Call the Wahhmbulance! Robb’s sensibilities are offended by the “T” word

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Call the Wahhmbulance! The Arizona Republic's Robert Robb has his sensibilities offended by "libruls" referring to the Tea Party as terrorists for holding America hostage and threatening a default on the national debt for the first time in our history in their extortionary demands for "no new taxes" during the federal debt ceiling fight, and thus triggered a downgrade in the creditworthiness of the U.S. for the first time in our history. Getting a better handle on the ''t'' words:

"Tea party"-influenced House Republicans are being routinely labeled by liberals as "terrorists" for holding the debt limit "hostage" to deep spending cuts.

Well, they were elected in open and fair elections. As elected representatives, they have the right to vote their judgment and conscience.

That's not terrorism. That's representative governmentr. [as published]

First of all, it is the "Septuagenarian Ninja Turtle" Mitch McConnell who describes his own Tea Party in such stark terms. Daily Kos: Mitch McConnell, economic terrorist:

I think some of our members may have thought the default issue was a hostage you might take a chance at shooting. Most of us didn't think that. What we did learn is this — it's a hostage that's worth ransoming. And it focuses the Congress on something that must be done.

If you don't want to be called a terrorist, then stop bragging about taking hostages.

The "elected in open and fair elections" canard has been addressed in The specter of totalitarianism in the Tea Party. Conservative columnist Richard Cohen sees the specter of totalitarianism in the Tea Party. Green with Tea Party envy:

The odd thing about the Tea Party is that it uses Washington to attack Washington. This is a version of Hannah Arendt’s observation that totalitarian movements use democratic institutions to destroy democracy. . . Note that the Tea Party is nowhere near a majority — not in the House and not in the Senate. Its followers have only 60 seats in the 435-member House, but in a textbook application of political power they were able to use parliamentary rules to drive the congressional agenda. As we have known since Lenin’s day, a determined minority is hands down better than an irresolute majority.

As I said at the end of this post, "If there is something wrong with this country today it is the facile acceptance of and legitimization of what is in essence a totalitarian movement that is anti-government and anti-democratic, and thus un-American. "WE The People" are the government in this constitutional democratic Republic! This totalitarian movement is at war with their fellow Americans. And that is unacceptable."

As for the "terrorist" label, if the shoe fits wear it. As I pointed out in The Next Hostage Taking: The FAA:

If a foreign government took the Congress hostage and threatened to kill our economy unless Americans paid their ransom demands, what would you call it? It is no different when a domestic insurrection against the government takes the Congress hostage and threatens to kill our economy unless Americans pay their ransom demands. This is accurately described as economic "terrorism."

Let's not sugarcoat this just because it is being perpetrated by a major political party, and the feckless corporate media is clutching its pearls over faux "fair and balanced" rules of civility. It should not be legitimizing what is an illegitimate tactic in a democracy. It should be calling this out for what it is and condemning it.

The feckless corporate media pundit Robert Robb is clutching his pearls in faux outrage, failing to call this out for what it is and condemning it. He is part of what is wrong with this country today.