The news this morning is that Republican Governor candidate Bill Brady has decided to drop his support of all of the social issue planks in the GOP platform (see platforms here). For some of us, this isn’t surprising. After a while of observing the behavior of certain people it’s easy to measure character, competence, and yes, intellectual capacity.
The Daily Herald reports the following in an article with the headline, “Brady: No social agenda”:
I have my personal beliefs. … We all have our personal beliefs.
That’s about as profound as it’s going to get coming from Bill Brady.
Also in the article is this:
[Pat] Quinn last week said he believed civil unions would be passed into law by the time “Christmas comes around.”
If that happens, Brady said, he would not move to overturn the legislation.
The legislature would have spoken, he said.
And this:
Brady said the “legislative process will determine the state’s agenda on social issues.”
Bill Brady has done us all a favor by at least admitting he will not fight for the pro-family agenda. If the General Assembly ignores the will of the people much like Congress has in recent months, Bill Brady says, sorry, but the fight is over, the “legislative process” made its determination. So much for the defense of traditional marriage.
Bill Brady is actually a great example of the kind of politicians and politicos that I’ve been dealing with for over twenty years. It’s why we’re in the fiscal and cultural mess we’re in. Instead of doing their homework on critically important matters like defending the building block of society, they instead depend on their looks or public speaking abilities or both. Memorize a few talking points and smile a lot.
Brady is not alone. The superficial thinking on the part of Republican leaders here in Illinois led to the rise of Barack Obama, the decade’s long rein of Mike Madigan, and two election victories for Rod Blagojevich. Let’s not forget Brady’s role in the 2006 election.
If we’re to listen to the vapid, slippery political types, we’re to believe that cultural decay is no big deal.
Hey, it’s only the social fabric.
It’s only marriage.
It’s only unborn life.
And as I’ve said before, Republicans aren’t only ignoring the social issues. Congressional Republicans are ignoring the debate over the war in Afghanistan like they did the war in Iraq. So much for leadership.
The fact that the surge there is showing signs of progress is no matter. Our GOP candidates can’t handle anything more than talk about balancing budgets.
The problem is, a skeptical public remembers the lack of honest accounting during the Jim Edgar/Pate Philip years. And no one can forget the Bush/Hastert legacy.
Walk and chew gum simultaneously? These guys are just learning to walk. God save the Republic while our toddler-leaders find their footing.
