“Every time I drive through Kannapolis and I see those empty plants I know there is no way I could vote for CAFTA.”

— Rep. Robin Hayes, R-North Carolina, on July 14, 2005

Last night, after arm-twisting by the GOP leadership, Rep. Hayes voted for CAFTA.

Rep. Hayes has a powerful back-story at home that never gets mentioned in national news reports about him. His grandfather was C.W. Cannon, a towering figure in the region in his day, who was the owner of Cannon Mills, which was the dominant economic force in Piedmont region northeast of Charlotte. Cannon Mills was sold several times after the elder Cannon died. In recent years, the owners could not compete with offshore manufacturers, and last year they closed the mills altogether, leaving thousands of Rep. Hayes’ constituents without employment.

Here is the Bush Administration’s M.O. in summary: Two of its top officials who are suspected of deliberately revealing the identity of a CIA operative are receiving pay hikes:

“The top pay for senior White House aides, including Chief of Staff [Andy] Card, Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and Legislative Affairs Director Candida Wolff, was boosted to $161,000 at the beginning of July, according to a list sent to Congress and obtained by National Journal.” – Congress Daily

Amongst the others receiving the bump: Stephen Hadley, Scooter Libby. The era of personal responsibility is dead! Long live the era of personal responsibility!

A raise is even better than the Medal of Freedom or whatever it was George Tenet got after he resigned as head of the CIA. But then again all Tenet had done was go to sleep at the switch prior to the 9/11 attacks, bungle the pre-war intelligence about Iraq and fail to convince President Bush not to lie about Saddam’s nuclear capability in the 2003 State of the Union speech.

Had he disrupted the spy agency’s espionage on trafficking in the equipment and ingredients required to make nuclear bombs, he could have kept his job – and gotten a raise, too.

Karl Rove has built his career on smears and whispering campaigns against his enemies. He is responsible for rumors that Gov. Ann Richards is gay, that John McCain has a child who is African-American and that Joe Wilson’s wife sent him to Africa – just to name three of I could think of without Googling.

A couple of weeks ago, we passed along a rumor that Karl Rove was seen at gay S&M parties in DC. It seemed a bit far-fetched, and we marked it clearly as such.

But now comes a rumor that has more substance to it – and this one is straight out of Texas:

For years, political insiders in the Lone Star State have whispered about Rove’s close friendship with lobbyist Karen Johnson, a never-married, forty-something GOP loyalist from Austin, Texas. The two first became close when Johnson sat on the board of then-Governor George W. Bush’s Business Council over a decade ago. Their friendship reportedly deepened after Bush appointed Johnson—a little-known spokesperson for the Texas Good Roads Association—to a seat on his Transportation Department transition team in 2000. The plum appointment enabled Johnson’s lobbying firm, Infrastructure Solutions, to snare such high-paying clients as Aetna and the City of Laredo. Sources say Johnson now frequently travels between Washington D.C. and Austin, where she frequently appears at Rove’s side at parties and unofficial functions.

Although there is no evidence that their relationship is anything but professional, the close association between the married White House aide and the comely lobbyist has long raised eyebrows in conservative Texas circles. Asked about the pair, a prominent political journalist who has written extensively about Rove says, “I’ve heard the stories, but I would never write about Karl and Karen. If you want to keep your job as a reporter in Texas, you make believe you don’t see them together.”

In the post-Lewinsky era, Washington’s press corps has mostly avoided reporting on the private lives of public officials. But as the political climate in the capitol grows more poisonous, Rove’s close friendship with the lobbyist has attracted increased scrutiny from opponents eager to prove that Bush’s dirty trickster is sitting on some dirty laundry of his own.

Asked to comment on Rove’s relationship with Johnson, a White House spokesman firmly declined to discuss the matter, saying that their relationship was “the business of these two individuals who have personal lives…I don’t think that’s something that the White House should comment on.” A new air of civility in Washington? Don’t count on it.

Occasionally rightwing trolls wander into liberal blogs and leave their droppings just to let us know they’re around, I suppose.

Pam Spaulding, the host and editor of one of our favorite sites, Pam’s House Blend, is as strong an advocate for progressive values – and queer rights – as they come. It’s not surprising, therefore, that she was singled out to be the recipient of this missive from a typical Bush voter that I thought I’d pass along:

Subject: Amazing Website
From: “Robert Lundey”
Date: Sat, July 23, 2005 10:23 pm

Why is it that anytime someone disagrees with the homosexual lifestyle, they are a “homophobe?” You stupid ignorant homos who made up that word are so DUMB that the logic of the word as it relates to those who are accused of being one makes no sense. “Phobe” signifies fear, who is afraid of you warped people?

