“Baby killer?” I have not heard that since my days fresh out of Vietnam, at least not with the same vitriolic force as these members of Congress are imbuing in their language.
“Por mi Dios,” my Mexican compadres say. How low can we set the bar for behavior before Mom calls the kids in for their daily chores?
Do these guys know there is a war going on, and the enemy is watching and listening to this family feud? Do they know that our soldiers have TV’s in Kabul? Do they know that the Al Qaeda record every little tristful aspect of American politics for their recruiting efforts?
For you conspiratorial thinkers, you might even suggest that the health care debate has been arranged by our enemy, first to divide us and then to distract us from the conduct of war. You know, war, the one that sucks off all our health care money. But of course we are more concerned with the dumber than a door knob Texan who spouts, “fess up baby killer, so we can get your face tattooed on our back.”
Just an isolated incident they say. Well, it was just a few isolated incidents that sparked the Watts Riots. I was there in August of 1965. It was just an isolated incident that caused the shooting at Kent State. I was not there, but the image is seared in my memory for life. I could not fashion a country that could be so angry. We have now made the Varsity Anger Squad.
You may ask, where are the similarities? Anger is an incremental affair. Collectively it is a function of symmetrical escalation. In this case an escalating chorus that is manufactured and paid for by thousands of lobbyists and millions of dollars. What is the end game of this mounting dysfunctional anger? Is it the National Guard? You smirk? Read the laws that govern the inciting of a riot and you will note the that many of our talk show pundits are teetering somewhere between the First Amendment, which states, “the right to peaceably assemble,” and a blatant violation of State Statutes that govern mob behavior.
I presume the constitutional scholars in the Tea Party will take the word peaceably in its literal sense, and adhere to the State laws which they currently idolize.
Remember, they are watching. As we import our government in a box to Afghanistan the Taliban are watching. The Hamas, who won in a democratic vote, are watching, while we lament that majority rule is not democratic. Huh? Their laptops are burning with anti-American rhetoric and we are giving them the sentence structure. This makes Jane Fonda look like Mother Theresa.
“We are 24 hours from Armageddon,” said Congressman Boehner. “They look at this country as one big criminal act,” says Rush Limbaugh, the self imposed titular head of the GOP and National Security and all intractably angry men.
“We are turning back the clock to the ghost of communism,” Congressman Nunes said. Does that mean that the ghost of Joe McCarthy will visit us? Or does it simply mean we will have to stop conducting business with the Communist countries who make our clothes, our refrigerators and the computers we are tethered to all day? Vietnam and China are pleased that we are so distracted with our ‘Hatfield and McCoy’ antics. Communism is just fine over here in this import/ export room.
The Bank of Singapore just helped bail out Wall Street. How totalitarian is that? Why are the PR firms who manufacture this outrage and subliminal support of indecent behavior not incensed about the Global financial take over of our sovereignty? Distraction has become the name of the game and 24/7 cable news is the de facto third party lending all of its support to tracking the mounting platform called permanent anger sans content.
“Totalitarian tactics,” they scream, as we buy our children’s school supplies, our underwear and the uniforms for our beloved college and professional sports teams from their factories. This makes the fears of socialism look like Mr. Rogers neighborhood. If you want to be pure in the elimination of socialism in America, then we must eliminate all College and High School Sports…now! They are all run by State governments. The Tea Party Pointman needs to go on the court at the Final Four Basketball Tournament and shut it down. it is Socialistic to the bone. I will let my pals in Indianapolis know they are coming. I can arrange for some free rooms, like the ones that are prepaid for all of their gatherings.
While Paul Krugman lauds the courage inherent in the passing of the Health Care Bill declaring that reason prevailed over fear, and George Will, who I admire, decries its passing, “this bill is a museum of hoary artifacts of liberalism’s antics,” erstwhile, my grandson cannot get health care because of a pre-existing condition, my Marine pal cannot get life insurance to insure the future of his highly disabled son, because he is diagnosed with PTSD. How’s that? So the citizen-soldier who defends his nation and is wounded in the line of duty, cannot get insurance from the nation he just defended! Does that not level all rhetoric from the Ivory Towers of punditry? What would that Texas bigot scream at him..”Baby Killer?”
