Mitt & Rick, "Off My Bench"

Maybe I've been doing the marriage-equality thing too long. When the GOP would-be POTUS types want the other candidates to step away, I think of their anti-SSM screams and screeds.

That is, supposedly Rick Santorum called on Newt Gingrich to quit the race. Now he says it was his Super PAC supporters, surely not he. Although he'd like Gingrich out (particularly before more Southern primaries where Mr. G. should do well, native son and all), he told ABC that the call for Gingrich to quit was without his knowledge.

The pro-Santorum PAC Red, White and Blue, advertised that Gingrich was unworthy, for among other reasons, supporting individual health-care mandates in the past.

Santorum indicated his heart or at least his fantasies were in line with the PAC, but he never made that request. As he put it, "I’m not saying I don’t want him to get out. if he wants to get out, I’m all for him getting out. I’m for Mitt Romney getting out. I wish President Obama would just hand me the thing, but that’s not going to happen."

In contrast, Romney's campaign was much blunter and he has not denied the request — that everyone else quit the race. His forces, under his control, have two main points. Secondarily, it's better for the party's chances if they do not publicly eviscerate each other, but first and awfully dryly, "'Super Tuesday dramatically reduced the likelihood that any of Governor Romney’s opponents can obtain the Republican nomination,' Romney political director Rich Beeson wrote in a memo to reporters. 'As Governor Romney’s opponents attempt to ignore the basic principles of math, the only person’s odds of winning they are increasing are President Obama’s.'"

That's right, kiddies, on the huge, central, emotionally charged issue, Romney's folk made the business case.

I laugh the laugh of a SSM advocate. For years now and well into this one, wingers have chanted, screamed and written, "Let the people vote!"

When they're going on about plebiscites to prevent or overturn marriage equality granted by a legislature or state high court, it's raw democracy. They must know that 1) it's anti-American values to put up rights on any group to majority vote and 2) town-meeting style voting on complicated statewide issues is neither reasonable nor fair.

Ignoring those and facing having to be fair and reasonable, they shoot for a last, desperate attempt. They do anything to harm, hamper and hinder homosexuals.

So now, we have GOP candidates for POTUS like so many middle-school kids on a bench. Some figure there isn't enough space for everyone. They shove and hip bump. Santorum and Romney make it plain that they demand some space.

Santorum wants to be considered Romney's only party adversary headed toward the convention, where he figures to be the surviving anyone-but-Mitt guy. Romney wants everyone else to play his passionless persona, accepting the math and forgetting the months and millions and mouthing.

Even Ron Paul, who has never had a chance of being President, Vice President, a cabinet member or even winner of a primary, isn't quitting. The let-the-people-vote mindset is far too firmly attached to the Republican character and caricature. They'll all simmer and stew and boil in it.

Y'all wanna play at giving folk their say? You asked for it. You got it. Have at it.