexing and shows that they stand for nothing but money and power. On the brink of the next presidential election, the right is either looking for Romney's Brinks truck or spinning the sinning of Republican favorites, while labeling Democrats, who actually kept their families intact, anti-family.
17 Comments:
Maybe Romney could start selling his magic mormon underwear on ebay as a fundraiser ploy, but of course we know that most hypocritical evangelicals secretly would really prefer used jock straps. Seriously though, I dont care how much money they take, I dont think the rapture right will vote for a mormon; besides thinking them crazy (who doesnt?), they consider mormons to be only nominally Christian.
posted by Anonymous, at
3/13/2007 9:58 AM
Actually, the "rapture right" (great name!) think that Mormons and Catholics are cultists.
Great article, Wayne. I just wish that everyone who was chanting "flip flop" at Kerry not so long ago would take a good hard look at Romney, and the rest of these power-mad money-raking hypocrites.
Most politicians on both sides of the aisle are flip-flop artists including Hillary Clinton. The only two I can think of who aren't are Russ Feingold and Eliot Spitzer, both democrats.
On a totally different topic, what do you think of General Pace's recent comments that homosexuality is immoral, in regard to gays in the military which he opposes? He considers both homosexuality and adultery immoral. What a jackass and a bigot!
I'm a Christian and would like to share my perspective, which I believe is representative of MANY...
There is not one Rep candidate that I (any of us) can campaign for, donate to, or vote for -- so far. Sad to say, Edwards and Obama (and Gore) have the Reps squarely beat on fidelity within one marriage. (Their politics are indeed anti-life, anti-marriage, and anti-family, but I digress...)
The Biblical teaching on marriage is one man, one woman, for life; the Biblical perspective on divorce: God Himself says "I hate divorce" in Malachi. In Matthew, Jesus said God had tolerated divorce among the Jews because of the hardness of their hearts (hardly a compliment). But He said the only reason that God accepts for divorce is marital unfaithfulness (adultery); the innocent spouse can remarry, but the guilty one cannot. Paul, the apostle, wrote that if an unbelieving spouse leaves a believing spouse because of their faith, the believer is "no longer bound," which some take as permission to remarry (but only to a believer).
All that to say, from God's perspective, Guiliani & McCain & Gingrich are all in the wrong. The public humiliation and personal suffering that Guili and Newt caused their wives heaps up additional sin, but the absence of such doesn't leave McCain smelling a lot better. Additionally, Guiliani and McCain (and Romney) oppose much of what the Christian right supports. No Bible-believing Christian can support any of them. (And where you see someone making excuses to do so, recall what Jesus said: "Many will say Lord, Lord..." but not all who claim to be His disciples actually are.)
I pray that a better option will come forward. Surely the right can do better than these; if not, this nation will deserve what it gets.
posted by Anonymous, at
3/14/2007 1:18 AM
It worked for the Bush regime. They gave away millions in so-called "faith-based initiatives" to conservative religious organizations, like homophobe Bishop Eddie Long in Atlanta who preached Coretta King's funeral and claims the torch has been passed to him as the new civil rights leader for African Americans, getting votes from the sheep in exchange for the funds. Romney is on to something for sure.
Has our government lost all sense of shame and decency? It's beginning to sound more like the Godfather than America the beautiful!
posted by Anonymous, at
3/14/2007 3:01 PM
Christian Anonymous,
You and your group have had your Xtian "MAN" for two terms. And the rest of us have had the most ignorant president in history! When Cuba with its 45 year old awful human rights record comes out with legalizing same sex marriage, we (in the US)should realize we are in deep shit! The Cubans are making us out the laughing stock of the world.
And get over your sacrosanct Christian sham marriages with 50% failure rate and counting! Newt is the typical Christian, cheating on his wife while in the hospital with cancer and then accusing Clinton of infidelity! Takes guts! F%^$#ng hypocrite! Speaking of which, why don't you sign your name to your post since you so sincerely believe all the BS you spout. richard schillen
In what many political observers consider a bruising blow to a potential 2008 White House bid by Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House lost one of his longtime supporters today when Satan announced that he would not support a Gingrich candidacy.