So my point is that the mounting crescendo of anger, indecency and diatribes spewed with impunity must soon expire or we will be a snake eating our own tail. This is what I mean by lousy choosers. It is the choice of behavior and decorum that has made this country great. Programs come afterward.
It was the late Ronald Reagan who said, “deficits don’t matter, people do”
If only these self appointed seers had a plan, maybe the anger would abate. That is what I mean by a permanent zeitgeist of anger without content. That, my friends, is called an illness and requires treatment.
Doctors call it Intermittent Explosive Disorder, and many of these episodes of trumped up agitation, irritability, irrational outburst and retaliatory, explosive behavior our sweeping the nation. ” Symmetrical escalation,” is the term used by the anger management gurus, and we seem to be reveling in the mud puddle of anger. Is there a doctor in the house?
Most of the behavior we have witnessed in the past 48 hours would not only be sanctioned at your church, your school, your boss, or by your commanding officer, but you would be tossed from the room. Why so much impunity? Has the bar of decency and decorum really been lowered that far?
IED, (Intermittent Explosive Disorder), was first accepted as an illness and defined as such in 1980. Curiously the same time that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was given its imprimatur. This definition is currently being updated, revised and combined with a new condition called Temper Dysregulation Disorder. Many clinical psychologists believe that anger is not a stand alone mind state, but is coupled with the emotions of sadness, shame and grief. For years, professional therapists have coined anger as the chameleon emotion, because it masks so many other aspects of ones life.
As outlandish as it may sound, I am suggesting that the halls of the congress and the senate be populated not with Tea Party activists, but with a platoon of volunteer psychologists who can help our elected officials choose the right behavior without the shackles of their own uncontrolled emotions.
The nation is begging for a different kind of Poet Laureate, an individual who has the intellect and observational talents of a Robert Frost, and the compassionate clinical mind of a Carl Menninger. Without this type of leadership we will never again be the “United” States of America.
A local billboard says it well, “Don’t Make Me Come Down There– God.” And yes, they are watching.
I am not a sore looser!
However I do have a very good and long memory.
What an insightful view….legislation often requires a compromise-everyone has to be reasonable and fair. The ” Just Say No” Republicans are giving me a headache! The rules of fair play are to admit defeat and move forward-what ARE they teaching our children? Adults acting like toddlers!!! Time to grow up, sore losers…
Looser or loser ??
The latter, me thinks. Unless you are loose with the English language.
Nice piece, Mike. You sound a little angry yourself.
Yeah, I guess so. I do not behave that way though. It is the osmotic anger vibes that are permeating our culture that are so disturbing. My anguish is for my children and grandchildren who have to tolerate a nation of rudderless leaders. My public life is expired. It is they who deserve better.
Even Gandhi got a bit ruffled. I have a quote of his on my office wall. It says, “Mr Gandhi, what do you think of Western Civilization?” He says, ” I think it would be a good idea.”
Thanks for the compliment.
Actually. I think that “civility” allows people to hate without being called to account for it – it is the use of code words.
I listened to Karl Rove being interviewed the other day – no he wasn’t anti-gay, he was just “protecting traditional marriage”.
A very civil guy, Karl.
Personally I prefer the teabaggers yelling “faggot” at Barney Frank to a memorandum from the Pope talking about “intrinsic disordered” people.
At least they are honest.
Yes, that was some interview. He doesn’t concede a darn thing. Iraq? – still a good idea. Missing WMD’s? – he would have made some if we hadn’t stopped him.
Yes code words are important to Karl. For him they are twisted Miller Analogies. Civility is to Karl as Light is to Lucifer.
Great piece. With cable news on 24/7 and nuts like Beck and Limbaugh making money for stations that make money advertising to the nutcakes, I fear for the safety of government officials.
