Who are the Real Republicans?

Is Michele Bachmann a Real Republican? She just introduced a bill in Congress that would create a federal mandate forcing pregnant women seeking abortions to get ultrasound examinations. I thought Real Republicans were against federal regulations that increase the cost of health care and intrude on the private relationship between a doctor and a patient.

Is Rick Perry a Real Republican? He signed a bill that mandated sonograms for all women seeking abortions in Texas. Portions of the bill were ruled unconstitutional by a judge in August.

Is John Kriesel a Real Republican? He's one of several Minnesota Republican legislators who recently announced that he will work to oppose the gay marriage amendment that will go before voters next year.

Is Ron Erhardt a Real Republican? He and five other Republican legislators in Minnesota voted to override Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty's veto of a transportation bill that increased gas and sales taxes after the 35W bridge collapse. They were summarily drummed out of the party, losing the party's endorsement over this single issue. Erhardt ran anyway as an independent, but barely lost to the endorsed Republican in a three-way race.


Tony Sutton, the GOP state chairman in Minnesota said that individual Republicans can disagree with the party stance on "some issues," but the marriage amendment would stay in the party platform. Apparently you can disagree with the party on gay marriage, but when it comes to raising taxes -- even if those taxes are used to keep bridges from falling down -- that is the holiest of holies, beyond the pale and a challenge to Republican Orthodoxy that can only be met with excommunication.