The New Meme

The new meme floating through the left flanks of the blogosphere is that Bush is going to lose because of “Bigot Eruptions.” Apparently a bigot eruption is not necessarily someone standing up and yelling “Nigger” in public like a Tourette’s patient, but a bigot eruption is whenever any Republican makes a political statement or proposal that could be massaged to a point that someonecan feel indignant. For example, this is a bigot eruption as Matt Welch sees it:

The Senate Majority Leader of his own political party — thinks the Constitution needs to be rewritten to specifically discriminate against the homos.

Matt, of course, is referring to a constitutional amendment proposal that is currently circulating through the Beltway that would officially declare that marriage is a union between a man and wife. Which, coincidentally, is exactly how things are today and have been for the last, well- since we existed as a nation. How this proposal is bigoted is beyond me- and for one thing, we know a successful constitutional amendment will at least be difficult to challenge as unconstitutional (although with this current court, who knows).

So, someone is proposing an amendment that will essentially maintain the status quo, and this is a bigot eruption? The assertion alone is dubious, regardless of your opinion on gay marriage (I am in favor of same sex civil unions- well, more honestly, I don’t care- if homosexuals who love each other want to get hitched, more power to ’em- except it is currently against the law). I am not sure what is wrong with same sex civil unions, particularly if they grant all the legal benefits of marriage. Then again, I have no horse in this race whatsoever, I am neither gay nor married.

What is the silliest part of this is Matt’s big hope that “Dubya is asked about this and every other Bigot Eruption at every press conference between now and November 2004.” You see- President Bush now must be accountable for every word uttered by anyone in the Republican party. As evidence, Oliver Willis pitches in with a link to a story about a SEMINOLE COUNTY Republican who has some bizarre views. That is right- not only is he not in the US Congress, he is not even elected to the Florida state assembly. He is a county official- and for that, proponents of the new “Bigot Eruption” meme think Bush should lose in 2004. Or this should be a weapon used repeatedly against Bush in 2004.

Excuse me while I laugh you guys off the stage. I guess then, with these rules, whoever is nominated as the Democrat candidate for 2004 should be repeatedly grilled about the adulterous affairs of Bob Wise, my governor. He is, after all, a Democrat, so clearly it will be Dean’s/Kerry’s/whoever-wins responsibility to answer for his behavior. Uh oh- I just remembered- a local city treasurer was just indicted for embezzlement- and SHE IS A DEMOCRAT. Whatever will Dean say about this one?

Politics is getting weirder by the minute. And do I have to remind you guys, that ifyou want to beat Bush, hammer on the spending- if enough people like me get disgusted enough, we will stay home, and it won’t matter how much money Bush raises during the campaign.