If one fundamentally believes in limited government. And takes radical Islamists at their word when they state they have declared war on us. How could they NOT have serious issues with the way Democrats and the Obama administration have governed the past year?
1.)How do you define limited government? By the size of government? Size of budgets? Number of gov't employees? Control of gov't over your personal life?
I don't see Republicans doing a good job on any of this, ever. Especially the spending and government employees side. The problem is conservatives always talk about limited government, but they can't give us a legitimate measure by which it succeeds under them. No sex, abstinence only. Marriage not for gays. We can listen to your calls w/o wiretaps. We spend more money, increase debt, increase # of gov't employees.
Where is the limited government you fundamentally believe in seen in action under Republican leadership?
2.)I take Al Qaeda at their word when they say they have declared war on us, I do not know anyone who does not. I have a good friend whose Dad got on a plane one perfect September morning for a business trip and all that was left of him by afternoon was bone fragments. You would have more credibility here if you stayed away from these broad, baseless generalizations. Contrary to what the right thinks, we are still at war, and Obama, Democrats and Republicans are taking it extremely seriously. Record number of drone strikes in Pakistan, more AQ leaders captured in 09 than 08, major plots disrupted, etc. Look at defense spending, intelligence spending, a whole new Department of Homeland Security, all of that now compared to 9/11. Its a straight line upward, continued by Obama this year and in the years he has budgeted for. You can not argue that Obama or Democrats are not taking AQ's declaration of war seriously with any level of capability.
What is the matter with you that you would even think that over 69 million Americans(# of votes for Obama) do not take the threat we face seriously? Undoubtedly, that group included cops, firefighters, airline pilots, airline employees and NYC area folks who went to work one September morning and came home that night without a dedicated co worker or family member or friend. It also included family members of victims of the 9/11 attacks.
Now, everyone, if you are reading this, regardless of your views, think about it. He should really answer this paragraph, shouldn't he? INDY can say whatever the hell he wants, but I think this is something anyone, Democrat or Republican, can agree is absurd. Didn't Indy just accuse a whole bunch of good Americans of not caring that we were attacked? Of not caring that we are threatened?
All you have put up is your "mirandizing terrorists" b.s., which, by the way, Bush did as well. So did Clinton. So did Bush 41. And Reagan. And Carter. And..... every other President going back to Washington, when our Article III court system was established.
The problem with conservatives today is that a good amount of them see absolutely no problem with the kind of statement that you just made. They see no problem, in fact, it is funny when RNC delegates mock John Kerry's Purple Hearts that he received for wounds sustained in battle. Never mind the fact that all those people weighed about 300 lbs and would shit their pants in combat. I routinely hear conservatives call for Obama to be hung from a tree, only to have their friends laugh at such a comment. Republican members of Congress have no problem calling the President anti American, or with questioning his place of birth, when they know damn well where he was born.
This movement has reached a new low in terms of outright lies and character assassinations that dishonor millions of good, hardworking, patriotic Americans.
I have said it before and it bears repeating, Joe McCarthy was a big deal because it was so much the exception to the rule of civility in politics back then. Go through the 20th century. You will find spirited debate. You will not find the kind of mean spirited, personal attacks on character, turn everything into a culture war, relentless and blatant lying by Republicans until Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich came on the scene. Ever since then, it has been lie, lie, lie(Clinton gave us the biggest tax increase ever!!!!) and personal destruction of any prominent Democrat- think Dan Burton and Bill Clinton.
Jimmy Carter, LBJ, JFK, Truman, FDR, Democratic members of Congress throughout this time period were not subjected to the kind of smears and constant personal attacks that Kerry, Durbin, Reid, Pelosi, both Clinton's and Obama face. Not even close. All the conservatives love Reagan, but he would give them a slap across the face these days for their lack of class and civility in dealing with the other side.
So to those who say that the Tea Baggers are protesting a black President, yes, maybe that is a small element of it. The element that started with the birther movement. However, what they are really protesting, egged on by pundits and Republican politicians, is a President with a "D" after his name. Ever since Clinton was elected, the Republicans have never been able to accept the fact that a Democrat can be President.
