Despite thumbs' ridiculous claims to the contrary, I think OddsOn really is a textbook example of the common tea-partier.
So, before you go on to talk about "liberals" in a general sense, you want to make it clear that you aren't talking about ALL liberals. Maybe you could be a bit more specific with your claims and stop generalizing altogether. Please pick out the people you wish to smear and identify them specifically. If you don't, then your disclaimer that the rest of this post doesn't apply to "more level headed democrats out there" wouldn't ring so hollow. Let's recap the activity over the past year and a half so that you can understand why some people are so elated... Democrats won the election in a landslide, including a supermajority in the Senate, and a HUGE campaign promise that was made was that they would reform healthcare. From the start, the GOP engaged in dirty tactics, lying, inciting civil disobedience in the form of the shouting at town hall meetings, and vowed that healthcare reform would not pass. Faux "News" sponsored, created, and led an organization that ended up showing the bare naked hind end of the GOP, people that they wanted to support Republicans, but wanted to be able to hold at arms length and say "they aren't Republicans, they are something else." This organization engaged in more heinous behavior including wildly inaccurate and hyperbolic claims. The Democrats create a debacle in Massachusetts, losing a seat held by Edward Freaking Kennedy, the biggest champion of health care reform this country has seen over the past four decades. The GOP declares health care reform dead and begins their self-congratulatory back slapping a little early. The Democrats grew some balls and finished getting the Senate bill through the House, completing a piece of legislation that Presidents of both parties have tried to get through for a century, starting with Teddy Roosevelt. Given the complete lock-step opposition that the GOP engaged in, getting health care reform to the President's desk was a task of monumental proportions. This is the biggest reform legislation in over four decades. I think a little elation is in order for the Democrats. Health care reform IS a big f***ing deal. Biden certainly deserves a for this gaffe, but the last VP told a Senator to f*** off on the floor of the Senate, so your seeming outrage at his congratulatory slip of the tongue is similarly deserving of a . Congressional Democrats just got done an item that has been on their agenda for four DECADES (longer, really, but lets just say their desire for HCR started after Medicare). A little elated celebration is far from out of bounds behavior. Someone cut a propane gas line because the Tea Party posted an address. Was that just a lie? Democratic offices had windows smashed, was that just an optical illusion? Given the hate and vitriol engaged in by the GOP over the past year, claiming that these threats are lies seems extremely intellectually dishonest. OMG!!! The media had the temerity to report on the biggest piece of legislation in this country in four DECADES? Give me a freaking break is right. It is starting to go way past threats when people start cutting gas lines. That little stunt could have killed someone and was directly influenced by the Tea Party and the venomous rhetoric by the GOP over the past year. Where is the concern that since Obama has taken office, death threats skyrocketed? BTW, please point out a single instance of a "radical left winger" cutting a gas line at a house singled out by a left wing organization. This one just doesn't make any sense. Please rephrase. Please point out a single instance of a Democratic lawmaker encouraging rioting left wingers OR making any kind of statement that said rioters had "a noble cause with passion." When elected officials are pictured on posters in crosshairs, when people go cutting gas lines to houses, and when the members of a party (Palin) seem to be encouraging nutjobs to violent activity, we are in a bad way. When people like you are unable to see the danger and mindlessly defend their side, no matter how egregious the behavior, you need to be prepared to be scorned because you deserve it. This one doesn't make a whole lot of sense either. Victorious times are when people's egos are MOST likely to get the best of them. You have fun with that, I won't watch that garbage. BTW, even though I won't watch it, I KNOW that the damage control and spin are going to be FAR more prevalent of Faux "News." And even with such a "sweeping defeat," health care reform is and will remain the law of the land. Get used to it. And God bless those who seek to build a better republic over those who exist only to tear it down.
+1 Andy always puts forth effort, even to the least deserving posters. I admire it, but man, I don't understand it.
The post above was written by Glen Beck after he realized his Tea Party movement was in jeopardy and it was time to switch sides.
I like to address every "point" made when i engage in a debate. I tend to agree with you that it won't do any good and I suspect OO may not even read what I have written. However, I have done my part by highlighting the fallacies in his "reasoning," and will continue to do so. The GOP is able to lie when people are unwilling to put forth the effort to debunk the lies. I think exposing liars is worth the effort.
of course it wasn't. when people start their argument from a place that doesn't accept factual events as reality, it's impossible to even respond in a way that they will comprehend or even listen to. but he'll be forced to listen soon enough...
This thread has turned out far better then anticpated........LOL I find it mildly amusing that somehow anything bad that happens is automatically associated with the Tea Party. Funny because it seems to me that any form of civil disobedience or acts of protest during the Bush administration was lauded and praised. Now its somehow evil and violent?
Uhh. A Tea Party website posted Tom Perriello's address on its website. Except that it was the wrong address. And that wrong address was the one who had a gas line cut. So... maybe someone else made the same mistake as the Tea Party website? Seems awfully unlikely to me. But you go ahead and continue disregarding actual facts -- seems to be commonplace for ya.
The people who posted what they thought was the address of the congressmen were with the tea party. People went to the address and cut the gas line in what turned out to be his brother's home. Luckily they smelled the gas and didn't actually blow up. That is violent. Spitting on someone is violent. Fighting with congressional security during the congressional session is violent. Nobody has ever lamented or been upset over the tea party using non-violent civil disobedience in the same way they are now. Civil disobedience against Bush that wasn't violent should be applauded. However the tea party regularly has racist signs and slogans at their rallies. They shout racial names at congressmen who were heroes along with MLK JR. They have an opening speaker at their convention deliver a racist speech, and they applaude him. Now surely not everyone in the tea party is racist or bad, but they are either condoning the racism and hate speech or they don't care enough to do anything about it.
Yes, I especially appreciate that you took the time to answer my point by point discussion of your original post... Not "anything bad that happens," but when Tea Party advocates publish an address that they say is a Democratic Representative's address and someone goes to that address and cuts a gas line, it would seem appropriate to place some blame on the Tea Party. Show me where there were violent acts either egged on by or praised by any Democrat with any stature in the party. We have already established that the GOP supports and encourages the Tea Party activists, but you are making claims that appear to have no basis in reality. It is violent to smash out the windows of the offices of Democrats. It is violent and potentially deadly to cut the gas line between a house and the propane tank that feeds it. Engaging in this activity because you disagree with someone politically, if not evil, is certainly shameful. The most violent act I remember happening to a Bush supporter was the lady with the backwards "B" carved into her face, and she did that herself!
To be fair, this was blown out of proportion again. The line that was cut was simply from a tiny propane tank to a gas grill, not to the house. Still, it releases flammable propane fumes into the air which can be dangerous, but not to the same degree as you're describing.
I think you are right about that. In that case, I can't think of ANY truly violent acts performed by "leftists" against Bush or his supporters.