Politics and hypocrisy. But I repeat myself.

I am delighted to hear Republican presidential candidates and other prominent party figures, like Rep. Paul Ryan, express how important it is for Americans to protest the use of taxpayer money to fund actions that violate the citizenry's moral beliefs.

Republicans are focused on the so-called contraception debate, in which they say no American should be forced to pay for someone else's -- meaning women's -- birth control. But I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they talk about those of us opposed to capital punishment and wars based on lies and deceit. Certainly, if their money shouldn't go toward birth control, then my money shouldn't go to executions. Or wars for oil. Or subsidies for oil companies and corn growers. My moral outrage has numerous targets, and I'm thrilled that any day now, the Republicans will let me know how much I can lower my tax payments, since I'll no longer have to support those government activities I oppose.

Unfortunately, I think I'll be waiting a long time for that notice. This "debate" about contraception isn't about contraception, morality, or even taxes. It's about men telling women what is best for them. While Republicans claim the Obama administration's efforts to ensure access to birth control -- which, coincidentally, would lessen the frequency of abortions -- is Big Brother forcing religious people to violate their moral beliefs, it is no such thing.

 

The administration's plan offers an exemption to religious institutions similar to those offered by 28 states. Eight states offer no exemption to those institutions at all. What have the Republicans been doing while all those states were so callously wreaking havoc on the religious liberties of their citizens?

These sorry excuses for real political issues are the price we pay for the political system we have. The primary season is time for the extremists on every side to come out to play. Candidates are encouraged to jump through a series of hoops held by niche influence peddlers in order to secure another tiny block of voters. No lunatic fringe group is ignored while the candidate tries to assemble a winning percentage of the electorate.

I often joke about packing up my motorcycle and heading to South America for retirement. It's hard for someone like me, who has been involved in politics one way or another since I was 14, to think so cynically about elections. But sometimes I grow tired and dispirited about it all.

Fortunately, President Obama continues to inspire me to stay hopeful. He's not perfect, of course, and there are several issues on which we disagree. However, I think history will show him to have tried incredibly hard to advance the country and the world in a very difficult time with virtually no support from the other side. When your opposition states at the beginning of your term that its mission is to deny you success, then spends the last 3+ years opposing every effort you make -- even those originally proposed by their own members -- you have to wonder whether the job is really worth the aggravation.

I'm glad Obama wanted the Presidency and still wants it. Every day that passes gives more evidence of the emptiness of the Republican field of candidates, and the Republican party in general. They are empty of worthwhile ideas, empty of sincerity, empty of compassion, and empty of empathy.

Each day convinces me even more of the need to re-elect President Obama. The country is moving in the right direction, and this is no time to start sliding back to the mess Republicans caused the last time around.