I suppose some will challenge the fact that Bush didn't get the same kind of treatment, but for there have been two glaring examples of the all-too-prevalent attitude towards Obama, and by extension, to all Democrats. One was when Joe Wilson yelled out "liar," and the other was the Bret Baier interview.
What has been really striking has been the eliminationist rhetoric of the G.O.P., coming not from some radical fringe but from the party’s leaders. John Boehner, the House minority leader, declared that the passage of health reform was “Armageddon.” The Republican National Committee put out a fund-raising appeal that included a picture of Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House, surrounded by flames, while the committee’s chairman declared that it was time to put Ms. Pelosi on “the firing line.” And Sarah Palin put out a map literally putting Democratic lawmakers in the cross hairs of a rifle sight.All of this goes far beyond politics as usual. Democrats had a lot of harsh things to say about former President George W. Bush — but you’ll search in vain for anything comparably menacing, anything that even hinted at an appeal to violence, from members of Congress, let alone senior party officials.
No, to find anything like what we’re seeing now you have to go back to the last time a Democrat was president. Like President Obama, Bill Clinton faced a G.O.P. that denied his legitimacy — Dick Armey, the second-ranking House Republican (and now a Tea Party leader) referred to him as “your president.” Threats were common: President Clinton, declared Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina, “better watch out if he comes down here. He’d better have a bodyguard.” (Helms later expressed regrets over the remark — but only after a media firestorm.) And once they controlled Congress, Republicans tried to govern as if they held the White House, too, eventually shutting down the federal government in an attempt to bully Mr. Clinton into submission.
Krugman's point is that it's not a few voices from which it would be a mistake to judge the whole group. He says it's the Republican Party as a whole.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
What else can you expect from a political party that welcomes in wingnuts of every kind?
ReplyDeleteThe Party of Angry White Men. I wonder why they missed that growing-up phase where they were supposed to learn how to control their anger?
That tu quoque argument is as big a fallacy as any other. It's also about a childish as they come: "You did it, too"... like a petulant child shirking responsibility for batting practice on neighborhood mailboxes with a Louisville Slugger on a Saturday night with a group of friends.
ReplyDeleteWhere were these protesters for the last eight years? Oh, that's right... stocking up their bunkers and staking out federal buildings with child day cares. Seems like they are getting all frothed up to party like its 1995.
I wonder why they missed that growing-up phase where they were supposed to learn how to control their anger?
ReplyDeleteYou mean like liberals do? haha.
Skye - So it's OK when the left does it but oh so evil when the right does?
The left is WAY out front when it comes to violent, uncivil protest.
That doesn't excuse these actions, but it does expose you as more than a little hypocritical.
Apparently, Mike W., you do not understand the term "tu quoque". Look it up...at least be sure you are up to speed on the terms being used if you want to continue to belittle me while flagrantly showing your own ignorance.
ReplyDeleteI have serious issues with all the imagery and buzzwords being used and BY WHOM they are being used. People with money and power and - most importantly - a large following of folks who look to them to "tell the truth," many of whom don't know better. Not very responsible.
ReplyDeletee.g., Ms. Palin and the "Reload, not Retreat," and the map with the cross-hairs. Don't give me some bullshit excuse that it's a metaphor for the 2010 election - 3 of the people on that list aren't even running again. And really? What percentage of the American people know what a METAPHOR is?
Seriously. All you have to do is troll through my local on-line newspaper to see how many folk take these sorts of 'metaphors' literally.
And I am NOT saying that all the smart, metaphor-lovin' folk are on the left. I am simply saying that BOTH sides have a bell curve of intelligence in their adherents. You CANNOT assume that everyone on your side knows as much or is as responsible as you.
Way to play the victim Skye (as usual) Perhaps you're so sensitive and consider anything I say a personal attack because YOU have engaged in personal attacks against me like a petulant child?
ReplyDeleteBTW - You're the last person qualified to tell anyone they're ignorant given how badly I've taken you to the woodshed in the past.
(Do a search for "skyewriter" on my blog, You'll see a woman who revels in her own ignorance)
skyewriter:
ReplyDeleteBe extra careful around mikey. He'
s extremely badass. He tells a few little fibs oncet in a while. Thank GOD he's telling the truth when he talks about his support of teh GAY (he supports them AS MUCH as he supports the rights of gunboyz like himself. Don't believe me? I didn't say it, he did.
Demo, you really need to learn how to write correctly. I'm not sure there's anything that can be done to fix your lack of reasoning skills, but work on the easy stuff first big boy.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Democommie:
ReplyDeleteI actually have been acquainted with the circumlogononsensicaljibberjabber from the Mikester comment-person for a while now... he regularly stalks my blog and is a wuss hiding behind the smokey ad hominem.
He's a bit of a ganger-upper, too. But that's what I have come to anticipate from Beckerheads who *always* have to have the last word... wait for it... wait for it... he won't be able to resist commenting and *has* to have the last word. Always...
Tee hee...
(....*running to check out skyewriter's blog*...)
ReplyDeleteI used to think mikey was a tough guy. Then I came to realize that he's a coward who needs his guns to feel like a man. It's quite sad, actually.
ReplyDeleteMore on Krugman's column:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.powerlineblog.com
Sun Rises In East; Krugman Makes Fool Of Himself
March 26, 2010
One thing about Paul Krugman, he always gets the memo. You can count on his column in the New York Times to echo the Democratic Party's talking points of the moment, whatever they are. Thus, his current column accuses Republicans of threatening violence against those poor little Democrats. It's a dumb claim, so it suits Krugman perfectly. His "evidence" is lame beyond belief.
(read the rest at the link)
Gotta love demo & skye's continued ignorance and massive projection issues.
ReplyDeletesouthernfemalelawyer writes: (....*running to check out skyewriter's blog*...)
ReplyDeleteDon't bother. Skyewriter deleted all comments made by all pro-gun positions, regardless of whether or not they were inflammatory.
Yup, cowardice and reasoned discourse at it's finest.
ReplyDeleteNow, if SFL actually wants to see some of the discussion she's free to search for Skyewriter on my blog.
Some of us are actually interested in civil discussion. Skyewriter is not among those ranks.