This campaign season can be summed up by one interview on conservative talk radio last August. It was with Iowa Straw Poll-sweeper Congresswoman, Michele Bachmann, in which she proclaimed: “What people recognize is that there’s a fear that the United States is in an unstoppable decline. They see the rise of China, the rise of India, the rise of the Soviet Union and our loss militarily going forward.”

Yes, Bachmann warned us of a foreign boogieman rising … one that’s been dead for over 20 years.

Boo!

But warning of a zombie nation feasting on the metaphorical brains of the U.S. is consistent with a party now completely untethered from basic American history, science or any other evidence-based practice: The GOP is now a party standing proudly on a pro-fiction platform.

Yes, in their party, as an aide to Senator Jon Kyl put it last year, whatever they say is “not intended to be a factual statement” but to illustrate a point.

For example, this week Mitt Romney brought a Michigan tea party audience to tears recalling the 50th anniversary of the American automobile event he attended as a child … even though it took place months before he was born.

Former Senator Rick Santorum asserts public schools are an “anachronism” of the industrialized era as the reason they should be privatized. He said at the CNN debate last week: “Not only do I believe the federal government should get out of the education business, I think the state government should start to get out of the education business and put it back to the local and into the community.” Just when millions of Americans have lost their homes comes a candidate in favor of home schooling.

Public schools are arguably what made us a country. The colonies had one of the highest literacy rates in the world at the time. In James D. Hart’s “The Popular Book: A History of America’s Literary Taste” published in 1950, he notes that in 1650 New England there were laws requiring “reading and writing schools.” Education was thought to thwart Satan at that time (note to Santorum there). Hart goes on to include a popular ditty of the era: “From public schools shall general knowledge flow, For ‘tis the people’s sacred right to know.”

Also, the principal writer of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, was (gasp) publically educated.

Santorum, as a pro-fiction candidate, also dismisses colleges as “indoctrination mills.” One man’s indoctrination is another man’s accreditation to work in the sciences.

The four candidates still vying for the nomination are pro-fiction to the core: Somehow the President who okayed the assassination of Osama bin Laden, sent drone attacks into Libya and kept Gitmo open is an apologetic pansy – soft on our enemies. Obama has deported more illegal immigrants and spent more money protecting the border than any of his predecessors – but he’s ignoring the issue of illegal immigration. Romney keeps on promising if elected he’ll make the military so powerful no other country would dare attack us even though we have the biggest military in the world. Gingrich who says if given any power he’ll send U.S. Marshalls to compel radical judges to explain their rulings, deems “the pill” to be the epitome of radical government overreach. Taxes? Too high even though they’re historically low (especially during war time). Tax cuts? A pay-for-themselves panacea even though the Bush Tax Cuts didn’t pan out.

Challenge their narrative and brace for the ad hominem attacks. You only believe this because you’re at least one of the following: liberal, socialist, unemployed, commie sympathizer, elite, dupe, European, journalist, gun hater, Muslim, Obama-bot, or (my favorite from my inbox) silly little girl.

Because in fiction you must create an enemy or there’s no story.

The pro-fiction party will tell you their ideas will lower gas prices, cut the deficit, end poverty, cut the size of government and make everybody super free by allowing the states to decide which rights to take away.

No matter how completely impossible – no matter how divorced from evidence or precedence – the GOP will continue to make claims not to be factual – but just to illustrate a point. Possibly that you should vote for them.

The Soviet Union must be watching this race right now and just laughing their heads off.

Politics Plus: GOP supports banksters who starve children.

Black Magpie Theory: Why the grudge against Sharron Angle is personal.

Empty Wheel: A curious way to celebrate Independence Day

MadKane: Orrin Hatch is why Elena Kagan has no judicial experience.

Pruning Shears: Why Looking Back Matters

Guest round up by Blue Gal. Send tips to bluegalsblog AT gmail.

The way I feel about this is probably akin to how Thomas Jefferson felt when the anti-slavery clause was stricken from the Declaration of Independence in order to get enough votes to pass.

Stupak probably doesn't have the votes will be joined by the Republicans and will probably get his amendment passed. Again, I ask: Why does someone's personal religious beliefs get to infringe on mine or anyone else's rights? Abortion is legal, in case anyone forgot.

WASHINGTON — The House opened debate on its health-care bill Saturday after Democratic leaders agreed to allow a vote on an amendment from antiabortion Democrats.

The agreement early Saturday could break a stalemate over abortion that was threatening the bill's prospects.

If the House approves the bill, it would be the first time a chamber of Congress has passed legislation aimed at guaranteeing near-universal access to health care.

A final vote on the health measure could come late Saturday or early Sunday morning. House Democratic leaders were still scrambling to come up with the 218 votes needed to pass the bill, and aides predicted the vote would be a cliffhanger.

[...] Abortion has divided Democrats, with antiabortion lawmakers saying they couldn't allow any federal funding of abortion under the new health-insurance exchanges the bill would establish.

Rep. Bart Stupak, an antiabortion Democrat from Michigan, explained his amendment before the House Rules Committee just after midnight Saturday. He said it provides that federal subsidies cannot be used to purchase a health plan including coverage for abortions other than in cases of rape or incest.

The amendment from Mr. Stupak and Rep. Joseph Pitts (R., Pa.) is set to come before the full House for a vote later Saturday.

The concession to allow a vote is significant because House Democrats aren't allowing votes on any other substantive amendments, save one Republican amendment that is an alternative to the Democrats' plan.

Here's what the amendment does, as USAToday noted:

Nearly 90% of private health insurance policies now offer abortion coverage, and almost half of women with private insurance have it. But women covered under the new system would have to find supplemental insurance or pay out of pocket for an unanticipated procedure that can cost from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on complexity. For anyone unable to afford it, this would amount to a de facto ban.

