Political Theatre category archive

Er,

yeah.

This is just a quick musing, but it’s worth noting the extent to which political violence is virtually nonexistent in the contemporary United States. The attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan in 1981 was the last incident of major political violence. Since then, the odds of violence or injury for a major elected official have dropped dramatically.

I say it’s worth noting because political violence was once a regular feature of American life; in the 20th century, four presidents survived assassination attempts, while two — William McKinley and John Kennedy — were victims. In the 19th century, violence claimed two presidents: Abraham Lincoln and James Garfield, while Andrew Jackson survived an assassination attempt. Attempts have been made on the lives of presidential candidates, some successful — like the assassination of Robert Kennedy — and others, like the attempt on George Wallace, less so. Dozens of elected officials have been violently attacked over the course of American history, and dozens more have been killed (including 24 officials in the Reconstruction South). And of course, this is to say nothing about periods of widespread mob violence, and violence against prominent social leaders, like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.

It’s impossible to say whether we’ll see a renewed spike in political violence, but it suffices to say that this current period is remarkably calm, and something of an achievement.

Another nice catch by Feastingonroadkill.

From the transcript:

This incentive is part of the economic package I signed into law last month – a package that also includes a payroll tax cut that will mean $1,000 more this year for a typical family. In fact, 155 million workers will see larger paychecks this month as a result of this tax cut.

Twelve million families will benefit from a $1,000 child tax credit and an expanded Earned Income Tax Credit. Eight million students and families will continue to benefit from a $2,500 tuition tax credit to make college more affordable.

And millions of entrepreneurs in big cities and small towns across the country will benefit not only from the business expensing plan I mentioned, but from additional tax cuts that will spur research and development.

Delaware Liberal has a timeline of domestic political violence, both committed and exhorted, from 2008 to the present.

The drip-drip-drip has not been so noticeable, but the total accumulation is quite appalling sizeable.

Addendum:

TPM’s Josh Marshall on Countdown with sane and sensible comments:

Addendum-dee-dum-dum:

Michael Tomasky talks sense on the relationship between rhetoric and violence at the Guardian. A nugget:

In sum, he (the shooter–ed.) had political ideas, which not everyone does. Many of them (not all, but most) were right wing. He went to considerable expense and trouble to shoot a high-profile Democrat, at point-blank range right through the brain. What else does one need to know? For anyone to attempt to insist that the violent rhetoric so regularly heard in this country had no likely effect on this young man is to enshroud oneself in dishonesty and denial.

If buffoons run about for months and months spouting nonsense about “second amendment remedies” and “by force if necessary,” they lose the moral right to be shocked, shocked! shocked! if some fugitive from a looney-bin takes them up on it.

“But I never expected this to happen despite calling for it for the last two years” really doesn’t make it to the rational excuse list.

Bill Shein explains.

Democrats propose that a Senate filibuster actually include filibustering:

The package does, however, include a reform that would tilt the balance of power toward the majority: Senators must actually be speaking on the Senate floor in order to keep the filibuster alive. If objecting senators finish speaking, the filibuster would end and the blocked bill in question would move to a final vote.

Makes sense to me. Suiting words to action and all that.

Via Hanlon, who observes quite accurately that

The awesome part is I know it’s gonna be Republicans that whine about it.

With apologies to John Cole.

Via Kiko’s House.

I’m behind the times, as usual . . . .

Police say a man stripped to his underwear at a Virginia airport checkpoint in a protest against security procedures.

He got cited for disorderly conduct.

Meanwhile, allowing yourself to be fondled by uniformed strangers is orderly conduct.

TPM announces the winners of the Golden Dukes for 2010.

Awards time!

Dick Polman offers “The 2010 Public Misconduct Awards.”

One winner:

Fox News Phantasmagoria of the Year: So many choices, so hard to choose. Maybe it was the lie about how President Obama’s India trip supposedly cost $200 million a day (the fake stat was floated by one Indian news agency, quoting an anonymous Indian province “official” who didn’t know anything). Or maybe it was the lie about how health care reform would supposedly compel the IRS to hire and unleash 16,000 new agents on the American public (the stat was invented by House Republicans). But I vote for the Fox-induced hysteria over the president’s Nuclear Security Summit logo. You don’t remember that one? In April, Fox and Fox’s friends at the New York Post reported that the logo featured a circular shape resembling a crescent – much like the crescent featured on Muslim nation flags. Turned out, the logo was inspired by Danish scientist Neils Bohr’s 1915 depiction of an atom. So much for that freakout…But wait, don’t the Danes have national health insurance?

Via Oh My Gov!

KeninNY explains how she might be like Marie Antoinette.

(Part 2 is here.)

The fallacy of Libertarianism is that it assumes that all persons are rational almost all the time.

That’s why Libertarianism lives in a fantastickal world of the imagination. Delaware Liberal reports. (Why should I do all that work when they are ready have?)

Afterthought:

This also applies to Objectionableism Objectivism, Ayn Rand’s peculiar Cloud Cuckoo Land.

Andy Borowitz reports that the Teabagger Christmas pageant was a wash-out:

“We couldn’t find three wise men,” Tea Party holiday coordinator Carol Foyler told reporters.

Follow the link for the full report.

If bad news falls in a forest and no one is able to hear it, is it still bad news?

Pilot reveals security failures at San Francisco International, so the pilot is being investigated.

US officials are investigating a pilot who released videos allegedly revealing security lapses at San Francisco’s airport, the pilot’s lawyer says.

Lawyer Don Werno said the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was checking whether his client had revealed sensitive information.

The videos on YouTube allegedly showed ground crew members swiping security cards and then entering the airport’s secure areas without any screening.

The TSA said it had “taken action”.

Mr Werno said the 50-year-old pilot, who has not been identified, remained employed with a major airline, but had been withdrawn from a programme that trained flight crew to help prevent hijackings. The pilot’s federally issued firearm had been confiscated, he said.

If the government wonders why some are sympathetic to Wikileaks, here is a good example.

Christine O’Donnell made it into the final round in only one category. I was certain she had a lock on three.

An actor can win multiple Oscars. A whackjob should be able to win multiple Dukies.

Wrap-up:

Excerpt from the transcript:

If there’s any lesson to draw from these past few weeks, it’s that we are not doomed to endless gridlock. We’ve shown, in the wake of the November elections, that we have the capacity not only to make progress, but to make progress together.

And I’m not naïve. I know there will be tough fights in the months ahead. But my hope heading into the New Year is that we can continue to heed the message of the American people and hold to a spirit of common purpose in 2011 and beyond. And if we do that, I’m convinced that we will lift up our middle class, we will rebuild our economy, and we will make our contribution to America’s greatness.

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