Comments on: Senate Takes Up McLeroy Nomination!

By: Charles

Charles — Sat, 30 May 2009 02:55:10 +0000

That’s okay Gator Country. I am not a Republican myself, but it’s not wrong to be a Republican. This country has had many great Republican politicians, leaders, and statesmen—honorable and sensible men and women all together. Sometimes we DO need to look out for the conservative, business, and defense side of our American house. Sometimes we do need to kick some foreign butt like that little two-bit creep with a few firecrackers over in North Korea. Heck, even I was for Ronald Reagan myself in 1980.

The thing I object to is this vast panel of “extremist fruitcakes” like Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter (Skeleton Blondie), James Dobson, and so forth that took over the party of Abraham Lincoln and proceeded to destroy it and my country. Where have all the real Republicans like you gone? Where are the Dwight Eisenhowers of our day? Where are the Howard Baker Jrs. of our day. Where are the Abraham Lincolns of our day? You guys come out of hiding and take your party back. Heck, I might even vote for one of you if you make me a really good case. I bet good Democrats, good Republicans, and good Independents could get together one day and put this country on the right course.

By: Thomas M.

Thomas M. — Fri, 29 May 2009 13:43:31 +0000

“The notion that there exist rational conservatives, much less rational Republicans, is questionable at best. Conservative Republican seems like a gimme, but not exactly a selling point for your POV. Perhaps you should ponder the definition of rational, since that seems to be the weak link.”

This is utterly ridiculous.

First, both parties hold views that are irrational, at best, so it’s not like those Republicans have a monopoly on being irrational. Secondly, it is entirely possible to vote for either party on rational grounds while choosing to bite the bullet and tolerate their more insane views. This applies to third parties, too. Being of any given party does not require that one be irrational, just that you accept the BS with the stuff that you agree with. To claim otherwise amounts to fanaticism. It’s pretty obvious that he meant that he’s a science-accepting Republican rather than a creationist nut and I don’t know why you would contest the existence of such a person.

By: santa

santa — Fri, 29 May 2009 05:13:20 +0000

good news he was not confirmed, but bad news that a majority still voted to confirm him. he was rejected by an arbitrary rule of 2/3. it still says that a majority of Senators are idiots themselves – or just voting for an idiot because it will gain them votes at the expense of the education of the children of Texas. idiots or morally bankrupt. you choose.

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 29 May 2009 03:47:39 +0000

Gator Country: I just gotta call you out on that “Speaking as a conservative, rational Republican…” intro. Given recent history and the travails of the Republican party at present, each of those descriptors seem– considered in pairwise fashion– mutually exclusive. The notion that there exist rational conservatives, much less rational Republicans, is questionable at best. Conservative Republican seems like a gimme, but not exactly a selling point for your POV. Perhaps you should ponder the definition of rational, since that seems to be the weak link.

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 29 May 2009 02:35:06 +0000

Gator Country: There are far more Republicans like you in Texas than like the ultra-conservatives who have the coin and run the TX GOP. Most of what they have done has been in secret. Shining a light on these shenanigans can go a long way towards an open revolt in the TX GOP (which is desperately needed) and for true conservatives to actually take their party back from the lunatic fringe.

By: Keanus

Keanus — Fri, 29 May 2009 02:22:34 +0000

Who succeeds McLeroy? Does Governor Good Hair get to pick? Or does the SBOE vote for a new chair? Does McLeroy remain on the SBOE? And if the good Gov. does the picking, might he pick Terri Leo, god forbid? Aghhhhhhhhhhhhh…..

By: Gator Country

Gator Country — Fri, 29 May 2009 01:29:39 +0000

Speaking as a conservative, rational Republican (yes, there are quite a few of us out here!), this is good news and bad news.

The good news is that this religious lunatic will not chair the Texas State Board of Education. It would be even better if he could be completely removed from the board.

The bad news is that it took the Democrats to deny him the chair, as every member of my party chose to pander to the 6,000-year-old-Earth, T-rexes-really-were-Jesus-horses crowd, instead of choosing to uphold sound science education free of religious indoctrination.

To add to my embarrassment, this clown McLeroy has an engineering degree, as do I.

While I’m very pleased at the outcome, I’m not exactly holding my head high right now.

By: Robert B.

Robert B. — Fri, 29 May 2009 01:04:16 +0000

http://www.talkorigins.org/

Ahem. Why vote to have religion taught in school?

By: The Sanity Inspector

The Sanity Inspector — Fri, 29 May 2009 00:23:07 +0000

Fine job of liveblogging.

By: j a higginbotham

j a higginbotham — Fri, 29 May 2009 00:19:55 +0000

Re: Paul

In the short term it is probably symbolic. My understanding is: McLeroy stays on the board. Perry names a new Chair, probably Cynthia Dunbar as closest to McLeroy. The new Chair stays for two years until another Senate confirmation hearing.

Then again, perhaps Perry will surprise me.