Would Virginia Republicans be better off if they had more Shaun Kenneys in their party, and fewer Corey Stewarts (and “Sideshow Bob” Marshalls and Dick Blacks and Eugene Delgaudios and…)? I’d say the answer is a resounding “yes!” if this post is any indication. Over at the ever-excellent Moonhowlings, which certainly deserves greater readership, Elana has some thoughts on all this. And over at the Washington Post Virginia Politics blog, the also-excellent Rosalind Helderman has some fascinating background on why Del. Scott Lingamfelter (R-Prince William) asked for the (what turned out to be utterly scathing) legal analysis from Ken Cuccinelli on Corey Stewart’s proposal to, essentially, replicate here in Virginia the “controversial Arizona statute that requires police officers to check the immigration status of anyone they stop for questioning if they have reasonable suspicion the person is in the country illegally.”
But back to Shaun Kenney for a minute. I rarely if ever agree with Kenney on almost anything, but I’ve got to respect a Republican in these “teahadist” times who’s willing to show some serious courage and stand up against the racists and xenophobes ruining his party. As Kenney writes in the comments section of Moonhowlings, “Sure, I’ve already been threatened with my own political career – but what good is it for if you don’t (or can’t) stand up when it matters?” Great question. Now, if we could only get more Republicans of good will to stand up against the lunacy in their party on a wide variety of issues — global warming denialism, homophobia (“Loudoun Insider has been having a field day on this front, mocking Dick Black and Eugene DelGOTTAGO mercilessly for their comically crazy – or crazily comical? – homophobic hysteria), Islamophobia, “states rights,” etc, etc.
For now, though, let’s just be happy that we’ve got Shaun Kenney and “Loudoun Insider,” also Norm Leahy (except for his bizarre and disappointing climate change denialism — c’mon, Norm, get with the science and step away from the lunatic fringe!), James Bacon, and libertarian Doug Mataconis (on Sarah Palin, civil liberties, Newt Gingrich, the Tea Party, homophobia, Islamophobia, etc.). Maybe, some day, folks like these can take their party back from the nutcases (Cooch, Can’tor, BONEr, McConnell, Palin, Limbaugh, Beck, etc.) currently running their once-great party. Unfortunately, today is not that day, but you’ve gotta start somewhere!
P.S. No, I never thought I’d be writing this headline in a million years!
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