“I agree with the left on this, Obama Care 2.0 is a horrific bill. It is possibly even worse than the original. Not only that, but it is a complete and total betrayal of the trust the American voters put into the Republicans in office.”
It did not take long for the love to die in Washington. After Representative Scalise was shot by James Hodgkinson, it appeared the left was going to soften its extreme vitriol. This proved true for a brief period. A very brief period. However, when you have a party that runs on a platform of hate and anger, there really is nowhere else to turn.
As we move closer to the passing of the Republican health care bill, which I dub Obama Care 2.0, the left is once again ramping up their partisan language. This of course is nothing new. I clearly remember, in 2009, when Democrat Alan Grayson told Americans that Republicans were opposing Obama Care because their plan was: “If you get sick, America, the Republican health care plan is this: Die quickly.” What many people don’t know is that a couple years later he sent out a fundraising e-mail which compared the Tea Party to the Ku Klux Klan (which is ironic considering it was started and supported by the Democratic Party).
While Grayson’s comments might be ancient history, its messaging is still the main battle plan for the Democrat’s strategy in winning votes. Bernie Sanders just came out days ago with a tweet stating, “The bill Republicans announced today is even worse than expected and by far the most harmful piece of legislation I’ve seen in my lifetime.” Really Bernie, the most harmful you’ve ever seen in your lifetime? So it was worse than Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945? That was the order that forced Americans of Japanese descent into internment camps. Is it worse than suspending the civil liberties of an entire race? I am glad to know what your political priorities are.
We should mention the tweets of Senator Richard Blumenthal as well. First, he tweeted it was a cruel and costly bill. Then he upped the ante by calling it, “Reprehensible, irresponsible, and just plain mean.” In my opinion, he summarized the ability of liberals to shut down every argument through ridiculous assertions by stating: “The Republicans’ #healthcare plan will literally cost American lives.”
Do you know what the word literally means, Richard? According to Merrian-Webster, “in a completely accurate way.” So how, exactly, will this bill cost lives? Especially in comparison to the original Obama Care? Maybe you are saying that it will cost lives in the same way that the VA hospitals were costing lives through secret wait lists. Is that what it is? Probably not, as those employees were protected from being fired by Democrat policies. So where in the bill is the authorization of the executioners who will be ‘literally’ killing people?
Most importantly, I would be completely remiss to not mention Hillary Clinton. The woman who so forcefully stated, “When they go low, we go high.” I must be confused on the modern usage of the English language, because she just came out and tweeted, “Forget death panels. If Republicans pass this bill, they’re the death party.”
So by passing this bill, the Republican Party is going to be going around killing people? How is that possible? Do not get me wrong Hillary, I am very happy that you are finally admitting that your Obama Care Bill would lead to death panels, I am just confused as to how we are going to be the death party. You must be referring to how Republicans go around threatening the life of the President? Wait…no, that is Hollywood liberals. You must mean how the Republican sponsored group, Agenda Project Action Fund, made commercials about throwing Grandma off a cliff, right? Oops, my mistake, that was a progressive group.
I agree with the left on this, Obama Care 2.0 is a horrific bill. It is possibly even worse than the original. Not only that, but it is a complete and total betrayal of the trust the American voters put into the Republicans in office. The question I have is: why can’t the left articulate their displeasure with the bill in an intelligent and articulate way? Is it because they are not intelligent enough? Maybe they do not think that their constituents would be able to figure it out. I personally believe it is because they simply don’t know how to relate to the American people anymore.
What concerns me more than anything is the fact that the politicians on the left no longer hold themselves accountable for how their words cause harm to people. Do I believe that Hodgkinson was a sick individual outside the Democratic Party? Absolutely. However, it appears what spurred him to attempt murder was the hate filled rhetoric on the left.
As a constitutional conservative, I believe strongly in the freedoms set forth in our founding documents. None of which is more important than the original ten amendments to the constitution, accurately dubbed the Bill of Rights. It is not by happenstance that the first amendment is freedom of speech. This is the bedrock of all other freedoms. However, no right is absolute.
That is why the Supreme Court in 1969 codified the Brandenburg (Incitement) test. The test was established when Brandenburg was convicted for stating there may be “revengeance” against those who were suppressing white power. He was convicted under the Ohio criminal syndicalism law for advocating violence. The Supreme Court overturned the conviction as a violation of his first amendment rights.
In summary, their are two requirements for finding someone guilty of incitement. The speaker’s speech has to intend to cause violence, as well as be likely to cause violence.
I believe that it has become more and more difficult to allow the liberal platform to pass this test. Not only are the politicians on the left making these hateful comments, but the media is complicit in spreading the message as well. Jason Fuller, a contributor from the Huffington Post, wrote an article calling for the conviction and execution of President Trump for treason. Kathy Griffin, an ex-CNN anchor, clearly encouraged the beheading of the President.
Unfortunately, I do not believe that it is a matter of if, but instead a matter of when, the next attack happens. Who will be the target then? Politicians? Their spouses? Maybe their children? After all, that would create the biggest political statement. When this happens, will the left be held responsible?
I do not believe that most of these individuals truly want violence. Not because they are against it, but instead because they are cowards. They don’t take responsibility for their innocuous actions — it is unfathomable that they would take responsibility for a loss of life. However, their words inspire those who do want violence. When you have an entire party grouping a segment of society as killers and sociopaths, it is not hard to see how this can come about. Especially given the way the media loves to promote the divide.
At some point, something will have to change. I only see two potential ways of this happening. Firstly, a public outcry that forces the left to change its tone. Secondly, an attack that so offends the sensibilities of our citizenry that it again forces the left to change its tone. Clearly, there is no option where they learn to moderate themselves. If that were the case, the attempted mass murder event against the Republicans would have caused action.
I fear that Pope Francis was attempting to tell the future when he stated,
“Even today we raise our hand against our brother… We have perfected our weapons, our conscience has fallen asleep, and we have sharpened our ideas to justify ourselves as if it were normal we continue to sow destruction, pain, death. Violence and war lead only to death.”
It would appear he is correct, our conscience has fallen asleep. I hope we wake up before we have the blood of innocents on all our hands.
