Ya don’t say! Former Republican Senator Alan Simpson (WY) has had a long career in GOP politics, serving as both Majority Whip during the Reagan years and Minority Whip for Bush I and part of the Clinton presidency. Whereas lemon-faced Simpson’s usual dour demeanor has always made him seem to be the quintessential grumpy old Republican, he’s not exactly a complete Neanderthal like many from his party. Still it was a more than a little surprising when Simpson took GOP social conservatives to task on MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews yesterday. From Raw Story:

“We have homophobes in our party,” Simpson, who served as a senator from 1979 to 1997, admitted. “That’s disgusting to me. We’re all human beings. We’re all God’s children.”

“Santorum has said some cruel things—cruel, cruel things—about homosexuals,” he added. “Ask him about it; see if he attributes the cruelness of his remarks years ago. Foul.”

Former Republican Senator Rick Santorum, a potential GOP 2012 presidential candidate, likened homosexuality to “incest” and “adultery” in April 2003. He told The Associated Press that acceptance of gay sex could “undermine the fabric of our society” and lead to “man on child, man on dog” relations.

“Now if that’s the kind of guys that are going to be on my ticket, you know, it makes you sort out hard what Reagan said, you know, ‘Stick with your folks,’” Simpson continued. “But, I’m not sticking with people who are homophobic, anti-women, moral values—while you’re diddling your secretary while you’re giving a speech on moral values? Come on, get off of it.”

Simpson has been a longtime supporter of gay and lesbian rights and access to abortion. During his appearance on MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews he also said that male legislators should not vote on abortion-related bills.

“Who the hell is for abortion? I don’t know anybody running around with a sign that says, ‘Have an abortion! They’re wonderful!’ They’re hideous, but they’re a deeply intimate and personal decision, and I don’t think men legislators should even vote on the issue.”

Hear, hear! (Not that what he said makes an ounce of difference, anyway, but still…)

Expect to see Alan Simpson in the news much more in the coming weeks and months, as Obama starts to make “bipartisan” noises about deficit reduction. It’s widely expected that his upcoming speech will consist of a quasi-endorsement of the so-called “Catfood Commission” (and while I’m on the topic, Fuck Obama!). Simspon might have said one or two things progressives can agree with in this instance, but as the class war heats up, he’ll revert to saying crazy shit like this.

Below, a look at social conservatives that is not pretty, from Russia Today’s English channel: