...since when did stealing elections, harassing soldiers, and tormenting spokespeople of the other side become okay?
These violations of fair play all stem from Mr. Gore's decision in 2000 to attempt to win an election in court. It marked a huge departure from the usual rules of conduct. It showed just how desperate and outside the mainstream the Democratic Party had become. Rather than functioning as an American political party, in its desperation the Democrats had become a revolutionary force.
Stealing elections in America is old hat, and we've winked at such misconduct ever since Aaron Burr founded Tammany Hall in the 1820's. But when the occasional vote stealers were caught, they understood that what they had done was wrong, and they took their punishment like men. Now there are ideological justifications for stealing election, all of them stemming from 2000. Of late we've heard a number of Democrats in this state justify their theft as tit-for-tat because of our "theft" of Florida in 2000. One even dared to write an op-ed in the Seattle Times making this case.
Harassing soldiers is a return to behavior during the late Vietnam era, when most people had given up on that war. Places like Seattle, Berkeley and San Francisco have substantial remnants of that old radicalism still alive and well, whereas most people who behaved that way 35 years ago have some sense of shame for their behavior.
Tormenting spokespeople of the other side is the part of political guerilla warfare that happens just before one side takes up arms and drives the conflict to the next level. We have to go back to the period just before the Civil War to see that behavior in our history.
The more radical elements of the Democratic Party, i.e. the "Deaniacs", are pushing events to the edge of violence. What they've forgotten is that it's their adversaries who have all the guns.
Well-said.
In fact, I wish I had my tape recorder handy when Carlson took a call about some bas---d in King County Elections during the recounts who wanted to avenge Florida.
I SOOOO want to tell them, "Look, you lose some. You win some. Move forward. But do the moral thing."
And I won't forget the arrogant response of Gray Davis to the populist uprising of 2003...
One of Gore's henchmen actually made the General Will argument in November 2000 (If I could search FR by date, we discussed it all then).
This is what they now believe-that the "actual votes" don't really reflect the will of the people, because of late capitalism, false consciousness, and "vote suppression".
Since they should "really win" every election, cheating is just a tool to fulfill the general will.
This, of course, leads directly to war if it is not stopped.
Tormenting spokespeople of the other side is the part of political guerilla warfare that happens just before one side takes up arms and drives the conflict to the next level. We have to go back to the period just before the Civil War to see that behavior in our history.
The more radical elements of the Democratic Party, i.e. the "Deaniacs", are pushing events to the edge of violence. What they've forgotten is that it's their adversaries who have all the guns.
And the Deaniacs are going to be the face of the party. I keep asking the question, "If they are certain to lose a countrywide violent confrontation, why do they keep pushing it? What are they counting on?"
My own opinion is that they're expecting outside help. Progressive has always been the code word for Communist and Communism is a religion in that its followers never lose the faith no matter how often and how many places it's proved a failure and an atrocity. It is the cause in their lives that is bigger than themselves.
Most of us thought that Reagan had broken Communism when the wall came down, but religions don't evaporate because they've been rejected by the majority--sometimes they redouble their efforts and the intensity of their fanaticism. The Islamists are just one example.
Communism is still alive and growing again in South and Central America, Russia under Putin, China (hardliners are ascendent), and in a weaker form in Europe, etc. Our "Progressives" can reasonably expect foreign allies if it comes to that.
Our domestic Progressives are now faced with their own local version of the wall coming down and they don't seem able to fight in any way other than verbal violence that is more and more becoming physical as you have shown.
I agree that Hillary intends to win their power back through deceit, but the bottom line is always violent thuggery in the background. If the deceit fails, and I think it will, I think they will resort to civil war which they cannot win unless they have foreign help...
The more radical elements of the Democratic Party, i.e. the "Deaniacs", are pushing events to the edge of violence. What they've forgotten is that it's their adversaries who have all the guns.
Amen.