In 1981, filmmaker David Cronenberg made the movie, Scanners, about an underground movement of people who are able psychically to make your head explode. It turns out that this is the same, sneaky plan of the Republican Party.
Democrats have been trying to expose the shameless hypocrisy of the GOP ever since George W. Bush ran for president as a "compassionate conservative," only to gut America's middle class, while enriching Big Oil and Wall Street.
Of course, that only touched the surface of Republican shameless hypocrisy -- from a "Clear Skies Initiative" which actually cut environmental protections, to crying about "The National Debt" under President Obama without once uttering a peep when George Bush doubled that very debt. And so much more.
So much that it's made "hypocrisy" an almost pointless word from repetition. Republicans seem to wear "shameless hypocrisy" as a badge of honor with little concern for the truth, accepting that if enough people believe it, that's a "win."
This is not hyperbole. After Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) charged in a Senate hearing that "well over 90%" of Planned Parenthood activity is abortions -- his reply upon being told the truth, that it's merely 3%, was, "his remark was not intended as a factual statement."
That popping sound you heard was heads exploding across America.
When the Republican Party Whip can fabricate facts in the Senate without cost, that explains how any conservative feels no risk at ignoring the truth. It's the Republican Trickle Down Theory of Lying.
This is not hyperbole. After all, you have a Far Right base that actually takes pride in denying science. Can it be any surprise that a disregard for facts and shameless hypocrisy has followed? This is not hyperbole. Consider that a Bush spokesman told Ron Suskind, "We make our own reality." Consider that Republican presidential candidate John Huntsman insisted:
"The minute that the Republican Party becomes the party -- the anti-science party, we have a huge problem."
And now, as conservative frenzy has ballooned the past month, we finally have the Ultimate Proof that the Republican Party's diabolical master plan is, indeed, the "Scanners Scenario" -- say whatever galling, shameless hypocrisy you can to make your adversaries' heads explode:
For years, Republicans have gleefully let Michele Bachmann (R-MN) spew psychotic charges towards Democrats without their ever flinching in embarrassment, or human decency -- but as soon as she became a serious contender as their own presidential nominee, almost half the GOP leaders polled now describe her as "inexperienced," "crazy," "lightweight" and "scary."
But no, that's not the proof. It's much more shameless than that.
After all, Ms. Bachman made herself an expert, damning medicine by charging mental retardation from a "government injection." Yet the moment she was savaged by doctors, scientists, and more, she followed John Kyl's lead: "I wasn't speaking as a doctor, I wasn't speaking as a scientist." She was speaking simply as a hypocrite.
But that's not the proof either. It's far more shameless.
Because when another Republican contender for president, Rick Perry (R-TX), blasted the president's stimulus package, bragging that he balanced his state budget -- what he hypocritically left out was that he actually accepted that very stimulus money...which is what allowed Texas to balance its budget!
But no, that's not the proof. As I said, it's really shameless.
Consider: when Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) wanted the unemployed to pass a drug test before getting benefits, her "evidence" was that half the applicants at a Department of Energy site had failed a drug test. Except, the DOE not only said that just 1% of newly-hired workers had failed the test -- but applicants don't even take a drug test! "I've never felt like I had to back up what people tell me," she hypocritically defended her double-falsehood. "And now I'm learning through you guys that I have to be careful before I say something."
Your 6-year-old learned that without being taught by the press.
But even that's not the proof. It's far more shameless, and galling -- assuming your head hasn't exploded yet.
Governor Scott Walker (R-WI), who hyped a budget crisis to cut benefits for teachers and nurses, had run on a campaign promise to add 250,000 jobs. His office promoted 32,000 openings -- but 6,000 of them were out of state! As you've figured out by now, the governor didn't apologize, "Oops, our mistake." No, he flimflammed, "Residents who live in our state and work elsewhere create a positive impact on their local communities" Mind you, it's tough on the whole "Daddy will be home by dinner" concept.
Or Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), who railed against government subsidies to private energy-related companies -- tried to get government assistance for energy projects in his home state.
Or when House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) said, "That's why it is imperative that all of us join together [and] work with the president to see how we can grow this economy" -- he showed his hypocrisy in the very same statement by admitting, "The fact is for the last eight months plus, we've been about cuts," rather than that pesky "imperative" growth.
Or when John Fleming (R-LA) turned head-exploding hypocrisy into art by complaining about the burden of taxes. After paying expenses on his $6.3 million income, he whined, "I have maybe $400,000 left over."
Or even when Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), architect of the Republican "Let's cut ALL taxes" budget plan, said he would oppose cutting payroll taxes for employees. This would have the same effect as a 50% tax increase on workers making under $106,000 a year.
All of that in the past month alone! Yet none is the Ultimate Proof of hypocrisy. That hypocrisy is something even more blatant, far more shameless:
When Barack Obama ran for president, there was one, soul-churning crusade that Republicans launched against him: the frenzied outrage that He Has No Political Experience, that he was unqualified for the job. That his time as a United States senator wasn't enough, that his 12 years as a state senator wasn't enough.
Herman Cain recently won the straw poll in Florida as the Republican choice for president. He finished second in the Value Voters straw poll preference to be leader of the free world.
Herman Cain's political experience to be U.S. Commander-in-Chief is that he once was president of a pizza company.
Now, understand, Herman Cain (R-Godfather's Pizza) is not getting the Republican nomination. What Mr. Cain's meaningless straw polls show is painful dissatisfaction with the GOP field. That's why Republicans begged for Chris Christie -- after they begged for Rick Perry. Before they beg for the next new candidate.
But still, Herman Cain won. Yet in no debate, in no ad, have Republicans even winced about Herman Cain having zero political experience. Considering how they trashed Barack Obama's 14 years in politics, you'd think there'd at least be a burp.
Love may be blind, but hypocrisy is deaf and dumb.
This isn't about whether Herman Cain is qualified to be president. If Republicans want the guy who ran a pizza company to be their party leader, it's a great fit. But the more that conservatives give attention to Herman Cain, the more it shows their shameless hypocrisy. Nothing points that out better than Herman Cain.
That's because, in the end, Republicans have shown they don't care if they're hypocrites. Or if they lie. Or about apologizing when they do. Instead, they double-down and tell you it wasn't meant to be a factual statement. Because they weren't speaking as a scientist. And didn't know to be careful before saying something.
It's important to understand this: when a Democrat is being hypocritical, he or she is wrong. The Far Right, however, will avoid admitting it and just double down and again be hypocritical. And hypocritical. And hypocritical.
Until finally your head just expl...
KA-BOOM!!!!!!!