Playing the religion card

Republicans used to hate it when liberals would yank out the race card. So it's particularly galling that identity politics has become the next big thing in the Republican Party. For Republicans, religion is the new race. They have cultivated a victimhood mentality in their legions of supporters and conned them into believing that there is a huge conspiracy by liberals to oppress Christians and undermine their way of life.

The current fracas over judicial nominees has provided the Republicans with ample opportunities to play the religion card. William Pryor, a "Christian", has been portrayed by the right wing as a man of faith being attacked merely for his "deeply held views." Want to know some of those deeply held views? According to Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy:

"Judge Pryor has also vigorously opposed an exemption for persons with mental retardation from receiving the death penalty, exhibiting more certainty than understanding or sober reflection. He authored an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court arguing that the Court should not declare that executing mentally retarded persons violated the Eighth Amendment. After losing on that issue, Judge Pryor made an unsuccessful argument to the Eleventh Circuit that an Alabama death-row defendant is not mentally retarded."

Pryor, who is Catholic, supports the death penalty for the mentally retarded? I wonder what JP2 would have thought of that. Unfortunately for America, Pryor was confirmed last week.

Ah, who cares about a few 'tards?