Yes, it's different when Republicans have affairs.

Some are arguing that Democrats are being hypocrites for condemning the election of disgraced former Governor Mark Sanford to South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, while simultaneously praising Democrats who have also had affairs, like former President Bill Clinton.

The problem with this argument is that Democrats have every reason to hold Republicans to a higher moral standard.

And here's why.

Very rarely have Democrats pretended to be the holier-than-thou party of Jesus, defenders of traditional marriage, and champions of chastity, butterflies, and gumdrops -- that's been the self-appointed job of Republicans.

Republicans have taken up the cross of the sanctity of marriage, upholders of the sacraments of one man and one woman, all in the name of cheap political points. But unfortunately for them, they've been wholly unprepared for the task.

Just ask Newt Gingrich. Ask Donald Trump. Ask David Vitter. Ask Larry Craig. Ask John Ensign.

And these are just the affairs.

Their Bible is pretty clear: "I hate divorce!" says the Old Testament God in Malachi 2:16. No one seems to have told Newt, or John McCain, or Bob Dole, or even the nation's only divorced president, Ronald Jesus Reagan.

For years, Democrats and those in favor of equality have had to stand and listen as Republicans have compared loving unions of two people -- most of the time same-sex -- to bestiality, to incest, to subhuman pieces of nothing. And that whole time, Republicans have been running through the candy store, having their picks as they point and criticize you.

Enough is enough.

Yes, we must hold Republicans to a higher moral standard. It's what they've demanded, after all.

Sarah Palin hates the WHCD event assclowns. Except for when she attended in 2011

Oh, Sarah Palin.

I'm soon reaching a point where I'll no longer be able to write about Alaska's most famous unemployed hillbilly without gagging -- even at this blog, where my readership extends to only my mom -- but I couldn't resist this gem.

Last night, the Quitter-in-Chief angrily tweeted about the 2013 White House Correspondents Dinner (no Facebook post though -- in between sharing cat pictures, those are reserved for world events only). It seems Sarah was irritated that even Newt Gingrich and his latest wife were extended invitations, but nothing managed to make its way to Wasilla:

Funny. Sarah didn't seem to feel that way when her husband Todd attended WHCD events in 2009:

She also didn't remember to call out the event when she attended WHCD after-parties in 2011:

I'm sure it simply slipped Sarah's mind, especially after that drink from Maddow at the "lamestream media" MSNBC party:

Jealousy is a hell of drug.

When it comes to Texas, everything is bigger. Including the greed

Texas Governor Rick Perry want his federal disaster dollars, and he wants them now.

"We greatly appreciate [President Obama's] call, and his gracious offer of support, of course, and the quick turnaround of the emergency declaration that will be forthcoming, and his offer of prayers," Perry said at a press conference following the tragic explosion at a fertilizer plant in Waco earlier this week.

It's quite a change from the Rick Perry of GOP presidential primary yesteryear, who not only railed on imaginary claims of overblown federal spending during his short-lived campaign, but also threatened to secede from the United States (if only he could remember how to).

None of that matters now apparently. Rick wants his federal bucks. No matter that he once called President Obama's stimulus "failed," and then took $17.4 billion in stimulus to plug the hole in his state's budget -- twice.

No matter that those same evil stimulus dollars saved or created 50,000 jobs in his state.

No matter that Texas remains the number one recipient of USDA farm subsidies, having received $25.9 billion in federal funds from 1995-2011.

And, worst of all, no matter that Texas' delegation in Congress voted AGAINST Hurricane Sandy aid. That includes Senator Ted Cruz, who dared to call the relief "pork."

When it comes to Texas, everything is bigger. Including the greed.

NC GOPers want to make Christianity the official state religion. No, really.

It seems "small-government" Republicans in North Carolina aren't satisfied enough just regulating your marriage (I'm talking about you, heterosexuals).

Now they want to thumb their nose at the Constitution and declare an official religion in the state, a clear violation of the Establishment Clause of the Bill of Rights. They go even further by seeking to nullify any federal ruling against public prayer across the state.

That prayer being Christian, of course. Don't get any ideas, Muslims.

Maddow's Steve Benen adds that the legislation refuses "to acknowledge the force of any judicial ruling on prayer in North Carolina – or indeed on any Constitutional topic."

"These North Carolina Republicans are arguing, with a straight face, that U.S. courts can't decide what's constitutional under the U.S. Constitution," he adds.

"They're also arguing that the First Amendment doesn't apply to North Carolina, so they're free to make their faith the official religion on their state."

 You want a theocracy, North Carolina? Try Iran.

Is your seven-year-old failing in math? Tennessee Republicans are prepared to let you starve

Lawmakers in the state legislature have advanced a bill that would tie the assistance families get to the educational performance of the kids in those families.

This means kids with problems in math or English would not only have to worry about that dreaded quiz tomorrow, but they would also have to worry that a failing grade will mean their families will not eat.

From Think Progress:

Tennessee already ties welfare to education by mandating a 20 percent cut in benefits if students do not meet attendance standards, but this change would place the burden of maintaining benefits squarely on children, who would face costing their family much-needed assistance if they don’t keep up in school.

Another reminder that for Republicans, a child matters most in the womb. After that, you're on your own.

North Carolina Republicans are coming for your marriages now, straight people

The anti-gay activists who insist government has a role in "protecting traditional marriage" are about shoot themselves in the foot.

That's because Republican lawmakers in North Carolina are proposing a bill that could make couples (the gays warned they'd come for you too, straight people) wait up to two years before being granted a divorce.

The "Healthy Marriage Act" doesn't even stop there. During those two years, couples would be forced to take marriage counseling classes. And if you've got kids, add another class about the negative effects your divorce will have on them.

So much for "small-government" Republicans, eh?

This proposal may actually end up having an inadvertent, pro-equality effect. If you believe that the government has a right to prevent gays and lesbians from marrying, why can't the government make sure you don't leave your own wife for that stewardess?

Coretta Scott King at the 1996 Atlanta Pride Festival