TDS: ‘Thoughtful Discourse’? Pawlenty Says U.S. Tilts ‘Everyday, A Little Bit More’ Toward Tyranny

[Turborama]

The shootings in Tucson last weekend happened to coincide with former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty’s (R) media tour to promote his new book. In various interviews, Pawlenty has discussed the role violent rhetoric played in Tucson and in politics. While the former governor said that the Tucson shooter is solely responsible for his actions, Pawlenty acknowledged that political rhetoric could be toned down. “I think we can all benefit from a more thoughtful discourse,” he said on Fox News. Pawlenty even criticized Sarah Palin’s now infamous crosshairs graphic. “It wouldn’t have been my style to put the crosshairs on there,” he said on ABC. “There’s a line there as it relates to, you know, basic civility, decency, respect and, and not trying to invoke violence.”

Last night on the Daily Show, host Jon Stewart picked up on this theme, telling Pawlenty, “It feels like to me, Barack Obama’s critics are reacting to him as if as though he is something this country hasn’t seen before,” he said, adding, “very prominent Republicans talking about, ‘This is a fundemental change in our society. A march to tyranny.’” Pawlenty confused the point, claiming that both sides engage in vitriolic rhetoric, but Stewart clarified:

STEWART: If the defense is, “They’ve got people who do it too.” That doesn’t appear to be much of a defense. And the other thing is, I don’t think you can conflate 18-year-olds who’ve written a lawyer’s name on their arm running around with bandanas with Newt Gingrich, with Rush Limbaugh, with the leaders of the Republican Party. I think that that is a cop-out that I don’t think is fair. And I’m not talking about their side did it, your side did it; what I’m asking you is, fundementally does the Republican Party believe we are as close to tyranny and socialism as the tone of their rhetoric would insinuate?

Shockingly, Pawlenty, who has been calling for civil discourse throughout the week, said that the U.S. is indeed creeping toward tyranny:

PAWLENTY: I think there’s a lot of us in the conservative movement who view government, whether it’s personalized to Barack Obama or anyone else, as government crowds into more space that used to be for individuals, that used to be for private markets, that used to be for charity, that used to be for entrepreneurial activity, that used to be for faith organizations and they push in and say, “We’ll do that now.” And they take over one more piece of what used to be reserved for, say, individuals?

There’s a lot of us who say, you know that feels kind of like government stepping on us, pushing us to the side, and there is a continuum between liberty and tyranny and it sometimes happens very incrementally so is it about throwing stones and taking over by force? Maybe just incrementally everyday a little bit more gets nudged out of the way and you got to at least acknowledge John it is a continuum and in my view, we’ve moved down the continuum.

Watch it, starting at 5:56: http://thinkprogress.org/2011/01/13/pawlenty-tyrann/

[Angry Dragon]

1. Poor little timmy

[elleng]

2. 'piece of what used to be reserved for, say, individuals'

yea, like whom we marry, fer example.

:sarcasm:

[Kurovski]

3. Pawlenty full of shit.

[dflprincess]

4. That's funny coming from Timmy

I gather he was expressing his approval?

Google Pawlenty's unilateral unallotment or unilateral budget cuts and see what he pulled in Minnesota. The state courts overruled him, but not before a lot of damage was done.

[handmade34]

5. just watched

end of interview Gov. Pawlenty says to Jon Stewart, "your brain is too complex, you need to simplify" incredulous!!

these are conplex issues dear Gov'nor... Mr. Pawlenty thinks the gov't is crowded him out... I would suggest that wealthy people are crowding out the vast majority of citizens such as me and many like me...

[JDPriestly]

6. I don't see the government moving in where private entrepreneurs

worked. I see private entrepreneurs investing their money in the cheap-labor-third-world and moving in on functions that have historically been the responsibility of the government. That would include servicing the military (meals and security for state department and aid employees overseas), running what used to be public schools and hospital administration. We used to have community hospitals run by local community officials.

The movement is toward fascism, that is corporate-dominated government, not socialism.

[old mark]

7. I think he is right about tyranny, but it is the right wingers who are driving that movement...

I am very uncomfortable, though, with the Democrats apparent love of the Patriot Act and other GOP infringements on our rights, including the Federal harassment of anti-war groups.

Too much tyranny from both sides, Mr. Pawlenty, and too much bullshit from you.
K&R
mark