Why dont [sic] you carry your nasty carpet munching and pole smoking selves to a secluded island and do all the nasty fudge-packing and patty caking you want to. Stay to yourselves so your nasty lifestyle will die out.

The reason faggots and lesbos get such a bad name is because of dyke bitches like you who are always pointing fingers and looking for handouts.

You call a guy, who happens to be a pator [sic] a homophobe because he is against homosexuality? I am no Bible scholar, but I do know there are various places in the Bible that teach against that perverted lifestyle. If this guy did not follow his Bible, then he would be going against God. Lets [sic] see support [sic] the rump rangers and butches or support God…no contest! and dont [sic] give me your crap about God being a loving and accepting God. He loves everyone, just not there [sic] lifestyle. I know this stuff and I am not even a Christian!

Get a life you nasty muff diving dyke whore!

Leaving aside the fact that Mr. Lundey had nothing better to do at 10PM on a Saturday night than type up this hilariously self-deluded screed – can’t get a date much? – let’s look at the larger issue.

One thing I have learned in my 49.999999 years on the planet is that when it comes to sexuality there are two kinds of people: those who are comfortable with the way God (and by that I mean Nature) created them – and those whose sexual desires are so repressed that they are expressed in twisted, tortured and hateful ways.

As a gay person, I do not think about – much less dwell on, day after day after day – the particular sex practices that straight people enjoy. I mean, it’s fine – yall do whatever floats your boat. To each his own. Whatever, whatever.

Why do ostensibly straight people like this Mr. Lundey – or opinion-makers whose views he has regurgitated here like Pat Robertson, Donald Wildmon, Jerry Falwell and especially Jesse Helms – spend so much time obsessing about the mechanics of other people’s sex lives?

Another question. When they dwell on same-gender sex aren’t they, in fact, fantas1zing about it?

If you’re a self-identifying straight person but you’re obsessed with homosexuality to the point that it consumes your life, making you increasingly more hostile and agitated day by day – seek counseling. You may just be queer yourself.

Go Johnny! His parents don’t look like a whole lot of fun but young John Roberts Jr. was gettin’ down at the White House Tuesday night.

Well, this is just oxymoronic. Jane Roberts, the wife of President Bush’s Supreme Court nominee, is a Catholic, and I think we can assume she is conservative – and yet she thinks of herself as a feminist.

Apparently, Mrs. Roberts – shown above (she’s the one in pink) – is a an ardent opponent of a woman’s right to choose. The Los Angeles Times reports that she “provides her name, money and professional advice to a small Washington organization — Feminists for Life of America — that offers counseling and educational programs. The group has filed legal briefs before the high court challenging the constitutionality of abortion.”

Who knew you could be feminist and conservative? I suppose rightwing feminists are for empowering women – except when they become pregnant, at which point the government should force them to give birth, whether they choose to or not. Whether they were raped or not.

It’s like queer conservatives, I guess. Makes no sense.

Actually, you will want to miss this, I’m sure. I, for one, will be too busy washing my hair to attend on the night her “show” opens in Santa Barbara:

If Suzanne Somers can have a one-woman show on Broadway — and she does — why not Laura Schlessinger?

Well, it’s not quite the Great White Way, but the radio advice guru said Wednesday she’ll appear at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara on Aug. 19 and 20 in “Dr. Laura: In My Never to Be Humble Opinion.”

The first act features Schlessinger talking about her life and current events; in the second she’ll answer questions submitted in advance by the audience.

The “Dr. Laura” theatrical show also has dates scheduled in Northern California and Texas later this year.

I would imagine that what she would really like is for hordes of protesters to show up – and knowing Santa Barbara as I do, they’ll be there.

AP via Pam’s House Blend:

The FBI has thousands of pages of records in its files relating to the monitoring of civil rights, environmental and similar advocacy groups, the Justice Department acknowledges.

The organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union and Greenpeace, are suing for the release of the documents. The organizations contend that the material will show that they have been subjected to scrutiny by FBI task forces set up to combat terrorism.

The FBI has identified 1,173 pages related to the ACLU and 2,383 pages about Greenpeace, but it needs at least until February to process the ACLU files and until June to review the Greenpeace documents, the government said in a filing in U.S. District Court in Washington.