But here's the catch: The bill makes it so financially unattractive for insurance companies to offer abortion coverage - even if you pay for the insurance yourself - that they're likely to stop offering it except to the largest groups. Got it? This is not a minor amendment.

And unless it's rejected by the Senate or in conference, women have once again been stripped of the ability to get abortions.

Time to hit the phones. Got this today from a Hill source:

Leans pro-choice but needs shoring up

Arcuri (D, NY-24)

Bean (D, IL-08)

Bishop, S. (D, GA-02)

Boswell (D, IA-03)

Butterfield (D, NC-01)

Cardoza (D, CA-18)

Chandler (D, KY-06)

Cooper (D, TN-05)

Costa (D, CA-20)

Doyle (D, PA-14)

Edwards, C. (D, TX-17)

Etheridge (D, NC-02)

Gordon (D, TN-06)

Kratovil (D, MD-01)

Langevin (D, RI-02)

McMahon (D, NY-13)

Michaud (D, ME-02)

Minnick (D, ID-01)

Neal (D, MA-02)

Nye (D, VA-02)

Obey (D, WI-07)

Owens (D, NY-23)

Ruppersberger (D, MD-02)

Ryan, T. (D, OH-17)

Salazar (D, CO-03)

Space (D, OH-18)

Unknown

Biggert (R, IL-13)

Carney (D, PA-10)

Castle (R, DE-AL)

Cuellar (D, TX-28)

Davis, A. (D, AL-07)

Dent (R, PA-15)

Ellsworth (D, IN-08)

Frelinghuysen (R, NJ-11)

Kirk (R, IL-10)

Lynch (D, MA-09)

Pomeroy (D, ND-AL)

Snyder (D, AR-02)

Tanner (D, TN-08)

Visclosky (D, IN-01)

Leaning anti-choice

Altmire (D, PA-04)

Barrow (D, GA-12)

Berry (D, AR-01)

Boccieri (D, OH-16)

Bright (D, AL-02)

Capito (R, WV-02)

Donnelly (D, IN-02)

Hill (D, IN-09)

Jenkins (R, KS-02)

Kildee (D, MI-05)

Lance (R, NJ-07)

Lee, C. (R, NY-26)

Matheson (D, UT-02)

Mollohan (D, WV-01)

Ortiz (D, TX-27)

Paulsen (R, MN-03)

Perriello (D, VA-05)

Rahall (D, WV-03)

Ross (D, AR-04)

Spratt (D, SC-05)

Wilson, C. (D, OH-06)

On Friday, to help honor Independence Day, the president appeared in Charlottesville, Virginia, and hosted a naturalization ceremony at Monticello. Bush had quite a bit to say about the president who called Monticello home.

“The principles that Thomas Jefferson enshrined in the Declaration became the guiding principles of the new nation. And at every generation, Americans have rededicated themselves to the belief that all men are created equal, with the God-given right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

“Thomas Jefferson understood that these rights do not belong to Americans alone. They belong to all mankind. And he looked to the day when all people could secure them. On the 50th anniversary of America’s independence, Thomas Jefferson passed away. But before leaving this world, he explained that the principles of the Declaration of Independence were universal. In one of the final letters of his life, he wrote, ‘May it be to the world, what I believe it will be — to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all — the Signal of arousing men to burst the chains, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government.’”

That’s very nice, but as Ed Brayton noted, it’s not quite what Jefferson said. Here’s the actual portion from the letter Bush referenced (thanks to R.M. for the heads-up):

“May it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government.” [emphasis added]

Hmm. Jefferson’s actual sentiments weren’t quite what Bush wanted to say, so it looks like Bush’s speechwriters gave Jefferson a little touch-up.

Happy Birthday, Thomas Jefferson. Listen to The Declaration of Independence here.

Open Thread below...

From Athenae at First Draft, the single most damning indictment of George W. Bush's presidency we have ever rea-oh, wait. It's the Declaration of Independence.

Phil Nugent: "Bizarro love President Bush! Him set standard we can be proud to emulate!" (Also: living well with disgrace.)

Julia at Roger Ailes: "Less than 2% of a specific subset of food imported from China was inspected last year. 1% of total Chinese food imports were turned back." And how was your barbecue?

Pharyngula: A student in Roanoke, VA, lends his friend a copy of The God Delusion and is called to task by the principal, who says he has "forc[ed] the school into an establishment clause violation."

Blah3: Did he fall down again, or did somebody slug the Prez?

The Yorkshire Ranter: Smarter investing through brain damage!

Guest blogger Simbaud would like to remind you that some tyrannical monarchs can be quite charming. Send your spare links to Simbaud AT gmail DOT com.

Will Dennis Prager and Virgil Goode now call the Founding Father responsible for the Declaration of Independence a terrorist-lover?

WaPo:

Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, found himself under attack last month when he announced he'd take his oath of office on the Koran -- especially from Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode, who called it a threat to American values.

Yet the holy book at tomorrow's ceremony has an unassailably all-American provenance. We've learned that the new congressman -- in a savvy bit of political symbolism -- will hold the personal copy once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

NPR interviewed Mark Dimunation of the Library of Congress about Jefferson's book.

WaPo:

Clicking upward at a rate of one person every 11 seconds, the U.S. population will officially surpass 300 million in the next week or so.

The milestone is a reminder that the United States remains a remarkable demographic specimen, 230 years old (since the Declaration of Independence) and still in a growth spurt. Read on...

Oy. So that's why the freeways are so backed up.