Maybe we should just let the republicans win. How much worse can it get?
I see this type of comment from time to time here on DKos. I've got some sympathy for that position. I've said things like this in the past, and like many of us I'm a little disappointed in President Obama and the Democratic Party.
But I've seen what can happen. That is why I've joined the Democratic Party, why I and many others are working from within to help us win now and to help make it more responsive to the grassroots.
So - what could possibly happen if the republicans win? Take a look over the fold, just two little items that represent republican "values" and their war on women.
Item #1.
Senator Mary Lazich and her "sex ed" bull bill. Senator Mary Lazich has introduced a bill to continues the “theme of increasing flexibility for local school districts” by providing districts with more control in administering the 2009 Healthy Youth Act..
Ahem. This is republicanland (I refuse to capitalize the name of that party), and so up is down, war is peace, and black is white. What this bill will do is to "would require school districts that offer sex education to emphasize abstinence as the "preferred choice of behavior for unmarried pupils" and the "only reliable way to prevent pregnancy and avoid sexually transmitted infections.", and require instruction on the "socioeconomic benefits of marriage".
Uh-huh. Because teenagers have, throughout the ages, relied on abstinence to make sure they don't have kids. Not.
As for the "socioeconomic benefits of marriage", I'm assuming we mean man on top of woman marriage.
Item #2.
State representative Joel Kleefisch (yes, husband of Lt. Gov. Rebecca gay marriage is like marrying a table Kleefisch) has introduced a bill to make prenups ironclad - to prohibit a judge from modifying them.
Why would a judge modify a prenup? Why, when
when one of the spouses fails to disclose assets or debt, the agreement was coerced, or if the judge deems the agreement to be unfair.
Why would Representative Kleefisch see such a need?
"The bottom line is right now, there's too much stretching by judges," Kleefisch said at a public hearing on the bill. "There's too much opportunity for someone to victimize in a situation where they see somebody who has a great amount of assets, wanting to marry them and (getting) a good attorney later and have the prenup changed.
Uh-huh. Stepping up for the rights of rich men who might get gouged by their second (trophy) wife? But wait, it gets better. The bill didn't sail through the committee as fast as he thought. A few Democrats (who were actual lawyers & not a former TV reporter like Kleefisch) pointed out that this would make it easier to victimize a spouse. The response of the Champion of Oppressed Men?
Kleefisch, a former television reporter, left some on the committee shaking their heads when he suggested that people victimized by a spouse deserve what they get.
"It's caveat emptor in this case," he said.
Which led to this exchange...
"What you're doing is you're protecting the party that fails to disclose and not giving the judge or a court the ability to enact equity between the parties," said Rep. Gary Hebl, D-Sun Prairie, an attorney whose law firm counts prenuptial agreements among its services. "You're saying that if you fail to disclose an asset, that's a benefit to you."
(snip)
During the debate over the bill, Hebl increasingly began to take on the appearance of a man who was beating his head against a wall. Here's one exchange:
Hebl: "If a person does act in bad faith, there's no question that their action is protected by this law."
Kleefisch: "Which is why someone entering into a prenuptial agreement should be very careful."
Hebl, visibly shocked: "Well my God."
Hebl went on to say of the bill: "It justifies illegal, immoral, unfair behavior."
Kleefisch offered to discuss an amendment that would penalize a spouse for failing to disclose financial information. But Hebl rejected the notion.
"Remember that statement about lipstick on a pig?" Hebl said. "Sometimes there's just nothing you can do to a bill to make it viable."
Amen, Representative Hebl.
So, at the top I said that you should join - and be active in - your local Democratic Party. Work locally for local candidates. Work for statewide candidates. Run for office. (yeah. Run for office.) Make sure that your party - local, state, federal - represents progressive views. Find your local Rep. Hebl and thank him. GET ACTIVE.
Because we can see the alternative.