I find it continually amazing to see the Republican candidates in this election openly advocating bizarre and extreme ideas like abolishing Social Security and the Department of Education. It seems to have become an article of faith on the right wing that all the social progress of the last century was a big mistake and needs to be reversed. All at once.

It’s as if the entire right wing is in the grip of a mass hallucination, seeing visions of an ahistorical fantasy America that never existed.

Here’s Rand Paul explaining that he wants to abolish the DOE so that schoolchildren won’t be exposed to “Heather Has Two Mommies.” Yes, really.

Youtube Video

PAUL: I would rather the local schools decide things. I don’t like the idea of somebody in Washington deciding that Susie has two mommies is an appropriate family situation and should be taught to my kindergardener at school. That’s what happens when we let things get to a federal level. I think I would rather have local school boards, teachers, parents, people in Paducah deciding about your schools and not have it in Washington.

(Hat tip: beekiller.)