This post started out as a rant about this stupid guy and his ties to the Democrats. This Hackett guy is parroting the extremely stupid talking point that the GOP is run by religious nuts that are coequal with the Taliban/OBL.

Hackett said in a Sunday column in the Columbus Dispatch: "The Republican Party has been hijacked by the religious fanatics that, in my opinion, aren't a whole lot different than Osama bin Laden and a lot of the other religious nuts around the world.”

The post started out that way and then got erased and restarted because something in the article got me thinking about all the idiots in the political arena. Here is the passage that gave me pause:

Hackett said Pat Robertson, a television evangelist and former GOP presidential candidate, is an example of the kind of Republican he was criticizing. Robertson called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's recent stroke was divine punishment for ceding the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority.

As goofy as this guy is, I agree with him that Pat Robertson is worthy of distain and should be shunned. The difference between this Hackett moron and Pat Robertson is this:

Robertson later apologized for the remarks.

This is not to excuse Robertson, just to help make a point. That point being that it was unfair to tar and feather any party with the extremist hangers-on that all parties have. While it is fun to point at the ranting, tinfoil hat wearing, imbeciles of the left and laugh, it is good to be reminded that the right has its share of idiots as well.

So, what am I about to do? Well, I am going to tar and feather the Democrats with their extremists.

The question that thinking people have to ask themselves is: “Which set of extremists am I less comfortable with getting a say in my government?”

For me, that’s a simple question, the left’s idiots are much more dangerous than the right’s whackos.

First of all, the whackjobs on the right are marginalized by the majority of GOP members. Does anyone really believe that Pat Robertson is going to win any election or have any position of power in the party? Of course not, that is just stupid talk. To prove the point, look at the blogosphere’s right half swiftly denouncing Robertson for his “God made shit happen to teach us a lesson” comments. Where is the condemnation from the left of Mr. Hackett or Mayor Ray “Dallas/Chocolate City” Nagin?

How many elected Democrats went to see “Fahrenheit 911” and posed for the cameras giving the ‘ol “thumbs up”? Where was Michael Moore seated at the Democrat National Convention?

I am politically to the right of the majority of Americans, but that doesn’t mean much in this discussion. If I thought that the GOP was really beholden to the extreme religious right and the Democrats had their nuts under control, I would be the first off the reservation. The truth is that we in the GOP hold our extremists in check and with contempt while the extreme element of the left seems to have been embraced by the Democrat party.

This is why I think it important to get out and vote GOP in the upcoming mid-term elections. Reasonable people will look at their local candidates and decide on the merits of each person. Normally, this is the way it should be, but I submit to you that this is not a “normal” time in our history. If you were to decide that the Democrat running for Congress in your district is a reasonable person that reflects your views more closely that the Republican and you vote that way, you are doing the country a great disservice. No matter what a great guy or effective representative the Democrat is, his/her vote will be owned by the Democrat leadership. This person would be voting for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker, voting to make Harry Reid Senate Majority leader, putting John P. Murtha, PA (D – French) in charge of Subcommittee on Defense Appropriations and [shutter] making Charles B. Rangle (D – Moon) the Chairman of the House Way and Means Committee (The committee that is in charge of taxes).

From my point of view, this motley crew (plus Sen. Kennedy) is the extreme fringe and that scares the living daylights out of me.

No matter how reasonable and smart your local Democrat is, voting for him/her is voting to put in power this extreme team. In case you are wondering, my district is firmly in this situation. The Democrat is reasonable, pro-life and fairly fiscally conservative while the GOP’s choice to challenge is a token empty suit that has no record on fiscal matters and is pro-choice. Under normal circumstances, I would be sorely tempted to pull the lever for the Democrat as his positions are sane and closer to mine than the unknown empty suit. Will I vote for the Democrat in November? No way, no how, no chance.

I have been known to vote Libertarian and may do so again when I feel appropriate, but now is not the time to make a political statement, now is the time to hold the left in check an continue to prosecute the GWOT. The Republicans are much more likely to do so than the Democrats.

Plus, the thought of Charley Rangle being in charge of the House Ways and Means Committee turns my stomach.

Linked to: Common Folk using Common Sense