Recent letters castigating the insensitivity of U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus — as well as those lamenting the tragedy of Newtown and the power of the gun lobby — fail to grasp an underlying truth: It is Rothfus' and most Republican politicians' abject obeisance to the unholy trinity: Rush Limbaugh, Grover Norquist and Wayne LaPierrre.
This trio wields virtually omnipotent power in their respective industries: talk radio, tax lobbying and gun marketing. Does any Republican running for office dare to disagree with their uncompromising positions? Please, Rep. Rothfus, say something like:
• “Limbaugh is a bloviating bully who never dares engage in a true debate with any articulate liberal. I repudiate his daily three hours of hate.”
• “Norquist's required pledge never to raise taxes is demeaning to thinking politicians, and I refuse to debase myself by signing it.”
• “LaPierrre is a tool of the gun manufacturers. I refuse to accept his slippery-slope argument that any common-sense gun control subverts the Second Amendment.”
Statements like these would brand Rothfus a political “atheist,” and we all know what the chances are of an atheist being elected to public office.
Limbaugh, Norquist and LaPierre hold an overwhelmingly adverse influence over public discourse and any legislation the mentally competent deem sensible.
Robert Jedrzejewski
Tarentum