The FBI has not said specifically what those pages contain. The ACLU’s executive director, Anthony Romero, said the disclosure indicates that the FBI is monitoring organizations that are engaging in lawful conduct.

“I know for an absolute fact that we have not been involved in anything related to promoting terrorism and yet the government has collected almost 1,200 pages on our activities,” Romero said. “Why is the ACLU now the subject of scrutiny from the FBI?”

…The government did release one document it gathered on United for Peace and Justice that Romero said reinforces his concerns. The organization describes itself as a coalition of more than 1,300 anti-war groups.

A memo from Sept. 4, 2003, about Internet sites that were promoting protests at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York was addressed to counterterrorism units in Boston, Los Angeles and New York.

“Why is this being labeled as counterterrorism when it’s nothing more protests at a political convention, a lawful First Amendment activity?” Romero asked.

Florida has a higher incidence of cervical cancer than the nation as a whole. About 10.8 Florida women per 100,000 are diagnosed annually, as opposed to 9.2 for the country. More Florida women also die of the disease – 2.9 per 100,000, compared to 2.7 for the rest of the United States.

Science is close to a vaccine that, if administered before exposure to the sexually-transmitted virus that can cause the deadly disease, would protect women from ever getting cervical cancer. Florida’s legislature recognized the importance of pursuing such a vaccine, and through statute, enacted the Cervical Cancer Elimination Task Force two years ago.

But Jeb Bush this month vetoed $30,000 for administrative costs for the task force. Why would Jeb eliminate a lousy $30,000 from a $63 million budget? Family values.

Palm Beach Post:

Two vaccines now in clinical trials face opposition from religious conservatives who believe inoculating children against a sexually transmitted virus would encourage premarital sex…

A spokesman for the governor cited financial reasons for turning down $30,000 in administrative costs for the cervical cancer elimination task force. But state Rep. Anne Gannon, D-Delray Beach, who asked for the money, said the veto had more to do with fear of criticism from the religious right wing of the Republican Party.

“We have this great opportunity to eradicate cervical cancer, but these wackos think it could make teenagers have sex,” she said. “It’s so discouraging to have to fight this right-wing stuff on what should be a public-health issue.”

That’s right. The folks who brought you the Terri Schiavo fiasco are back. This time they are so concerned with morals and virtue that they’d just as soon your kids die if they have sex.

[…]

“I know many conservative Republicans who are homosexual, some are out of the closet and some aren’t. Some of the biggest Republican lobbyists and fundraisers in Washington are homosexual. Some of you would be very surprised to know how many of them worked in the Reagan White House, and how many of today’s current conservative leaders are homosexual. If we went on a witch hunt to get rid of them, we would not have much of a party infrastructure left.”

– Posted by a Freepi on the Free Republic site. Source: Actual Freeper Quotes™ from Pam’s House Blend

As if there weren’t already enough Christians in South Carolina, now comes word that a group called Christian Exodus intends to take over the Palmetto State by over-running it with religious extremists who will convert it into a new evangelical Promised Land.

You have to give them credit for going after low hanging fruit. There is no redder state than South Carolina, and “values voters” dominate the state’s conservative base .

The Christian Exodus plan is to recruit like-minded true believers all over the United States to relocate to South Carolina. They intend to stage a rebellion at the ballot box, with Christian voters overwhelming nonbelievers to elect Christian officials into every state and local office – a democratic coup.

According to a local Fox TV affliate, a lot of South Carolinians would welcome the Christian jihadis:

“I think it’s fantastic, I think we need more of that actually. I don’t know which direction our government is heading in, but I think they need Christian influence, it would go a long way, I really think so,” says Mauldin resident, Reggie Brown.

Percy Croft of Greenville agrees, “America was founded on Christian principals…people with different views about Christianity, you have them getting into the elected positions and they don’t want to see this country stay the way it is, they want it to change…They’re getting away from what they were founded on.”

The challenges Christian Exodus faces is formidable. The population of South Carolina is over 4 million. Their plan could require up to 3 million new residents. Where will all these new people work or go to school?

Fortunately, Christian Exodus is starting small.

The Group says they plan on having 2500 Christians moved to South Carolina by September 2006, and will begin several political campaigns at that time. They hope to have a major impact on State government by 2014.

Ultimately, Christian Exodus believes that when Americans in other states witness the miraculous transformation of South Carolina under their taliban-style rule, they will elect Christian governments too. But if the other Americans refuse to see the error of their ways, the Christian state of South Carolina will vote to secede from the union. Again.

This time, we should just let them go.