Did you see this? This goes beyond Boehner and is scary

[karynnj]

"Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean sent a letter to Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman today calling on him to stop RNC-funded campaign activities that promote discrimination and endorse violence against political opponents. The letter was sent after a Michigan newspaper revealed that an RNC-funded organizer in Michigan is coordinating "Catch an Illegal Immigrant" and "Fun With Guns" events at the University of Michigan, similar to Republican events in other states like Pennsylvania and Texas. In the first event participants would win prizes for catching others posing as illegal immigrants and in the latter, "young Republicans would shoot cardboard cut-outs of Democratic leaders such as Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.)."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2507820

[beachmom]

1. Now that's sick. So they would rather shoot cardboard shots

of Hillary and Kerry than OBL? That seems fitting. Apparently, their real enemy is Democrats, not terrorists.

[ginnyinWI]

15. judging by how often * is quoting bin Laden lately,

it looks more and more like they are on the same side! What a PR coup: to have the president of the United States quoting you in a speech to the nation! Disgusting that * has sunken so low.

[wisteria]

2. Honest to gosh, I am tired of these childish antics. No wonder we

has half-a** leadership, look who elected them.

[Blaukraut]

3. Very scary

The Rethugs are going too far. We knew they'd get personal. Rats backed into a corner will attack. This goes way beyond the pale, though. Playing 'games' like shooting at cardboard cutouts of Dem leaders is criminal. The demonizing of our party is reminiscent of early nazi Germany. Certain parties were publicly demonized before they were officially made illegal.
We cannot allow the US to go down that road!

[whometense]

4. oh. my. god.

Is this what they mean by pulling out all the stops? That is unbelievable.

[Democrafty]

5. That's terrifying.

What a horrible message to send - that it's okay to shoot people with different viewpoints. It will be so tragic if any of these whackjobs decide that logic translates to private citizens.

[ProSense]

6. Despicable, but confirms this:

As the United States staggers past the third anniversary of its misadventure in Iraq, the dagger is already poised, the myth is already being perpetuated. To understand just how this strategy is likely to unfold—and why this time it may well fail—we must return to the birth of a legend.

[Blaukraut]

11. Thank you for that link, ProSense!

This article ought to be spread far and wide to show people what the rethugs' methods are and have been for decades. They must be stopped somehow because they are literally driving this country to the brink of destruction. They dare call us reckless and traitors? What are they? NOTHING they've done in the last 50 years has been for the good of America and its people, not a damn thing.

[ProSense]

21. Yup, and for decades,

the same players have been involved: Rummy, Dickie, Wolfie and Armie

[WildEyedLiberal]

7. Isn't that illegal?

I thought it was illegal to simulate killing a real person, especially a public official. I know the Secret Service takes even jokes about killing the president seriously - aren't members of Congress afforded the same protection? This is a very real threat and should be prosecuted as such.

[karynnj]

8. I wonder if hillary still has SS protection -

I know that Bill Clinton does for life. I know if Democrats had a Bush/Cheney shooting gallery of this type, we would be condemned and I would assume it would be illegal. Also, I would be arguing that it is inappropriate.

It is a real threat. The idiots who came up with it and others who approved it need to be fired by the RNC.

[Island Blue]

18. Excellent point about Secret Service protection for HRC.

According to this, former First Ladies are still under the protection of the SS. I wonder if they know about this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secret_Service

Secret Service Uniformed Division: The Secret Service has primary jurisdiction over the prevention of counterfeiting of U.S. currency and U.S. treasury bonds and notes, and protection of the President, Vice President, their immediate families, other high ranking government officials, past presidents and their spouses, certain candidates for the offices of President and Vice President, and visiting foreign heads of state and government (all called "protectees"). It also investigates a wide variety of financial fraud crimes and identity theft and provides forensics assistance for some local crimes. The name is believed to have come from the fact that they are not allowed to reveal who they are when asked.

This is really despicable. It's really sad that members of the Republican Party have sunk to this level. These people really have no morals what so ever.

[wisteria]

23. My daughter had an opportunity to attend an informal press

conference last year with Senator Clinton. My daughter commented to me that she was surprised because she was herself so close to her and there didn't appear to be any body guards watching out for the Senator.
And, what about Senator Kerry, all the places he goes and I bet he doesn't have any protection either. I bet most Senator's don't think they need additional protection.

