No More Dog Whistles…

Indiana contributes more than its share to the crazy caucus of the House of Representatives. Our state’s intrepid culture warriors not only close ranks with the far-Right “lawmakers” (note quotes) intent upon blocking  anything close to actual governance, they are also happy to advance their bigotries publicly.

No more “dog whistles.” Just good old Hoosier White Supremacy.

Take Jim Banks. (Please!) In addition to his vote to shut down the government and his efforts to form an “anti-woke” caucus, he and Greg Stuebe (R-Fl) are coming after the accreditation of colleges and universities.

And why, you might reasonably ask, would they be doing that?

Reps. Jim Banks (R-IN) and Greg Steube (R-FL) urged Congress to take action to reform the college accreditation process to combat diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements from accrediting agencies.

In a Washington Examiner op-ed Wednesday, the two Republican lawmakers, known to be among the most conservative members of Congress, argued that the college accreditation system has become politicized with diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements and that congressional action is needed to solve the issue….

Banks and Steube are both members of the House Anti-Woke Caucus, which they said was launched in part because of the state of higher education. The two lawmakers, along with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), introduced the Fairness In Higher Education Accreditation Act earlier this year, which would ban accrediting agencies from requiring commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion from institutions seeking to be accredited.

Well, yes, I suppose efforts to combat historic discrimination and bigotry could be considered “political”–at least, if you are one of the far-too-numerous Americans who are trying to take the country back to a time when only straight White Christian men were considered “real Americans.”

“Credit” where it’s due: Banks doesn’t limit his bigotry to racism. He’s also a rabid misogynist/forced birther– 100% anti-choice with zero exceptions. (Evidently, if a ten-year-old is impregnated during a vicious rape, it’s God’s will…) During his time in Congress, Banks has endorsed a federal abortion ban, called the overturning of Roe v. Wade a “joyful day,” and supported imposition of a travel ban that would criminalize women who leave a state to access an abortion.

In an interview with a conservative Fort Wayne radio host, Banks touted such a travel ban–and went on to say, “there’s much more that we must do, that we need to do, that I’m going to fight for in the House, and when I get to the Senate, I’m going to fight for there in a bigger way as well.”

That certainly tells Hoosier women what’s at stake in the upcoming campaign for U.S. Senate…(You can donate to his Democratic, pro-choice rival here.)

And we shouldn’t forget Banks’ homophobia, demonstrated by his despicable attacks on trans children. The far-Right “Family Policy Alliance” has praised him for his introduction of a mean-spirited bill that would effectively prevent doctors from assisting children diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

Senator Tom Cotton (AR) and Congressman Jim Banks (IN-3) have introduced federal legislation to protect vulnerable children from transgender interventions, the Protecting Minors from Medical Malpractice Act. The legislation provides minors a private right of action to sue the medical professionals who perform their “transition” procedures for 30 years after they turn 18…

Here at Family Policy Alliance, we firmly believe that hurting children deserve real help, not the harm of experimental hormones and irreversible surgeries. That’s why we authored our Help Not Harm legislation to protect children at the state level. Now, Congressman Banks and Senator Cotton are boldly taking that language to the federal level to protect children around the nation. We heartily support them in this effort.”

Rep. Banks noted of the legislation, “This is such a common-sense bill, and FPA’s been on the front lines advocating for this legislation at the state level, which is where we pulled ideas from to write the federal version of this bill.”

What kind of person considers it “common sense” to over-rule the considered and difficult decisions of medical professionals, their patients and patients’ families–to insert government into the doctor-patient relationship in order to ensure that vulnerable children abide by his Christian Nationalist beliefs?

The answer is: the same sort of ignoramus who would say–as Banks did in October of 2016, according to Wikipedia–“I believe that climate change in this country is largely leftist propaganda to change the way Americans live and create more government obstruction and intrusion in our lives.”

For a guy who opposes “government intrusion in our lives,” he’s sure willing to use government to limit women’s rights, interfere with health care for LGBTQ youngsters, and prevent colleges and universities from battling discrimination.

