Seriously, we’ve known for a long time that Rep. Dave Brat (R-VA07) is as extreme as they come in this country, along with Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, Cruz and Trump supporters, etc. But this latest tirade by Brat goes beyond extreme into Torquemada territory. I mean, it’s not every day that you hear a politician claim an entire faith tradition for his own ideological wing (hard right, certainly not “libertarian” in any way) of his own party (Republican). Thus, according to Brat, if a progressive like President Obama cites the Gospels to argue for protecting “orphans and widows,” it’s terrible, mean, horrible — “bonking Republicans over the head with the Bible.” But presumably when Ted Cruz, Ken Cuccinelli, E.W. Jackson and a gazillion other theocratic right wingers cite the Bible to support their beliefs on pretty much any topic, it’s perfectly fine with the appropriately-named Brat. In fact, it’s more than fine; in Brat’s wacked-out view, the “conservative side…own[s] the entire tradition” of Christian compassion, love, etc.
So much for Pope Francis, I guess, who is basically in sync with Bernie Sanders when it comes to promoting social justice and economic fairness, critiquing the flaws of capitalism, pushing urgently for the strongest possible protection of the environment, opposing capital punishment, supporting universal health care (actually, Pope Benedict said the same thing, as did Pope John Paul II), etc. Also, so much for the many other progressive faith traditions within Christianity; Grand Inquisitor Brat just wrote them all out of the faith. The question is how long Virginia’s 7th CD voters will put up with this lunacy and intolerance from Brat before they write him out of Congress!
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