I am in a bit of a lazy motif on this Sunday afternoon. Everything is pretty much closed here in Reidsville, NC, on Sunday, so it is perhaps harder to feel guilty about being lazy than it might be in Provincetown, Mass.- the most liberal city in America (with Provo, Ut., being the most conservative). But, I am certainly no fan of the religious right. I was delighted by the recent scandal in Colorado involving Rev. Ted Haggard, the president of the National Association of Evangelicals. As many of you know, Haggard has apparently partially confessed to being involved with a gay male prostitute in Denver. Haggard is reported to have made numerous trips from Colorado Springs to Denver to 'get a massage'
In a statement released by the Rev. Barry Lynn, the executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, it has been a really tough year for the religious right.
Lynn went on to say that: "Their (the religious right's) moral champion Tom DeLay left Congress in disgrace. Their 'family values' allies in the House were caught covering up the Mark Foley scandal. Then they learned that Karl Rove's office thinks they're nuts. And, now one of their most influnential leaders is mired in scandal." Lynn went on to say that Haggard represents more people than the Rev. Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson combined. Lynn also said that the religious right leaders need to focus more on their own family because they try to fix anyone else's.
On this week's editiion of the PBS show "The MacGaughlin Group," the panel which consists of far-right activist Pat Buchanan and liberal political commentator Lawerence O'Donell, predicted a Democratic take-over of both the House and Senate. Buchanan reluctantly stated that Sen. Rick Santorium (R-Pa) would go down to defeat. The panel also agreed by a 3-2 margin that Jim Webb would defeat Sen. George 'Maccacowitz' Allen (R-Va)- the nickname is on that many beltway insiders have tagged the arch-conservative senator with.
And, lastly, "Rolling Stone" has named the twn worst members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The lone Democrat on the worst offenders list was Cong. William Jefferson (D-La). Those named included far-right extremist Cong. Marilyn Musgraves (R-Co.) who my sister Lale and her husband Matt have the misfortune (in their words) of being represented by. Pres. Bush went to Greeley, Co., to support Musgraves over the weekend. She has been one of his staunches allies. Musgraves is known for being aggressively homophobic. Cong. Barney Frank (D-Ma.) told "Rolling Stone" that Musgraves would always be ardently against gay marriage because the thought of one homosexual was offensive to her; therefore, the thought of two gay people being together would be absolutely appauling to her. According to "Rolling Stone," Musgraves also blacked out parts of health books which dealt with sex education while she was a member of a local school board.
Alas, there are no important Senate races in NC. But, I am hoping that our Congressman, Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC) will soundly defeat Vernon Robinson, aka 'the black Jesse Helms." As a Winston-Salem city council member, Robinson was absent for 20 out of 22 committee meetings. I would say that he is a shoe-in for the ten worst Congressional candidates!
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