Never forget this about anti-gay wingnuts: they want nothing more than to control the sexual activity of all people, at all times. They hilariously think this is their right in a free society. In a long, stupid article about Judge Roger Vinson’s cut-and-pasted ruling against healthcare reform [which he calls "MussoliniCare," because he's too dumb to understand either healthcare reform or Benito Mussolini], Bryan Fischer says this:

It’s time to start dismantling egregiously wrong precedents such as Roe v. Wade and Lawrence v. Texas and Wickard v. Filburn, and the sooner we start dumping them in a landfill somewhere the better. Judge Vinson has shown us the way. May his tribe increase.

Ain’t gonna happen, Bry. If this hurts your fee fees, I’ll say it again: convert to Islam, move to Iran. You will be happier.

[h/t Kyle]

In other words, he listens to craven liars.

Think Progress:

Today, “60 leaders of religious orders representing 59,000 Catholic nuns” sent a letter to federal lawmakers urging them to pass the Senate health care legislation. They decried the “false” information floating around about abortion provisions and said that the bill’ “historic new investments” for pregnant women are the “REAL pro-life stance.” The nuns’ letter was a significant and unusual break with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which continues to denounce the legislation. This afternoon, Stupak dismissed the nuns, saying that he listens to only male religious figures and far-right religious organizations:

Congressman Bart Stupak, D-Mich, responded sharply to White House officials touting a letter representing 59,000 nuns that was sent to lawmakers urging them to pass the health care bill.

The conservative Democrat dismissed the action by the White House saying, “When I’m drafting right to life language, I don’t call up the nuns.” He says he instead confers with other groups including “leading bishops, Focus on the Family, and The National Right to Life Committee.”

That a member of the Democratic Party is listening to groups like Focus on the Family or National Right to Life is pathetic. It would be one thing if he were a Republican, because you could at least say “Well, in that echo chamber, there’s probably not anyone smart enough to break through the paranoid wingnut version of reality and lead the Congressman along to smarter, more honest people.” But as a Democrat, Stupak has no excuse.

But as was pointed out when Bart Stupak became a household name among misogynists and those of us who fight against them, no one has ever accused Bart Stupak of being intelligent, and as long as he keeps listening to the windsocks at Focus, that accusation will likely continue to steer clear of him.

(h/t Chris Geidner)

UPDATE: Here’s a little perspective from Wonkette”s “Jim Newell” character, on the split between Stupak, Focus on the Family and the obnoxious Catholic bishops holding up healthcare reform, and the 59,000 nuns who support it:

Don’t know about you people, but we trust America’ old virgin nuns much more than we do the Catholic Bishops, who just run an ancient kiddie-rape cult, since they can’t have sex with the virgin nuns and are also pedophiles.

I know that’s right.

It’s funny how the NUNS aren’t all hot and bothered about the abortion provisions in healthcare reform (that don’t even exist unless you’re a liar, stupid, or on hallucinogens) the same way the bishops are, isn’t it? (No. It’s because the nuns are women and women don’t tend to support misogyny the same way men do. Crazy, I know!)

What is it with these people? What part of “Christian organization” do they not understand? Why are they so pigheaded-ly beholden to the Republican party that they are actively working against healthcare for millions of people?* And on what planet is Tony Perkins a policy expert on any subject besides how to have the most conspicuously perfect gay hair in the state of Mississippi?

John Cole just got push-polled by the Family Research Council, who asked the following questions. His answers are included:

Do you have a favorable opinion of Obama: Yes.

Do you support taxpayer funded abortions: Yes

Do you support cuts of up to 50% in medicare in the Pelosi/Reid/Obama healthcare plan? Yes.

Do you support backroom deals to pass the Pelosi/Reid/Obama healthcare plan. I actually don’t, but I said yes just to screw with their results.

Are you over 50: No.

Is this mobile phone your primary phone: Yes.

Have you ever contributed to a campaign or religious group: Yes.

This poll was funded by the Family Research Council.

I would have given precisely the same answers.

But my god, really? I’m sort of surprised they didn’t find a way to smear gay people in the call. I mean, they’re lying about the Medicare cuts and the taxpayer-funded abortions, why not stick something in about how gays will control death panels based on people’s contributions to Proposition 8 or something? It’s just as plausible as most of the crap they make up.

*Yes, the Senate bill sucks. It also, on balance, will help a lot of people, and it can be fixed later. That’s the only choice we have left, unless you somehow think it’s okay to just let uninsured people continue to die in growing numbers, underinsured people go bankrupt and lose their homes and livelihoods, all because you’re mad at the Democrats in Congress. Yeah, well, I am too. I’m also a grown-up, and I understand that sometimes you have to suck it up and consider what’s best for the country, and this option is better than killing it and letting it fester for the next 25 years. See Paul Krugman’s piece on the “Underpants Gnome” theory of healthcare reform which some progressives seem to support.