Maine bumper sticker: OMG GOP WTF

And the whole country is wondering.

Republicans in Maine, where both the senators (Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe) are pretty moderate on issues and at times act in cooperation with Democrats (in a bipartisan fashion), this week voted overwhelmingly to replace their party platform with the Teabagger platform.

The document calls for the elimination of the Department of Education and the
Federal Reserve, demands an investigation of "collusion between government and
industry in the global warming myth," suggests the adoption of "Austrian
Economics," declares that "'Freedom of Religion' does not mean 'freedom from
religion'" (which I guess makes atheism illegal), insists that "healthcare is
not a right," calls for the abrogation of the "UN Treaty on Rights of the Child"
and the "Law Of The Sea Treaty" and declares that we must resist "efforts to
create a one world government."

The entire platform can be read here.

Here are some highlights.

"Oppose any and all treaties with the UN "

"No amnesty, no benefits, no citizenship -ever- for anyone in the country illegally. Arrest and detain, for a specified period of time, anyone here illegally, and then deport, period." (Maine, by the way, is 97 % white, it seems, and the Maine teabaggers are unlikely to understand what diversity is. To them, a black person, or even a southerner, might be deemed an "illegal.")


"Reassert the principle that "Freedom of Religion" does not mean "freedom from religion". (To my atheist and agnostic friends - your beliefs or lack of beliefs are threatened)


"Discard political correctness" (So we can all speak in hateful, bigoted language like you do?)


"Pass and implement Fed bill #1207 (Introduced by Ron Paul), to Audit the Federal Reserve, as the first step in Ending the Fed." (Ending the Fed? Yeah, that would create stability now, wouldn't it?)


"Investigate collusion between government and industry in the global warming myth." (Myth? Myth? What rock do you people live under?)


"Prohibit any further stimulus bills." (Even though the stimulus bill was part of what saved this country from the policies of republican leadership in Washington, and if I searched, I'm sure I could find where Maine specifically benefited.)


"Espouse and follow the principle: It is immoral to steal the property rightfully earned by one person, and give it to another who has no claim or right to its benefits." (Does this mean they want to do away with Medicare and Medicaid? - yes!)


"Clarify that healthcare is not a right." (Yes it is. Period.)


"Eliminate Dirigo" (Dirigo is the Maine health initiative to provide all citizens with affordable health care coverage. Dirigo is also the motto of Maine, meaning "I direct" or "I lead." I'm not sure which one they want to eliminate).
　
　
"Eliminate the Department of Education." (A favorite target of teabaggers).

This video shows the excitement generated by the passage of the platform.


　

Maine has been referred to as the "South of the North."

One comment points this out:

It's a sea of white hair in the video above. Almost all recipients of SS checks
and Medicare coverage. In other words, they are on welfare. "Health care is not
a right!" they bellow as they receive hip transplants, heart valve replacements,
and other life-saving operations on the public dime. "Socialism is evil" they
wail while waiting to cash their Social Security check.
Selfish, small-minded, ignorant hypocrites.

I wonder what Snowe and Collins think of their party's new platform? I wonder what they think about their chances of surviving when their Senate seats comes up for re-election (Snowe in 2012, Collins in 2014). I wonder what they think about switching parties.