Article: The Fanatical GOP

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The Republican Party platform, approved today, would bar abortion even in cases of rape and incest. This is basically Todd Akin's position, but at least the GOP platform doesn't assert that women's bodies identify and reject rapists' sperm.

Meanwhile, Romney's selection of Paul Ryan provides ample evidence to seniors (and anyone planning to become a senior) that the GOP wants to eliminate Medicare.

And it's convincing anyone in America still needing convincing that the GOP exists primarily to cut taxes on the wealthy rather than to reduce the budget deficit. The latest estimate of the non-partisan Center for Tax Policy is Ryan's tax cuts for the rich would result in $4.6 trillion less revenue over the decade, generating an average saving for the typical millionaire of almost $400 million a year.

At the same time, the GOP remains unwaivering in its support of state laws allowing or encouraging the profiling of Latinos. And unrelenting in its war against gay rights.

We're witnessing the implosion of what was once a great party. Its capture by the extreme right is becoming more apparent by the day.

And it's not just women, seniors, budget hawks, Latinos, gays, and the poor who are becoming alarmed. Average Americans who don't fall into one of these categories are becoming concerned, too -- as they should.

Yet, although the GOP crackup may bode well for Democrats this coming Election Day, it bodes ill for America. The capture of one of our great parties by fanatics is nothing to celebrate. A democracy needs at least two sane political parties.