[TayTay]

24. Not true.

And not true for Sen. Clinton either. She has Secret Service protection for life as a former First Lady. Sen. Kerry does have discreet people who ensure his safety. I have spoken to them. Discreet people do not interfere with genuine meet and greets.

[beachmom]

9. They are paint guns (per the link); is that allowing them to get

around such illegalities?

[karynnj]

10. True - But could I do that in a public event with a Bush cutout?

I don't want to - but I also don't think I would be allowed to. The concept of shooting the President is not acceptable - and neither should the concept of shooting Senators.

[beachmom]

12. You know how we deal with this?

Send someone to Michigan (or better yet, someone already there) with a camera, video it, and put the damn thing on You Tube!! I want to see this -- College Republicans mock shooting United States Senators!! Then we throw traitor right back at them. What a bunch of Nazis. I always heard bad stuff about College Republicans -- you know, that's how you start to reform that party -- start with the young kids and teach them bloody morals, civility, decency, and so on. Then maybe in 20 years, a new GOP will emerge to hark back to their glorious past (a la Lincoln). This combined with the Boehner remarks shows a party that is utterly broken. Conservatism is dead and has been replaced by thuggery and fascism.

[Democrafty]

13. I think you're right.

There have to be liberal groups on college campuses who'd be willing to do this.

[whometense]

14. excellent idea!! n/t

[_dynamicdems]

16. This is an excellent idea! n/t

[_dynamicdems]

17. This is a VERY dangerous game to be playing.

There is already too much anger and division in our country. They "misunderestimate" just how angry those both denied a voice in our government and who feel pushed around and persecuted are. The left is ready to explode. The middle is pissed off. Much of the right is becoming disillusioned and discontented. The country is potentially a powder keg and they want to light the fuse?

This is very stupid. Any Republican with half a brain would back away from this incendiary behavior and push for unity and a middle ground that can bring the country together.

Politics should be an avenue of reasonable discussion not a bloody battle between rival gangs.

[TayTay]

19. This is hardly surprising behavior from the Rethugs.

Wingnuts believe, in their heart and soul, that their opponents are so awful that anything done to them is justified. Don't like a candidate? Smear his wife. Don't agree with someone because they are a Democrat? Surround their children with protesters who call them baby-killers. There are no rules for Rethugs, there simply aren't. They believe that whatever furthers their cause is fine, no matter what it is or how morally repugnant it might be to people who have values.

Hey, disagree with someone over policy? Then, in a time of war, when our troops are being horribly wounded and disfigured, print up mocking copies of the Purple Heart on a band-aid and distribute it at the National Convention of your Party. The fact that this is a heartless, unpatriotic and cruel smear, not just to the intended party but to all service people who put their lives on the line, is simply not relevant. The smear is all that matters. The need to mock and to be cruel is the objective, it is the all, it is the end result of the desire for power for the Rethugs.

Sen. Kerry has repeatedly said that this is the worst Congress he has ever seen. Part of that is because no topic is too low, no smear too outrageous, no moral boundary too sacred to cross in order to 'get' an opponent. This is what Karl Rove has wrought. This is the end result of the Republican movement of the last 25 or so years. This is what, in one of the worst outrages of all, they do in the name of religion, morality and upholding 'our values.' Welcome to Rovian America where anything goes, but especially if it is low, desperate and disgusting. That is the Republican dream now, it is everything they have worked so hard to accomplish. I hope the rest of America gets a good look at it, it's what they have been voting for.

[karynnj]

20. This is really so true and so heart breaking

Listening to Kerry's 2 minutes, he is so utterly reasonable and what he is calling for so needed - for some of the Republicans to reject this hateful win at all costs behavior. I hope the rest of America CAN get a good look at it.

I am so glad that Kerry made this statement. It does give some hope. But you are right the attacks on both Teresa and him were heartless. This does carry it an extra step to think that Americans would stand in line to shoot at a man like this or a former first lady. (As to first lady, remember when simply forgetting the first lady's career before she was 27 years old in a beautiful gracious comment was considered nearly a crime - yet you can advocate shooting at an image of another first lady?)

[globalvillage]

22. The Young Republicans

who planned the shooting 'event' were KO's "worst person in the world" today.