For the normally reclusive Prince of Darkness, the decision to hold a press conference at the Washington Airport Marriott to reveal that he would not be supporting Mr. Gingrich struck many as extraordinary.
Dressed in his traditional red cape and carrying a smoldering pitchfork, Satan stated in no uncertain terms that he would be withholding his endorsement from his former colleague: "Not only am I not supporting Newt, I am giving his soul back."
Satan's announcement was particularly hurtful to the potential G.O.P. presidential candidate because, in the words of Gingrich supporter Tracy Klujian, "Newt and Satan have worked so closely in the past."
According to a close associate of the Prince of Darkness, Satan's rift with Gingrich stemmed from the former House Speaker's decision to confess that he had had an extramarital affair with a staffer while pursuing the impeachment of then-President Bill Clinton for having an extramarital affair with a staffer.
"The fact that Newt confessed it to Jerry Falwell really ticked Satan off," the Satan aide said.
Gingrich supporter Klujian remains hopeful, however, that the breach between the two infernal colleagues can somehow be mended: "You can win the G.O.P. nomination without Satan's help, but it's not easy."
Elsewhere, President Bush kept expectations low for his tour of Latin America, telling reporters, "I never got good grades in Latin."
posted by Anonymous, at
3/14/2007 6:43 PM
Newt Gingrich is a brilliant example of not only hypocrisy and bigotry but clearly demonstrates the obvious threat to marriage....the heterosexuals, the biggest bed-hoppers of all. Why don't the right-wing nuts go after people like him, or better yet, push for an amendment to ban divorce altogether, and if they're using the excuse that marriage is solely for having children, then let them also push for another amendment banning heterosexuals who want to marry but who can't procreate or better yet, don't want to.
well you certainly can't accuse gays of being non-christian - hahahahaha
posted by Anonymous, at
3/15/2007 8:07 PM
Anon Christian--the bible is only what some ancient peoples *said* or *thought* God said. Why would the intelligence (Spirit) that created the universe some 15 billion years ago give a shit whether someone is divorced or not (especially if your spouse turns out to be a real psycho). The only they that matters (AS JESUS TAUGHT) is how you treat others! Everything in the bible cant be the 'word of God' as science has proven what rubbish a lot of it is; unless God is a lyin' sack of shit like the bush regime and most of his kool-aid drinkin' supporters are!
posted by Anonymous, at
3/16/2007 1:26 PM
Jesus came not to destroy what is written but to fulfill the prophecy. And to enter into a new and everlasting covenant. That those who believe in him also beleive in the father and will have everlasting life.
So even if you follow the idea of an intelligent creator and do not follow the christian theology - at the very least - argue correctly.
posted by Anonymous, at
3/16/2007 2:47 PM
But I think the male prostitute said it best "There's hypocrisy in the gay and the christian communities"
And though you like to go on and on - I was just making a point that this person misunderstood christianity - he got one small part right but not the major identifying characteristic that separates christians from muslims, jews, etc..
please don't respond. you over react.
posted by Anonymous, at
3/16/2007 5:03 PM
Regan, I totally concur with all your comments. As for MEN (heterosexual men), the arbiters of ancient texts etc., these are the same men who invented the reference in Leviticus condemning homosexuality, not a divine being as they would have us believe. Nothing has changed, we still have the same men in the Vatican and in other oppressive religious denominations, including our own government making up the laws to suit their own ends to justify discrimination. Nothing has changed.
The reference in Leviticus and Dueteronomy "abomination" has been translated from hebrew "toevah". The cultural context in which it was used in that society has been corrupted in ours. If you are not a jew or a christian who uses jewish culture as your standard then it is meaningless. why can't people today in this society regard other beliefs and let people be people. even christ "offered" and did not impose his view on others. if others did not believe he walked away - simple, very simple.
posted by Anonymous, at
3/17/2007 3:30 PM
