This is a long post, but please read through to the end, I think if you are of a hopeful rational mind, you will appreciate it.

When I was checking my mail the other day, I saw this very serious “Official Republican Party Document – DO NOT DESTROY” mailed to me. And hey, this had a registration number and code. Now being one who takes the time to make sure everything is properly read and responded to, I thought I would respond to this “Survey” in real time and let anyone interested in what is being asked see what my responses are and why.

Before I begin, from someone who has his Masters in Sociology and worked on creating true and accurate public opinion surveys. To get an accurate and meaningful survey responses, beyond getting a large and representative group to question, it is important that your questions are designed to get an opinion from the participant as opposed to responding to the opinions and preconceptions of those taking the survey. To do that ends up with skewed data.

So let us begin. I will post each question and possible responses verbatim and then give my response and reasons for each response.

Section I-Presidential Performance and Issues

1)    Do you believe Barack Obama has used the presidency and the powers of his office to look out for the concerns and interests of Americans like you?

□ Yes                      □ No

I answered Yes.

2)    Do you agree or disagree with the statement below?

“President Obama inherited an economy losing 800,000 jobs a month and averted a worse economic mess while passing health care reform, saving the auto industry, killing Osama bin Laden, and winding down the war in Iraq. He has done a good job and deserves to be re-elected.”

□ Strongly agree      □ Somewhat agree

□ Strongly disagree  □ Somewhat disagree        □ Unsure

I answered Strongly agree. At this point I seriously doubt they would be tabulating any more of my answers. But to continue.

3)    How important is it to voters in your state to have candidates give attention to the following issues during the 2012 campaign?

Strengthening border security

□ Very important      □ Somewhat important       □ Not Important

I answered “somewhat” as the borders are fairly secured right now.

Reducing federal spending

□ Very important      □ Somewhat important       □ Not Important

I answered “somewhat” knowing that only federal spending at this time can get us out of the recession.

Keeping taxes low

□ Very important      □ Somewhat important       □ Not Important

I answered “somewhat” knowing that the Bush tax cuts are the biggest reasons for the deficit and somebody, preferably those with the means, should be paying more.

Exposing Obama’s radical left-wing policies

□ Very important      □ Somewhat important       □ Not Important

I answered “not” since he has no “radical left-wing policies” to expose. He’s a centrist.

Repealing ObamaCare

□ Very important      □ Somewhat important       □ Not Important

I answered “not” since ObamaCare has already proven its worth to millions in the country and is the next step to single payer which is what this nation truly needs.

Expanding domestic exploration for oil and gas

□ Very important      □ Somewhat important       □ Not Important

I answered “not” since under President Obama, we are already at record rates for both exploration and production.

Stimulating job creation in the private sector

□ Very important      □ Somewhat important       □ Not Important

I answered “very” because the Republican House has sat on all private job creating efforts presented to them by the President. They are the ones stalling growth.

Reining in government employee’s unions

□ Very important      □ Somewhat important       □ Not Important

I answered “not” because those unions have never been the problem and are in many ways the solutions to better governmental outcomes for the people. Collective bargaining is a right that should never be infringed in order to satisfy the few elites.

Demanding free and open trade to get U.S. manufacturing growing

□ Very important      □ Somewhat important       □ Not Important

I voted “not” because all the Republican free trade deals have only served to end up shipping our jobs overseas instead of creating them here. Their ideas haven’t benefitted our workers and our employment rates.

SECTION II-Economic Issues

4)    Do you believe that President Obama’s policies have helped make the economy better, had no impact on the economy, or made the economy worse?

□ Strongly believe they have made the economy better

□ Believe they have made the economy better

□ Believe they have had no impact

□ Believe they have made the economy worse

□ Strongly believe they have made the economy worse

□ Unsure

I answered Strongly believe they have made the economy better. It would be better still if the Republican Congress hadn’t blocked 90% of what he’s trying to put forth for public sector job retention and private sector job growth.

5)    President Obama has indicated that if reelected, he will fight to increase tax rates on individuals and families he considers to be “wealthy.” Do you support Obama’s position?

□ Yes            □ No

I answered yes, but let’s be clear with the question. Obama isn’t proposing tax increases, he proposing allowing the Bush Tax Cuts for those making over $250,000.00 a year to expire as they should have expired in 2010. Those people can pay the Clinton rates at no loss to their current standard of living.

6)    Are you concerned about inflation undercutting your savings, devaluing your home and increasing your cost of living?

□ Yes            □ No

I answered “Yes” which is why I will vote against all Republicans in November because it was 30 years of their policies that created the atmosphere where this could happen.

