Excellent opinion article from the Detroit Metro Times

You have to wonder what are people thinking when they vote for Republicans? Do they think this is still the Republican Party of their grandparents? If so, someone should enlighten them, PRONTO. But they refuse to listen or contemplate what they are doing. Voting against their own interests--and their own proclaimed "compassionate conservatism" (what a laugh that is!)--they go mindlessly on, never considering the damaging effects of their votes on our entire country, including themselves and their families. Their hatred of Obama (and, in many cases, the color of his skin), coupled with greed, blinds them to the consequences of their actions.  YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHIN' YET -- THE WONDERFUL PLACES THE NEW REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP WILL TAKE US By Jack Lessenberry http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/jack-lessenberry/33272/you-aint-seen-nothin-yet-the-wonderful-places-our-new-republican-leadership-will-take-us  EXCERPT: Republicans are coming to power — and you're about to see who they really are.  ...What will their priorities be? We have clues. They see themselves as on a mission, first, to defeat President Obama in 2012. Make no mistake about it: If they thought saving the earth from a Martian invasion would somehow help the president win re-election, the GOP would be on the side of the Martians. Even when that isn't an issue, they aren't gonna be on your side, unless you are very rich and give them money.

Want proof? What was the main cause that they've been fighting for over the last few weeks: Allowing even those who make more than a million dollars to keep the tax cuts they were given by the Bush administration. Affects you, doesn't it? I thought so. However, most of us don't make a million bucks a year. Only three out of every thousand Americans do. But that's who the Republicans in Congress care about. That's who owns them.

Bear in mind the GOP has been screaming about record deficits, and continues to be outraged that Democrats wanted to extend long-term unemployment benefits for those with no money at all. They are furious at the thought of the government spending a dime to see that poor people have minimum health care.

Their Jesus evidently tells them that money is needed to give millionaires even bigger tax cuts.

That's not the Republicans' only cause, however. Here are a few other things they managed to do for/to us in recent weeks — things they managed while Democrats still had healthy majorities:

• They blocked mine safety reform inspired by the April deaths of 29 coal miners in West Virginia. The National Association of Manufacturers opposed it because it would have made it easier to sue unscrupulous mine companies.

• Senate Republicans blocked the "Paycheck Fairness Act" which would have helped women get fairer pay.

• The same day they allowed gays in the military, Republicans killed the DREAM act, which would have allowed "illegal immigrants" who were brought here as children to gain legal status by attending college or joining the military — in other words, becoming just the kind of Americans we admire most. (GOP to world: Remember that American dream? Go fuck yourself.)

• Best of all, they defeated a bill to provide health-care coverage for those first responders on Sept. 11, 2001, who were sickened by exposure to the toxic fumes. An exasperated McCain called the idea of giving these people benefits ridiculous "fooling around."

So there you have it, a small list of things Republicans in the House have been able to accomplish in Congress as a heavily outnumbered minority. Americans were evidently so impressed, they just gave them a solid House majority.

I just can't wait to see what they do to us next.