Today's Worst Person In The World: Michigan State Sen. Tom Barrett (R)

Because any REAL American KNOWS God is a White, Conservative, heterosexual Republican

We’ve reached the point in our political history where roughly half of our politicians have effectively declared themselves to be ideologically bankrupt. Devoid of ideas and bereft of any clue as to how to make America a better place, Republicans have settled on a surprisingly effective strategy:

KEEP ‘EM SCARED AND STUPID.

Of course, a policy so decidedly cynical requires the participation of a significant portion of the electorate. Frankly, far too many Americans are only too happy to wallow in stupid. Whether it’s because they dislike (or aren’t familiar with) thinking critically, they’re perfectly satisfied to be spoon-fed various flavors of pure, unadulterated bullshit.

How else could you describe Michigan State Sen. Tom Barrett’s beyond-cynical fundraising appeal, which was hardly designed to appeal to his constituents’ better angels:

Another Michigan Republican is fundraising off attacks on the LGBTQ+ community and supporters.

A fundraising message sent by state Sen. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte), who is seeking the Republican nomination for the newly drawn 7th Congressional District, claims, “President Biden is forcing 5-year-olds to learn about gender reassignment surgeries, gender identities, and other radical ideas,” adding that “Every American needs to step up TODAY and stop this sick and twisted ideology from poisoning our children.”

According to a screenshot obtained by the Michigan Advance, Barrett’s original fundraising appeal came via text and appeared to be an appointment confirmation for “Your Child” to receive “Gender Reassignment Surgery Tomorrow at 9 AM.” It then asks, “If you would like to CANCEL this appointment because you do not believe in teaching young children about dangerous transgender ideologies, please sign your name NOW.” 

The absurdity of Barrett’s message is almost beyond comprehension, and it barely merits a response, but this would be a very short post if I didn’t. No rational person would believe that ANY of what his message accuses the President of is true. AND YET…there are those on the receiving end of Barrett’s message who are fully prepared to believe every word of it.

Of course, Joe Biden isn’t forcing “your child” to undergo “Gender Reassignment Surgery Tomorrow at 9 AM.” Nor does he believe in teaching young children about “dangerous transgender ideologies.” Of course, none of that is true, but there are Republican voters out there who, at this very moment, are chanting, “HELL, NO!!! WE WON’T ALLOW SLEEPY JOE TO TURN OUR LITTLE SUSIE INTO A BOY!!! GIT MY TORCH AND PITCHFORK, ETHEL!!!”

That message has since been replaced with Barrett’s current appeal in which he also claims, “Democrats are HELLBENT on destroying our faith, removing God from the center of our nation, and pushing transgender ideology on young children. Without your immediate support, Pelosi will have all the ammunition she needs to destroy Christian Republicans like Tom Barrett & completely eviscerate our traditional values.”

The message follows a fundraising email earlier this week from Barrett’s colleague, Sen. Lana Theis (R-Brighton), accusing three Democratic senators, including Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak), of being “groomers” that “sexualize” children after they walked out of an invocation she gave in which she claimed children are “under attack” from “forces that desire things for them other than what their parents would have them see and hear and know.”

Theis appeared to be referencing Republicans’ national crackdown on teachings that reference LGBTQ+ issues and America’s history of racism.

In a floor speech response Tuesday, McMorrow said she wondered why Theis had accused her by name of grooming and sexualizing children.

“Then I realized,” said McMorrow. “I’m the biggest threat to your hollow, hateful scheme. Because you can’t claim that you’re targeting marginalized kids in the name of ‘parental rights’ if another parent is standing up and saying no.”

I’ve already written about Mallory McMorrow twice this week, so I won’t rehash her response. One thing she did do, however, was to expose the GOP agenda of hatred, hypocrisy, and self-righteous hyper-religiosity.

If you listen to Republicans, it quickly becomes apparent that they have no ideas or legislative agenda. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has already admitted that Republicans have no legislative agenda to campaign on this fall.

Think about that for a moment. One of our two major political parties admits to having no ideas to offer America. They care only about seizing power by any means, and they’ve determined that fear, hypocrisy, character assassination, and opposing anything proposed by President Biden is the way to go.

Tom Barrett is hardly the only example of a cowardly, power-hungry Republican willing to lie, cheat, and impugn opponents to whatever degree they deem necessary. Sadly, it’s become the norm among GOP candidates nationwide.

Republicans have no ideas, no plans, and nothing to offer Americans. All they have is a surplus of KEEP ‘EM SCARED AND STUPID. Then, when they need to, they complement KEEP ‘EM SCARED AND STUPID with religious hypocrisy, hysteria over “transgender ideology,” and hatred of the LGBTQ community. But, if you’re White, Christian, Conservative, and heterosexual…well, have I got a political party for you!!

What will happen if Republicans return to power and all Hell breaks loose? Sure, they’ll turn the LGBTQ community into second-class citizens, restore prayer to public schools, and make it virtually impossible for Black Americans to vote. But what about the issues that will require authentic leadership- war, foreign policy, economic policy, infrastructure, education, healthcare, yadayadayada? What then?

How can you hope to accomplish anything truly meaningful when you have no plans, ideas, and agenda outside of restoring yourself to power? How can you honestly believe you can improve the lives of everyday Americans?

If what you have to offer is hatred, religious hypocrisy, corruption, homophobia, transphobia, and fear-based propaganda, your moral bankruptcy will inevitably be exposed as you turn America into the set from Idiocracy.

It’s too bad that Democrats lack the wherewithal to expose Republicans for being the moral reprobates they truly are. America needs that now more than ever, yet Democrats are too busy herding cats.

I’m reminded of what Benjamin Franklin once said when someone asked him what the Founding Fathers were trying to create: “A republic, if we can keep it.”

We may be about to learn if we’re going to be able to keep that republic.

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