Michael Moore, Thoughtful and Reasonable??!!

It may be a sign of the Apocalypse, but Michael Moore penned a pretty moderate, thoughtful opinion column for USA Today arguing that the far-right politics like Bush, Ashcroft and Cheney do not represent the beliefs and desires of most Republicans.

One good passage:

"I asked one man who told me he was a 'proud Republican,' 'Do you think we need strong laws to protect our air and water?'

"'Well, sure,' he said. 'Who doesn't?'

"I asked whether women should have equal rights, including the same pay as men.

"'Absolutely,' he replied.

"'Would you discriminate against someone because he or she is gay?'

"'Um, no.' The pause — I get that a lot when I ask this question — is usually because the average good-hearted person instantly thinks about a gay family member or friend.

"I've often found that if I go down the list of "liberal" issues with people who say they're Republican, they are quite liberal and not in sync with the Republicans who run the country. Most don't want America to be the world's police officer and prefer peace to war. They applaud civil rights, believe all Americans should have health insurance and think assault weapons should be banned. Though they may personally oppose abortion, they usually don't think the government has the right to tell a women what to do with her body."