But read this marvelous rant (and you know I love a good rant) last night and had to share. Here, Kos diarist Hunter has a great diatribe against the Tea Party/Militia building/afraid of socialism crowd.
"I'd have a lot more respect (well, not really, since I have none to begin with) for these teabaggers and their constant edging towards secession or civil war or whatnot if even a single damn one of them could clearly elucidate what this Big Scary New Anti-States'-Rights Thing is, exactly, that is supposedly so threatening to the stability of the republic that may require armed conflict to prevent. At the very beginning it was an armed defense of slavery. Fifty years ago or so it required calling out the troops because the Feds were proposing that you had to treat black people like people. Now we've got a black president and Oh Mah Gawd, it's once again time for some gun-toting state militia types to protect us from the big, mean possibly-Muslim-possibly-Kenyan-possibly-Hitlerian-socialist-marxist-communist-vegetarian-too-well-d ressed black guy."And this:
And yes, if you're talking about forming an armed militia to wave guns around to protect your state's "sovereignty" against the scary gubbermint, you're officially an idiot. At best.Heh. Exactly. Hunter also notes the idiocy of those who were convinced that an Obama presidency meant an end to access to guns and ammo, and so started hoarding ammunition and buying it in bulk. I know someone like that. Someone who is actually far too smart to be pulled in by that nonsense.
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And then there is the current financial regulation issue. I know that a lot of Republicans want some regulation of Wall Street, but I am struck by how many conservatives still defend the deregulation of same. I was thinking of that when considering the attack on the Second Bank of the US under Jackson and the assumption that these unregulated local banks would lead to prosperity. For some, it did, and for a short time. But a lack of regulation leads to chaos and destruction in the market. We learned that in the Great Depression, but then unlearned it in the 1980s. Perhaps we can get it back and remember that like Roosevelt, we can save capitalism from its worst aspects. As E.J. Dionne notes, those who want to save capitalism might want to regulate it.
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The party leaders spew this bullshit, knowing it energizes their base. Their base, though, being mostly brainless, actually believes this shit. You'll not hear John Boner called for armed insurrection, but Pat Robertson will, along with all the zombies who believe every word he says.
At this point, I am almost willing to go along with a civil war just to prove a fucking point; that normal, sane people aren't threatening to "split the country apart." It's the fucking teabaggers...they evern saying they WANT to split the country apart!! AND NOBODY CALLS THEM UNPATRIOTIC FOR IT!!!
I am about to drift into irrationality.
Hunter also notes the idiocy of those who were convinced that an Obama presidency meant an end to access to guns and ammo, and so started hoarding ammunition and buying it in bulk.
I preferred a wait and see approach, but given that Obama supported gun control as a Senator, said he supported it on his campaign web site, and appointed an AG that has consistently argued in favor of gun control, I don't think those fears were totally unfounded. Also, there was proposed legislation to heavily tax ammo. Thankfully, Obama has never pushed for it and Reid and Pelosi said to not bother.
If you remember, the assault weapons ban passed when many thought it didn't have a chance. 30 round magazines that once went for $10 were going for $60. AR-15 lower receivers that cost $100 were selling for $600. Prices seemed to slow down at that point, but still went up until the ban lifted. I don't think that most people thought Obama was going to take away our guns, but they did think that new restrictions were very possible.
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