7)    Do you believe that the policies of Barack Obama have helped create good jobs and improve the economy in your area?

□ Yes            □ No

I answered “Yes” because they have and would have created more if he weren’t blocked by Congress. Further, he is now at Net Job Growth and has created more jobs in less than 4 years than Bush did in 8. Over 30 months of economic growth under the President.

8)    Do you support a federal Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to stop deficit spending in Washington?

□ Yes            □ No

I answered “no” because that is the dumbest idea anyone has ever came up with. Reasons states have to go to the federal government for assistance is because of all their “balanced budget amendments” in order to stay afloat. Federal government spending, even if its deficit spending is often indicated and necessary to keep the economy afloat in dire times. It has always worked in the past and will so for the future. It’s a lame concept presented to people with no critical thinking skills to understand the consequences of such a stupid act. It would result in ongoing depression not only here, but across the World.

SECTION III-Entitlement Spending

9)    Would you support a phased-in increase in the retirement/eligibility age for Social Security benefits that would no affect anyone over the age of 50?

□ Yes            □ No

If that was where it would stay, sure taking into account people are living healthier longer lives. However, these are not entitlements; these are payouts back to the people who paid into these programs.

10) Should retirees be exempt from property tax increases on their residence?

□ Yes            □ No

I answered “No” but have no problems with some sort of “means” testing to assist those on limited, fixed incomes.

11) Would you support allowing individuals under the age of 50 to opt to put a portion of their Social Security withholdings into private accounts that they control, but cannot access without penalty until their retirement?

□ Yes            □ No

I answered “No” because this is privatization. Privatization would bankrupt Social Security and prevent those who need it the most to avoid poverty. This only benefits Wall Street Investors, if there is privatization and we have another crash, then those who need it to just survive are quite simply shit out of luck. Stupid idea GOP that why majority of nation will never support it despite what you propose to help only the wealthiest among us.

SECTION IV-National Security Issues

12) Has the Obama Administration done enough to counter Iran’s drive to acquire a nuclear weapon?

□ Yes            □ No

They have done as much as any rational administration can do to avoid another pointless bloody war with no winners at the end. This is what those who fund the GOP appear to want.

13) Should the United States demand that Pakistan reform its military and intelligence agencies in order to receive military aid funds?

□ Yes            □ No

We need to work better with Pakistan and smarter and not forget, they are a nuclear power and doing this stupidly would have catastrophic implications for the region.

14) Do you want our elected leaders to make stopping illegal immigration a top national priority?

□ Yes            □ No

I’m game if the GOP are. Problem is they see it as an issue of race catering to the racist elements of their extreme right wind fringe. If they want to talk serious immigration reform with everything on the table, then we should. If not, then they should just continue to whine as they have for the past 30 years.

15) Do you believe Obama’s strategy of treating all countries as equals to the United States has strengthened our security and weakened the resolve of our enemies?

□ Yes            □ No

What a dumb-ass question based on another false premise. Diplomacy involves treating all participants as adults recognizing that everyone has issues important to them. To work from a position that only you matter, you accomplish nothing. We always have had and will continue to have enemies. However, to treat the World as if it’s our way or the highway despite how it impacts other human beings only serves to isolate us from the entire world and then having no one to come to our aid when needed. This is how a mature diplomatic mission works.

16) Do you believe that the United   States has done enough to ensure that Chinese markets are open and fair for imports from our nation?

□ Yes            □ No

No but this is due to Congress sitting on legislation that would address much of this. However the current set up has been very beneficial to Mitt Romney and his cronies, many of whom fund the GOP in their efforts.

SECTION V-Health Care Issues

17) Do you support immediate and total repeal of the ObamaCare health care legislation and its massive new taxes?

□ Yes            □ No

Not only am I opposed to that, it must be pointed out that ACA is not a new massive tax. In fact, the government has no control, no mechanism to even collect the “taxes” implied by the legislation and it is estimated to only impact less than 4% of the people who chose not to get healthcare and are of the means to purchase it. Another question based on a false premise.

18) Have the government and news media provided information to ensure that citizens have a good understanding of the composition, impact and costs of the Democrat-passed ObamaCare health care legislations?

□ Yes            □ No

Well, FOX has been good at feeding out misinformation about the legislation at the behest of the GOP while the mainstream media hasn’t done much to correct the record. But word is getting out that this is good for the American people and economy despite the whines from the right. By the way guys, its “Democratic-passed” not “Democrat-passed”, that just childish on your part.