Perhaps those of us who are the new “silent majority” need to put pressure on advertisers to withdraw their financial support for broadcasters who tell their supporters to “reload”. That might be the only way to control the hatemongers, fearmongers, and their loyal listeners.
Have you considered changing your blogtitle to “cardcarryingliberal?” Truth in advertising, and all that…
Have you considered changing your blogtitle to “cardcarryingliberal?”
As a liberal I would object to that – Mike is no “liberal” – he is incohately independent. TC.com specializes and having a few nutty conservatives such as yourself and only one token and rarely posting liberal, dataport, in order to present the proper “balance” for ti’s “community”.
I also carry an ACLU membership card.
I was actually referring to Medicareblogger. Check out the picture at the top of this nested discussion.
the hatemongers, fearmongers
Do you consider Randi Rhodes and Keith Olbermann to be hatemongers?
Whenever I hear the Glenn Becks and the Rush Limbaughs on the air, I can’t help but think of that ubiquitous background radio broadcast in the movie “Hotel Rwanda” exorting the listeners to take action against the “cockroaches”.
Yes, like when pelosi calls us un-American and worse whaen we disagree with her.
We must follow the lead of those in power or we are considered scum.
Nice to see you liberals all lining up like good little boys and girls.
OK, a few comments to all of y’all in return.
1) The Congressman yelled “it’s a baby killer”, not “you’re a baby killer.” He’s explained this numerous times. He was referring to the bill, which was NOT permanently fixed by the executive order the president signed. He was not referring to Bart Stupak personally—although I’m sure the congressman who yelled (whose name escapes me) was not altogether pleased with Stupak at the time.
2) Were y’all this worried when all those leftist protesters called for Bush 43’s murder while he was in office. Or, were you this worried when Republican Convention delegates were attacked in St Paul in 2008? Kinda doubt it.
3) If the Tea Partiers in DC did, indeed, lambast the Congressional Black Caucus with racist smears—-then the CBC is DENYING the United Negro College Fund $10,000.
Andrew Breitbart has publicly offered $10,000 of his own money if the CBC can produce ONE example, on audio or videotape, of racist slurs from Tea Partiers. The CBC entourage on the Mall was seen with at least two videocameras. Plus I’m sure they had cellphones with cameras.
OK, then—let’s see the tape? It’s been a week—where’s their tape?
Don’t they want the United Negro College Fund to get $10,000.
Even better—Mike, here’s YOUR chance! Here’s your opportunity to stick it to those Tea Partiers who make your skin crawl!
Surely you have proof of the Tea Partiers’ racism this past weekend in DC? Fine! Be a hero. Send your proof to Breitbart. It’s worth 10K to needy college students…
Surely you have proof of the Tea Partiers’ racism this past weekend in DC?
As a hint, Don, which I hope you will ignore – defending racists and bigots probably isn’t the best political strategy for you to take at this point.
Most voters know which side is telling the truth, and which side – like Sen. Cantor’s “attack” is lying.
First of all, Cantor is a Representative, not a Senator. But, if you can’t tell the difference between Mike Brewer and Medicareblogger (see above), this additional error of yours doesn’t surprise me.
tip, if you don’t forward your proof of the Tea Party’s racism this last weekend to Andrew Breitbart, I’ll take it as confirmation that you are indifferent to the economic hardships of African American college students.
Because, if you don’t forward that proof—which I’m sure you can get; just call the Congressional Black Caucus—you’ll be denying the United Negro College Fund $10,000.
Now THAT would be racist!
tip, if you don’t forward your proof of the Tea Party’s racism
You are tiresome, as is your defense of racism, and mostly TC.com is tiresome for allowing your to abuse the privilege they have granted you and censor opposing voices.
Racism is just a joke or political joke to you, Don, but to some people it is real – something conservatives cannot acknowledge.
Nor Mark Evans, it seems.
The offer is now $100,000, tip.
