I think it is dangerous to characterize the teaching of things we disagree with to children as "child abuse." It sounds like a way to nullify the First Amendment, by trumping the right to free expression with a demand to Think Of The Children (tm).

There are exceptions, of course. I would be comfortable with legal sanctions against folks who teach children how to don and use a suicide belt. But we're talking about peaceful political disagreement here (however obnoxious you find it.)

Explaining to my son what I see happening is child abuse? No, I don't read Coulter, Savage, or Rush.

My experience here isn't just about national issues. Working with my local government on various committees and commissions I have experienced first hand what I speak of. To put it flippantly, if you don't believe that warm puppies and rainbows will solve everything you are a cold hearted S.O.B..

By the way, my son is 15 and certainly ready to hear what his fathers political beliefs consist of. He hears others speak about what they believe and he reads political blogs. Less than three years away from voting I think he is mature enough to be a part of the discussion.

I guess the child abuse accusation proves my point. Abusers are evil, they hurt children, they deserve punishment.

Why not respond to the statement in more detail rather than assume and accuse?

I think that qualifies as child abuse.
Just about everything one sees in the popular discourse argues for the exact opposite. Read any Coulter lately (or Savage, or Rush, or .....)?

I explained to my son the other day one of the differences between liberals and conservatives. A conservative looks at a liberal and thinks them misguided in the policies they promote. A liberal looks at a conservative and thinks they are evil. Of course I further explained that this was not true for all conservatives or liberals but that in the public debate that we are all a part of you can see this on a regular basis.

As long as these are the terms being used to describe people like myself who support the Republican party I don't see bi-partisanship as a real possibility.

I like to think of myself as a real conservative. Sure the Republican party is off track but it is much closer to what I believe than what the Democratic party supports. So, until something better comes along I'll stick with the devil I know. Get it, devil, evil. Better go make a bank deposit.

But it seems to be the Republican base that is the faction that really is pursuing long-term destructive approaches. As in California a decade ago, when they cut themselves off from the rising Latino vote, and today, when they are doing that on a national level, and as they are doing nationally with gay voters. After, of course, having already established a trend of never getting more than 10% of the black vote, and insuring a persistent gender gap.

The Republicans seem to truly desire to be a pure, minority party. The very notion of a "big tent" - which is crucial to having an enduring majority, seems to be at odds with their fundamental nature. How can you blame any observer from thinking that the party is basically narrow-minded, and likely bigoted, to its core?

I am a republican. I am conservative. I am religious.

Does that make me the "religious right?" If not what does it make me?

I get increasingly uncomfortable with how the "religious right" is accused in various blogs, mostly because I can't always tell just what the blogger's definition of religious right is. There are a few bloggers who at times make it clear who they mean, but more often than not they just toss the term out there, and I am still not sure what it means exactly.

Must not be a town much like mine, if only several of its Republicans are downright conservative. And I wonder what religious right hate groups means; the term is so vague that it could mean genuine extremists who really are despised by the great majority of Republicans, or it could mean the entire Religious Right. In the latter case, it again sounds like a rather different town.

Also to Fersboo, if you don't want to be lumped in with the homophobic bigots why don't you try and find some more moderate spokesman for your people...I don't see any public denouncements from the more moderate right wingers of dobson, perkins etc...so why should we believe you are any better? To paraphrase...Its the hypocrisy stupid!

The christian religious right of this country oppose gays in the political arena but, as Fersboo pointed out, preaches love and forgiveness in daily life. Hate the sin love the sinner. Opposing gay lifestyle issues before your elected representatives doesn't make you a bigot.

The clever moves being made by the Democrats have to do with exploiting this scandal to their benefit when they are as guilty as the Republicans in turning a blind eye to the problems in the page program.