Total Republican Insanity

It's no secret that I am deeply despairing for the nation's future. I've been working on a post for awhile about how the Senate's collapse is the greatest threat to democracy this nation has faced in over a century. I fret about our inability to get anything done, to solve any social problem, to even admit that climate change is a problem.

So I am hardly surprised but am deeply saddened to see these poll results from Research 2000/Daily Kos asking self-identified Republicans about their beliefs. A few "highlights"

Should public school students be taught that the book of Genesis in the Bible explains how God created the world?
Yes 77
No 15
Not Sure 8

Should contraceptive use be outlawed?
Yes 34
No 48
Not Sure 18

Would you favor or oppose giving illegal immigrants now living in the United States the right to live here legally if they pay a fine and learn English?
Favor 26
Oppose 59
Not Sure 15

Should Barack Obama be impeached, or not?
Yes 39
No 32
Not Sure 29

Do you support the death penalty?
Yes 91
No 4
Not Sure 5

Oh boy...


Sara Robinson provides some really first-rate analysis to these numbers, particularly noting that on the issue of contraception, it's more useful to watch what people do rather than what they say. But rhetoric matters and we are seeing the impact of 40 years of crazy right-wing rhetoric reach fruition today, something that seriously threatens the future of this nation.