Republicans have taken a break from producing jobs and fixing the economy through their ardent opposition to marriage equality and swaths of anti-abortion legislation to take a stab at fixing the economy by introducing a bill that would prohibit the burning of particular pieces of cloth – namely the ones with 50 stars and 13 stripes.

We’ve plowed this field before. In Texas v. Johnson in 1990 the SCOTUS ruled that laws against flag-burning did not constitute important governmental interest and therefore could not suppress somebody’s freedom of speech. Ever since that time the court has rejected other attempts at the same argument. You don’t get to suppress dissent.

Republicans may think they’re demonstrating their patriotism by protecting the piece of cloth, but I think it’s the other way around. Freedom to dissent through one’s speech is the actual fabric of America, and those are the fibers that must never be turned to cinders. Ironically, it is the fabric of personal liberty to which the GOP is eager to put their metaphorical torch. This measure is an affront to the United States as an ideal. That’s a pretty shit way to parade about your love for the country.

You know how Republicans could convince people that they support America? By not attempting to subvert the rule of law in order to get their way (I stand with Wendy).

What’s more, it’s a piece of cloth. If our nation can be threatened by somebody setting fire to a piece of cloth we’re in deep, deep trouble. During the last election the GOP swore at every turn that their priorities were jobs and the economy. What we’re getting from them is a swath abortion legislation attempting to rally an ever-dwindling base of conservatives as well as bullshit legislation like this. So much for promises.