Rep. Joe Walsh, deadbeat dad,

owes $117,000 in overdue child support payments.



Republican Rep. Joe Walsh was the only Illinois congressman to be named a “True Blue” member of Congress for “unwavering support of the family” by the Family Research Council Action committee Thursday. [...] “We thank Cong. Walsh who has voted consistently to defend faith, family and freedom,” said FRCA President Tony Perkins. “Cong. Walsh and other ‘True Blue Members’ have voted to repeal Obamacare, de-fund Planned Parenthood, end government funding for abortion within the health care law, uphold the Defense of Marriage Act, and continue support for school choice. I applaud their commitment to uphold the institutions of marriage and family.”

When you think pro-family, who do you think of? Why, if you're the ultra-conservative Family Research Council, you think of notorious child-support deadbeat Rep. Joe Walsh

Rep. Walsh received the award for his valiant acts in the department of do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do, voting the "right way" in a passel of votes that the Family Research Council (I question at least two of the three words in that name, but that is probably a separate post) deemed important because of their anti-abortion, pro-discrimination stances. You, on the other hand, might remember Joe Walsh from the various stories about his determination not to pay his court-ordered child support. He owes over $100,000, and his excuses to the judge (not that he shows up to his own scheduled hearings) have ranged from insulting to ridiculous.

For much the same reason as Herman Cain being charged with sexual harassment of three separate women during his time as head of the National Restaurant Association, conservatives continue to be unconcerned with this family-values fellow not supporting his own damn family. Apparently doing untoward things towards women (or, especially, ex-wives and your own kids) has a lot of appeal to the base, and so we get people like Tony Perkins who are quite willing to overlook such sewer-level behavior. As long as you're willing to vote against gay Americans having rights, that is, or vote the right way in a symbolic vote to "end government funding for abortion" that doesn't actually exist.

Why stop there? Visit prostitutes, be convicted of felonies, get caught doing drugs with a gay hooker—there's nothing that can't be forgiven in exchange for the casting the right votes or endorsing the right prejudices, right? It seems family values consists entirely of making sure other families are properly policed and discriminated against, but how you treat your own family matters doesn't matter much at all.

Congratulations on your award, Rep. Walsh. Hope it came with a cash prize.