Don – you are always fast to object whenever someone considers Repubs to be racist. Do you ever stop to wonder why ?
The idea that something didn’t happen because I don’t have a video of it is one that would only make sense to an ideologue with no concern for truth, only for scoring political points.
It convinces no objective person, and is a blatant attempt to deny a racism that we all know exists.
But continue with your inside jokes about racism – it will help the white people -oops, the Repub – party
While I have seen this same denial of the events argued out on other blogs and I believe what I have seen with my own eyes, Don, any good Republican should know that anything repeated often enough becomes the truth.
Coming from a guy who champions a political view that has historically resulted in (a) millions upon millions of a country’s own citizens dying and (b) millions more rejecting that political philosophy once the guards put their guns down and unlock the borders—I find that last statement of yours quite amusing.
Harmless, but neverthless amusing.
Don, I do not deny that there have been tyrannical regimes flying the socialist flag and that millions have died at the hand of those regimes. I deplore those deaths and condemn those responsible. This is in contrast to your position on the millions of deaths resulting from US imperialism. Based on your previous responses, I believe your position would be either “We had to kill them to save them”, or perhaps, “We never invaded anyone who didn’t deserve invading”. The closest you can come to a condemnation of American militarism is to say that sometimes “collateral damage” is inevitable.
The duplicity of Beck and his followers, is unmatched in any public arena. Placing logs in the incinerator of anger is on the edge of sedition. You are correct, the world is watching, and the beacon of hope is a bit foggy right now
Civility has been tried. It was ignored. Raised voices have been tried. It’s been ignored.
While I do not condone violence, it seems to be the only thing certain people listen to and you need to speak in their language.
The same with negative rhetoric.
It will be interesting to see what Sarah Palin will come up with now that she is helping (she thinks) John McCain. More bulls eyes for her reloaded gun? More lies about ‘death squads’. Is she an expert on national politics now since she can see Nevada from Arizona?
‘Half-term Sarah’ needs to go back to the cave she came out of and leave politics to intelligent people. Which leaves out McCain too, come to think of it.
If y’all are really concerned about political violence, check this out:
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/03/025942.php
several callers reminded us of a particularly sorry episode of liberal violence that, for some reason, has not gotten much attention: the 2008 Republican convention in St. Paul.
I attended the convention and remember the terrorist acts that were carried out by anti-Republican protesters very well. They threw bricks through the windows of buses, sending elderly convention delegates to the hospital. They dropped bags of sand off highway overpasses onto vehicles below. Fortunately, no one was killed.
These were anti-Bush and anti-Republican protesters. Is it a stretch to think that some of them, at least, may have been inspired by over-the-top, hateful attacks on the Bush administration by Democratic Congressmen, DNC Chairman Howard Dean, Michael Moore, who was a guest of honor at the Democrats’ own convention, various show business personalities, and many other leading liberal figures? I don’t think so. We haven’t seen that sort of hate campaign since the Democrats went after Abraham Lincoln. It seems unlikely that none of the “protesters” who tried to commit murder were inspired by those liberal voices.
Yet, hardly anyone seems to be aware of the violence that took place in 2008. At most, the story was treated with a ho-hum attitude in the press. For some reason, political violence was not a concern less than two years ago. Yet today, we can hardly imagine what would happen if a group of tea partiers were to drop sandbags off a highway overpass, trying to kill motorists below. Liberal reporters’ heads would explode. Yet this is exactly what anti-Republican Party protesters did in 2008, and no one cared. To my knowledge, not a single Democratic politician condemned this anti-Republican violence or attempted in any way to distance the Democratic Party from it.
Keep that in mind next time you hear a Democrat whining about the Republican effort to “fire Nancy Pelosi.”
If you want to know why we conservatives roll our eyes when liberals whine about violence in politics, it’s because we need to shade our eyes. The hypocrisy is so glaring that it’s blinding.