Georgia has Margery Taylor Green. We have Jim Banks.

What an embarrassment……

12 Comments

  2. I just posted on Facebook’s “What’s on your mind, JoAnn” that the House Republicans continue to embarrass this nation. It embarrasses me sitting at home alone to watch the goings-on and my fears grow incrementally each time Trump is allowed to insult and threaten those who dared investigate his crimes and add to his indictments. His “call-to-arms” for violence against the judicial system is a continuance of his leadership to overthrow the government and the January 6th Insurrection. He recently stated that police should shoot shoplifters when they leave the store. Reminds me of Minnie Pearl’s long ago hit song, “This Song Ain’t Got No Swallerin’ Places”, he hasn’t “swallered” or taken a breath in his tirade since 2015. No surprise that Indiana Republican have joined his chorus at all levels of government.

  3. Braun/Banks’ Indiana? It will be the time to make a decision.

    Trump’s America? It will be the time to make a decision.

    Fight or flight?

  5. One of the most interesting parts of the recent budget battle was the vote to pass the bill introduced by members of the “Crazy Caucus.”. It was defeated by the very members of the Caucus that introduced it. That should make it very clear that the wrong wing doesn’t want to govern, but they don’t want anyone else to govern either.

  6. Commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion are, arguably, protected speech. Prohibiting an accepted standard of care requires medical professionals to engage in malpractice and is also, arguably, a First Amendment violation since it effectively imposes a gag on those professionals.

    Enough of this shit. Never vote for a Republican again. And do vote- if Indiana’s turn out goes above the 39.6% of 2022 and the 51% of 2018, you can bet more races will be competitive.

  7. The term “conservative” doesn’t accurately describe radical fundamentalists. They might claim to oppose big government, but their actions indicate otherwise. Essentially, they want everything to go their way.

    I hope that Marc is successful in getting his message out, as he has the potential to win the votes of Democrats and independents alike. It’s hard to say whether this will be enough in Indiana, where some voters might hold their noses and vote for Banks out of habit rather than because he represents their values.

    We need more Hoosiers who use common sense and are willing to vote for “conservative” Democrats like Marc and others.

  8. Thank you, Todd, for trying to create some lexicon accuracy. These bigots are NOT conservative. Never have been. Radical fundamentalists is way too kind a label. These pathetic wretches are fascist traitors, liars and hypocrites. They embody the very same creatures that formed the nascent National Socialist Party (NAZI) of 1930s German.

    I know this blog originates in Indiana, but the same sort of right-wing idiots exist wherever Republicans are, irrespective of their dominance, or lack of it, in government. Indiana and Texas are in a dead (not hyperbole) heat to be the most backward, hateful and incompetent state governments in the nation. Their competitors? Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma and both Dakotas. Pitiful.

  9. Yes, these are not Conservatives, but rabid ideologues coming from what they believe to be biblical injunctions to turn the bible into the new constitution! Of course, it’s THEIR” bible, and “THEIR” interpretation thereof, that counts.
    Democracy is probably seen as just an inconvenience put there by “THEIR” god-thing, to test their mettle.

  10. Government officials’ misuse of power to interfere in the private lives of citizens should be actionable in a court of law. The misogynistic movement to gain power actually causes real harm in people’s lives. Americans need a sense of ownership of their rights in Constitution and Bill of Rights, and also to realize that these rights don’t come down from on high(legislature) but are inherent. Banks, Braun and Rokita types don’t abide by these rights in private matters, but seem to enjoy being a thorn in the side of people while thumbing their noses and saying, “What cha gone a do about it”?

  11. The young people, and Taylor Swift and her football star boyfirend Travis Kelce may save us. From a Washington Post opiion piece – “Swift put out one Instagram story last week urging her fans to register to vote, Vote.org reported, and participation on the site jumped 1,226 percent in the next hour.” Hopefully Swift and Kelsce will keep pushing their fans to register and vote!
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/09/29/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-romance-trump/

Comments are closed.