19) Are you concerned that Barack Obama and the Democrats intend for their ObamaCare legislation to eventually lead to the creation of “single-payer” government run health insurance and health care system?

□ Yes            □ No

Concerned? I’m counting on it. It’s about time we join the rest of the industrialized world and get better outcomes for less money than we do under the current system. By the way, this is for funding and accessibility of health care, not health care itself.

20) Do you believe you can receive the same quality of health care and accessibility to quality care through a federal government run health care system?

□ Yes            □ No

The rest of the industrialized world does, I believe we can to.

SECTION VI-Values Issues

21) Do you support the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe vs. Wade to allow states to regulate/restrict abortion as they see fit?

□ Yes            □ No

Considering the needless deaths and poor outcomes across the country prior to Roe v Wade, absolutely not. Women deserve to make that choice, to say otherwise is not Pro-Life, it’s Pro-Slavery.

22) Do you believe we should keep a strong pro-life plank in our platform?

□ Yes            □ No

Your platform isn’t pro-life at all if it allows for people of limited means to not have affordable healthcare, education, jobs, opportunities and still supports illegal and pointless wars and executions for people who end up being innocent. Come up with a Pro-Life Plank and then we can discuss it.

23) Should federal funds be provided to non-profit organizations whose primary function is conducting abortions?

□ Yes            □ No

I don’t believe there are any. If you’re referring to Planned Parenthood, only 3% of their operations are geared towards providing women the choice of an abortion.

24) Do you support allowing parents to use government vouchers to send their children to the school of their choice be it public, parochial or private?

□ Yes            □ No

No school voucher system does that. It only diverts public tax money to the wealthiest who can already send their children to parochial and private schools thus saving them money. Those of limited means are left with only underfunded public schools. Vouchers are a con to the tax-payers.

SECTION VII-The 2012 Campaign

25) Are Republicans in your area enthusiastic and committed to voting for our Republican slate of candidates this November?

□ Yes            □ No

If they are, they’re totally misinformed and aren’t interested in theirs or our country’s best interests.

26) Do you support voter ID laws that require individuals to show a government issued picture ID when the go to the polls to vote?

□ Yes            □ No

Only if they are easily provided to all Americans free of charge with no strings attached. Kind of like what Bill Clinton was advocating when he was president and the Republicans balked at such an idea.

27) Do you believe the Republican Party needs to do a better job exposing the Obama record and his radical liberal agenda?

□ Yes            □ No

No, the GOP needs to actually start telling the truth that the agenda isn’t radical or liberal; it’s centrist with many traditional GOP planks in it. Stop the misinformation to the American people.

28) Are you committed to helping ensure that in 2012, the Obama-era of radical liberalism, reckless spending and embarrassing foreign policy comes to an end?

□ Yes            □ No

The last question and yet again based on a false premise and with a mix of projection on the GOP’s part. To put it succinctly, No fucking way losers!

Now if this was just a survey, that would be it. But it wasn’t, it’s primarily a request for contributions. Following the last question was the hit for money. You have three options to pick from:

□ Yes, I will give money to help elect Mitt Romney… etc, starting at $35.00.

□ No, I don’t want to participate but will return the questionnaire with a contribution to “help build the Republican Party’s national campaign to defeat Barack Obama and elect Republicans to all levels of government in 2012.” Starting at $35.00.

□ No. I do not wish to participate, but I am returning this Document with a sponsoring contribution of $15 to help cover tabulating my Survey. I found this last option of the only three absolutely insulting.

There was a final Section after the contribution part for additional comments. I would simply add, fire Reince Priebus and bring some adults back to run the party.

The purpose of this “survey” was so transparent. It started off harmless enough with basic and safe questions of opinion. However, as you will note, as you moved through the survey, the questions were more geared towards the fringed radical right extremists of the GOP. The tone of each question spoke more to the opinions of those who wrote the question and asking for confirmation from those they hope agree with them. As a result, the Right Wing Nut Job who actually completes the survey is so angry at the end, they will contribute money.

Now the fact of the matter is, the GOP has lost sight of the fact that the extremists in their party have driven many Republicans away in the past two years. They have become Democrats or Independents. However, many do still remain in the party but lay low. There is an organization out there:

http://www.republicansforobama.org/

who represent the last few sane members of the party. This survey would most likely cause them to leave also.

From 2008:

And from this year, Republican Women for Obama:

Anyhow Reince Preibus, I’m not returning this survey to you with a contribution. But you have mine and I believe the answers of rational people to your “survey.” Tabulate it at your own cost, not mine.