Charles Pierce on Ross Douthat on “Bad Religion”

Ross Douthat has a new book out on what he calls “bad religion” (any form of religious expression that does not go through formal, orthodox, organized, hierarchical, authoritarian channels). Charles Pierce demolishes it:

Rush Limbaugh Has Lost 32 Advertisers So Far

The most recent departures include Netflix and Capital One. A complete list as of March 6 is here.

Althouse Gets One Right

Which is to say, she declines to rubber-stamp the unthinking right-wing view, in this instance. Good for her.

Rush Apologizes (Sort Of — For Him, This Is an Abject Apology)

WOW. Hell freezes over, pigs fly, and shut the front door, can you believe this?

Rick Santorum: As Crazy As They Come

Rick Santorum knows why Barack Obama wants all American children to be able to go to college:

Santorum’s Dream America Is a Nightmare Theocracy

First of all, let’s get one thing straight. Even bringing up a President’s “faith,” or a presidential candidate’s “faith,” in the context of a national election campaign — much LESS attacking it, or mischaracterizing it, or lying about it — is outrageous. I know it’s become totally normal and routine for political candidates and elected officials to parade their religious beliefs, and I know it’s impossible — not next to impossible: impossible — for any woman or man to get elected to any public office higher than town council without publicly certifying, at minimum, belief in God. But that does not make it appropriate, or right, to impose religious tests for public office when the U.S. Constitution explicitly forbids that. However, it’s only in the past decade or so that we’ve started to see politicians and media pundits openly advocating that law and public policy be based on explicit religious dogma.

“Culture Wars”

The “culture wars” war over who gets to control women’s reproductive organs and whether women have the right to basic preventive health care goes on. and on. and on, and plumbs depths of foolishness hitherto unexplored.

It Was NEVER About Religious Liberty

Politico (emphasis is mine):

More on Contraception Battle

Start with this one, by Jodi Jacobson, at RH Reality Check. Here is a snip:

Freedom of Religion Does Not Mean Imposition of Religion

Here is the First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.