Seriously? This is all the Republicans have got in response to progressive policy?

If there's much doubt remaining that the Republicans are pretty bankrupt of ideas, some of their lame responses on Sunday's talk shows are revealing.

Last week Hillary Clinton blasted out an indictment of Republicans for passing laws obviously aimed at curbing the votes of minorities, poor people, and young people.   She called for making it easier to register and to vote, not harder.

In an appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation, Chris Christie tried to shift the story.   "She doesn't know what she's talking about. . . .  [I]n New Jersey, we have early voting that [is] available to people. I don't want to expand it and increase the opportunities for fraud.  Maybe that's what Mrs. Clinton wants to do. I don't know."

Christie's talking points on Friday to reporters were similar:  "Secretary Clinton doesn’t know the first thing about voting rights in New Jersey or in the other states that she attacked. My sense is that she just wants an opportunity to commit greater acts of voter fraud around the country.”

So this is the best he and his campaign advisers can come up with -- even between Friday and his Sunday morning  tv appearance?    No attempt to address the problem and show that voter fraud is a serious problem (because real data shows that it is not).  Instead, you just bluster and accuse your opponent.

That's one example.   The other was Rick Santorum trying to explain to Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday" why he is qualified to speak against climate change action, while the pope is not qualified to speak in favor of doing something about it "because he should leave science to the scientists."   (See ShrinkRap on Saturday, June 5th for background.)

Wallace, who can sometimes be quite penetrating and blunt, put it to Santorum:
   
Wallace:  "I guess the question would be, if he shouldn't talk about it, should you?"

Santorum:  [Politicians] "have to make decisions with respect to our public policy that affect American workers."  Adding that the pope can talk about whatever he wants, but it might not be the best issue for him to "use his moral authority for."

Wallace:  "He would say he's protecting the earth."

Santorum:  "I would say that that's [an] important thing to do, but I think there are more pressing problems confronting the earth than climate change." Santorum then talked about revitalizing things that create jobs and opportunities.  

The problem with this short-sighted, conservative position on climate change is that it's never going to seem like the top priority until it's already too late to do something to save our planet and our future.     Democrats at least acknowledge that and are trying to make a start.

At best, we're lagging behind other advanced nations, and even some emerging nations, as we stagnate in our political infighting and our pervasive culture of disinformation and fear,  perpetrated by short-sighted conservative politicians, pundits, and preachers.

Let's hope Clinton continues riding this crusader's horse:   voting rights, women's rights, climate change, income inequality, gay/trans rights -- and a sensible foreign policy.

Ralph