(All bolding above added by me)
Although they were not identified as such in the news media, the people throwing bricks, smashing windows, etc, at the RNC in 2008 were largely anarchists and not your dreaded liberals. Although it may not seem that way to you or to others, anarchists are not a group in alliance or associated in any way with democrats, liberals, communists. Anarchists believe that any form of hierarchy in social organization is necessarily oppressive. Yes, it’s true that they were anti-Bush protestors, but you won’t see them marching with signs in support of Obama or the democrats either.
I’m sure you won’t understand this or agree, Don, but if you consider the regime to be illegitimate, its representatives criminal and guilty of egregious crimes against people, then there is no moral quandry about committing acts of violence against what you consider to be tyrants and their institutions. I believe this is the position of the anarchists, as best I understand it.
It’s cowardly to attack unarmed people.
Well, I agree there. It’s a point I often bring up in regards to the police and the US of A. I believe this is why the North Vietnamese civilians beat the daylights out of John McCain.
It can be helpful to at least try to see someone else’s POV. You don’t have to agree with their POV, but it can help answer questions about why they behave as they do.
I have to say, I think the anarchists might take a page from the Tea Party types and claim that their actions were instigated by right-wing infiltrators trying to make peaceful anarchists look bad.
1. Why weren’t they as violent at the Democratic convention, then?
2. For the sake of discussion, I’ll stipulate that you’re right—these were anarchists. (For all I know, the author of the linked article agrees with you—where does he say that Democrats perpretrated the violence.) The national media’s reaction was still tepid.
Anarchists are the original “small government”, “government is the problem” devotees.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/march_2010/most_say_tea_party_has_better_understanding_of_issues_than_congress
In official Washington [and on some blogs], some consider the Tea Party movement a fringe element in society, but voters across the nation feel closer to the Tea Party movement than they do to Congress.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of U.S. voters believe the average member of the Tea Party movement has a better understanding of the issues facing America today than the average member of Congress.
52% of American voters are racists and bigots. Hey…who knew?
(Bolded portion above added by me)
Show us the survey and the population demograhpics.
No, you can look them up yourself. I’m OK with pointing to Rasmussen’s reputation as a top-notch pollster and leaving it at that. You’re welcome to try and convince everyone else that they are otherwise.
Gee wilikers Wilma, look at all the kids playing in our backyard. That kid from Fort Buckley is quite a bully huh?
I spent a half hour writing a response to FB’s budget questions and just found out he censored me too! What a mans man!
Tip and Leftfield, This dude is astounding.
I think he left the Weimar Republic off his banner page.
Nice to see the that the First Amendment is alive and well at Veteran Veritas.
Funny thing, the Democratic Party tossed me from the Arizona Veteran Caucus list serve and email newsletter because I was not “liberal enough” !!! Lol. Don sees liberalness lurking everywhere. He must believe oxygen is liberal.
I hear there is a new mental health syndrome going into the new DSM; The Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Psychiatry, it is titled, LPD; Liberal Paranoid Disorder.
Dude, what are you talking about? I haven’t banned you or Leftfield, and I certainly haven’t deleted any of your replies—ever, as far as I can remember.
Mike, let me reassure you—-Sarah Palin is NOT lurking under your bed or behind your door. Trust me on this—I checked her schedule and she’ s not in Tucson this week.
Nice to see the that the First Amendment is alive and well at Veteran Veritas.
Hey, if you want to host someone (tiponeil) who thinks of American troops as murderers, have at it.
Yeah I know Sarah is up there lurking with John McCain, the veteran advocate who did not show for the GI Bill vote. He was in San Diego at one of his 7 homes. You know the man who hates back door deals….. kinda like the Keating 5.
Well Mike, I’ll be the first to to admit that all I know about life is what I’ve learned from Mel Brooks and his films, and your wonderful, passionate discourse reminds me of Chill Wills’ line in ‘Blazing Saddles,’ spoken to Hedy LaMar: “Mr Taggart, you move your lips prettier than a $20 dollar whore.”
Mike, take that as a compliment.
Yer pal, Ferrari Bubba
LOL! You are buffed man! Thanks.