Why Are Republicans The Way They Are?

At the height of teabagger-mania, a right-wing outfit in the L.A. area, the Patriots League, sent out an endorsement questionnaire to every single Republican running for Congress. We got our hands on some of the responses-- and they are pretty shocking. You want to know why 47 Republican senators could flirt so openly with sedition regarding Iran? The answers to the Patriots League's psychotic questions contain all you need to know about what these crackpots and paranoids have on their tiny minds. This IS today's Republican Party.

The questionnaire starts by introducing the organization to the candidates: "We are against Big Government. We demand fiscal responsibility. We believe in the Free Enterprise System. We insist on Peace through Strength. We are guided by Christian Values, and Faith in God. We want to help candidates who will taker country back! ... Please fill out the survey below, and return it to us aa soon as possible. Our endorsement will be based on your responses. Candidates whom we endorse will be eligible for the maximum amount in political contributions."

What follows is over 5 pages of questions with a "Yes" and a "No" box and a couple of lines for explanations. The first question-- remember this was 2010 when the Tea Party was primarily motivated by Obamacare-- was "Should we end all government health programs because they are unconstitutional." (Presumably the Patriots and the candidates understood that to include Medicare.) Of the dozen responses we acquired and examined, 10 of the candidates said YES. One Bernard Sansaricq, who was the GOP nominee against Alcee Hastings (FL-23), comes from Haiti's ruling elite. His response was predictable-- and similar to what most of the respondents said: "YES! Government has no business being in health care. This is for communist countries like Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, etc..." The survey didn't get any better as it unfolded.

Lester "Les" Phillip was one of the teabaggers running against Blue Dog-turned-GOPer Parker Griffith (AL-05), a seat that was won by one of the craziest Confederates currently in Congress, Mo Brooks. Lester seems just as insane as Mo.

• Should English be the official language of the United States, and should all government activities be conducted in English only?

Phillip, like all the other candidates-- every one of them-- was enthusiastic and checked YES.

• Should we build a wall on the Mexican border?

Phillip checked YES, as did all the other candidates.

• Should unions be abolished?

Phillip checked Yes, although there were 4 candidates who disagreed.

• Should the liberal media be prevented from criticizing Sarah Palin unfairly?

There was disagreement here. Phillip and 7 others voted YES. 5 saw it as an impingement of the Bill of Rights and checked NO.

• Is abortion murder? Should all abortions be banned?

They all checked YES

• Can homosexuality be cured?

Most said it could, including Phillip, who added that "it is not the natural order of things."

• Should homosexuality be illegal?

This one was also the cause of a split, although Phillip and most of the candidates checked YES. • Is global warming a hoax?

Phillip checked YES; so did all the other candidates.

• Should every school day begin with a Christian prayer to God?

Phillip and all the rest with one exception checked YES.

• Should public school students be taught that the Book of Genesis explains how God created the world.

Phillip, apparently a pious man, checked YES, as did all the others but 2.

• Should homosexuals be barred from teaching our children in public schools?

Another YES box checked, although 2 of the candidates didn't want to go that far.

• Should the government privatize public education?

Phillip was YES on that too, as were most of the candidates.

• Was Saddam Hussein responsible for the 9/11 attack on America?

Phillip isn't sure and his comment was "Don't know." This was pretty typical; most of the candidates said they weren't sure.

• When the War in Iraq began, in March 2003, did Iraq possess weapons of mass destruction?

Phillip checked the YES box on that one; so did the rest of them.

• After 9/11, did the Bush Administration act swiftly and prevent any kore terrorist attacks on the United States?

Another YES box for Mr. Phillip and all the others.

• Is liberalism a form of fascism?

Phillip had no doubts about that one. He checked YES. Several of the others were unsure.

• Was Barack Hussein Obama born outside the United States?

I was surprised that Phillip was one of only 3 who said he wasn't sure. (The rest were all sure that Obama was born abroad.)

• Is Barack Hussein Obama a Muslim?

Certainty was back in Phillip's mind and he checked the YES box, as did all the other candidates!

• Is Barack Hussein Obama a Communist or a Fascist?

For this one, there were 4 choices: "Communist," "Fascist," "BOTH!" or Neither. Phillip went for BOTH! as did most of the other candidates.

• Is Barack Hussein Obama a racist?

YES checked Phillip, of course. The survey ended with 4 questions under the headline "Religion" and 2 weren't yes or no questions.

• How old is the Earth?

Phillip checked "Around 6,000 years" instead of 4.5 billion years.

• Do you believe in God's creation or evolution?

Phillip was much happier to check off God's Creation than Scott Walker was.

• Is every word of the Christian Bible true?

Phillip-- and all the other candidates-- checked the yes box.

• Does God talk to you and inspire you?

Phillip says God talks to him-- and all the other candidates say he talks with them too. I guess God spend all his time with teabaggers, every one of whom lost his election.