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Re ‘To Be a Republican Lawmaker in Madison’

We all get that President Obama is for the unions and against Governor Walker and the Wisconsin Republicans (and other Republicans). He has said so. Well and good. But his side is behaving despicably in Wisconsin, threatening the well-being of Republican legislators, who are merely doing the jobs the people elected them to do.

As you can see in the below interview, Republican senators are not saying whether they are sleeping in their own houses, and are working with law enforcement to keep themselves and their families safe.

Couldn’t Obama say something? Couldn’t he pretend he’s president — president of all the people — and say, “We have political disagreements, but we’re going to work them out peacefully and democratically. For example, massing at lawmakers’ homes, to shout and threaten, is out of bounds.”

Wouldn’t that be kind of . . . big of him? But in my observation — and he has been president for two years now — he is small. He was willing to speak out after Tucson. That was relatively easy. To speak out now would be exceptional, and exceptionally helpful. It would be helpful to Obama politically, too.

Who are the unionists going to support instead come ’12? Angela Davis?

P.S. A couple of years ago, a South Carolina congressman shouted at Obama, “You lie.” This was a federal case — a huge media cause — for weeks. In Wisconsin, the Democratic side, generally speaking, is making Republican legislators coordinate with law enforcement to keep themselves safe. A Republican won’t even tell a reporter whether he is driving home tonight.

This is disgusting.

New on The Corner. . .


COMMENTS   33

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   02/17/11 18:35

WI unionists might vote for Feingold in the '12 primary, at least.

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   02/17/11 18:40

To the liberals and the media (redundant, I know), civility is when republicans shut up and let liberals do whatever they want.

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   02/17/11 18:48

They don't call them Union Thugs for nothing.

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joeindc44
   02/17/11 18:55

This is the beginning of the real fight that started once 2010 elections were over. The left will not back down.

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   02/17/11 18:57

MyKu:

Obama channels
Messy Marvin, but without
the Hershey's Syrup.

-------------------------

Seriously, when leadership in matters is desired, but optional, BHO jumps in and comedy does not ensue. Once again, he'd have been better off keeping his mouth shut, which is a shame.

Maybe he'll invite the entire Wisconsin legislature over for beers.

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   02/17/11 19:00

It is disgusting, but unfortunately, not totally unexpected. Hopefully, the behavior of the Democrats and their Public-Sector union backers will be the straw that breaks the camel's back. My fervent hope is that a majority of voters throughout the country will decide that America should try to remain exceptional and not turn into Greece or Spain or Ireland...

PS..or California, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio....

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   02/17/11 19:08

Recall the state senators

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Den
   02/17/11 19:08

Well, for goodness sake. That's what they get for having such a silly law. The legislature can't vote unless at least one Democrat is there???!!! Ridiculous! Repeal that law right now.

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icc
   02/17/11 19:12

He spoke out after Tucson after his propaganda wing had accused Palin of instigating the violence. It was the little man's strategic move after four days of feeding frenzy. Now the propaganda wing is silent when a crosshair is actually on a politician's head.

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   02/17/11 19:13

Get used to it, this will be repeated often as the grown-ups work to fix the problems.

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Axelrod
   02/17/11 19:15

Sawdin: sorry to burst your bubble, but California is still (and likely to remain to the last) the worker's paradise, especially with Moonbeam at the helm.

With Obama's "Organizing for America" group involved, does anyone seriously think he's going to criticize the unionists?

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   02/17/11 19:20

Three days ago Obama spoke to middle school students and their teachers about striving for excellence in math and science
and the importance of education.
His silence on the thousands of teachers abandoning their students
and the hundreds of students cutting classes conveys
support for their irresponsibility , lack of work ethic and thuggish mob behavior.
I expected nothing less .
The next time a poll is released showing that most Americans don't think Obama shares their values,
the White House and the media should not act surprised.

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   02/17/11 19:21

What did we expect from Obama. His plea for civility when Congresswoman Gabbert was shot, is now proved just another political posture to elicit votes in 2012. We have Union thugs threatening violence on Republican's, gathering at their homes and threatening their families and Obama says, this is an "assault on union". What a Lousy President and immoral person this community organizer has turned out to be. (Though a lot of us knew before he was elected, his
character was lacking. One only had to look and listen.) Disgusting doesn't describe this whole mess.

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hitnrun
   02/17/11 19:23

"Couldn’t Obama say something?"

Well, sure. Something like what he said two years ago when the same bused-in thugs were besieging the bankers' in their homes... something like, "I'm all that's standing between you and them."

On second thought, maybe it's a gesture of bipartisan collegiality that he *isn't* saying anything.

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   02/17/11 19:26

Exactly. What did we expect?

The man is a community organizer who voted present on issue after issue when a state senator and ran for president when a US Senator.

He has neither the aptitude nor the inclination to be even a middlin' POTUS.

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, ...

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   02/17/11 19:31

Of course he won't say anything. He approves of these tactics.

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   02/17/11 19:32

This is a chance for our president to distance himself from the accusations of 2008 (Saul Alinsky, ACORN, etc). The choice is his.

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   02/17/11 19:39

I hope all those folks who thought President Obama gave an inspiring speech at the Tuscon memorial and praised him for his comments about civil public discourse are prepared to admit that they've been had - again. All those folks who actually believed he was admonishing the left for their shameful behavior following the shootings in Tucson got sucked in by the silver-tongued campaigner. Do you get it now, Rich Lowry, and all the others who couldn't wait to give credit where credit is due? It was an act, it was part of a carefully planned political strategy, and it's all but forgotten now, which is why President Obama didn't hesitate to throw gasoline on the fire that's burning in Wisconsin by claiming the state is "launching an assault on the unions."

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Paul Harmon
   02/17/11 19:57

Jay, you've nailed it. Obama is too small to be President of all the people.

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 Zmac
   02/17/11 20:01

Real Question is where are the Tea Party activists/demonstrations to counter this craziness? Did they all go home because they won in fall 2010? Political Success doesn't work that way. My guess is that TP folks mixing with these Wisconsin goons would cause some serious sparks!!

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