Ms. Angle’s Civics Class

In a remarkable speech reported today in the Mesquite (Nevada) Local News, Sharron Angle seemed to be taking her cues directly from our Rogues’ Gallery of right-wing candidates.

She started off with a novel civics lesson, telling her audience, “Government isn’t what our founding fathers put into the Constitution.” (A statement that covers two favorite Tea Party themes: suspicion of the federal government as a whole, and made-to-order “facts” about the founding fathers).

Then, she articulated her priorities for the money saved by phasing out social safety net programs like Social Security and Medicare: eliminate industry regulation, and “lower the corporate income tax from 35% to 20%.”

Finally, Angle threw in some classic right-wing fear-mongering. Asked a question about “Muslims taking over the U.S.,” Angle replied that yes, a few U.S. cities with large Muslim populations are at risk of coming under Sharia law:

“We’re talking about a militant terrorist situation, which I believe isn’t a widespread thing, but it is enough that we need to address, and we have been addressing it,” Angle said.

“Dearborn, Michigan, and Frankford, Texas are on American soil, and under Constitutional law. Not Sharia law. And I don’t know how that happened in the United States. It seems to me there is something fundamentally wrong with allowing a foreign system of law to even take hold in any municipality or government situation in our United States.”

Historical revisionism? Check.

Focus on corporate profits above the welfare of individuals? Check.

Stoking xenophobia for political gain? Check.

Angle’s statements are over the top even for this year’s far-right candidates—but the sentiments she expresses are being repeated by candidates across the country. Read more in the  Rogues’ Gallery.

Tags:

Anti-Muslim, Constitution, constitutional law, medicare, Michigan, Sharron Angle, Social Security, xenophobia