Perry frightens me. There was an interesting editorial in The Philadelphia Inquirer stating that the Republicans need to pull closer to the center than the right in order to win the independent voters. Instead, they seem to be dialing up the crazy talk, making the following points:

• Declaring that evolution is "just a theory that's out there."

• Insisting that the scientific consensus on climate change is "all one contrived phony mess that is falling apart under its own weight."

• Decreeing that revenue increases of any kind are unacceptable under any and all circumstances, and signing a pledge to that effect.

• Promising to fill all key Cabinet and executive jobs with foes of abortion, and signing a pledge to that effect.

• Asserting that "it's time for us to just hand (America) over to God and say, 'God, you're going to have to fix this.' "

• Announcing in a book that Social Security and Medicare are unconstitutional and should be scrapped.

• Contending that gay Americans are "part of Satan."

• Dissing the Bush-appointed Federal Reserve chairman as "treasonous."

• Insinuating (yet again) that Obama is insufficiently American and insufficiently in love with America.