Bullshit. Now you're just making shit up...

Thank God MORE were not armed and those that were were smart enough not to use their weapons - I'd hate to think how many more innocent people would've died with another bunch of gunmen shooting around a dark, smoke filled movie theatre...

You honestly believe that utter drivel, don't you??

That's scary....

Michale.....

Actually a few people were armed.

Thank God MORE were not armed and those that were were smart enough not to use their weapons - I'd hate to think how many more innocent people would've died with another bunch of gunmen shooting around a dark, smoke filled movie theatre...

You want to increase the severity of penalties for harassing, intimidating or violence against political donors, then I am all for disclosure...

If you don't, then THIS will be the norm..

Strassel: Obama's Enemies List—Part II
First an Obama campaign website called out Romney donor Frank Vandersloot. Next the IRS moved to audit him—and so did the Labor Department.
http://online.wsj.com/article/potomac_watch.html

Michale.....

voting is the direct exercise of power in a democracy, and secrecy is currently the norm. every election since 1892 has been held by secret ballot, though before that it frequently wasn't. politicians enter office to serve everyone, without the expectation of knowing everyone who voted for or against them.

free speech is a substantially different enterprise. as far as i know, the norm for those who wish to freely express their opinions is to talk to people's faces rather than whisper behind their backs.

~joshua

Sure didn't take long for Righty politicians (not media, mind you, but an actual officeholder) to blame it all on a lack of Christianity in America, eh?

Don't get me started on religion... You know we're both of the same mind on that...

As for the Batman thing, the argument was actually from the Right -- that because the villain is "Bane" it somehow means an attack on Romney because of "Bain"... get it? Sigh. I've heard that in the movie they actually denegrade a psuedo-OccupyWS group, but whatever..

While that's true, it was reported BEFORE that, that Dems intended to use the BATMAN movie as a metaphor for the coming election..

Remember?? Obama/Biden as the Dynamic Duo...

Wanna lay bets as to whether or not the Dems will still use it??

It's a shame. If ONLY someone in that theater had a CCW and was carrying, the whole tragedy probably would have been avoided...

Guess it's a good endorsement for carry laws...

Michale.....

Yea....

Let's make donor lists public..

What could POSSIBLY go wrong...

I bet the shoe would be on the other foot if Bush had created an "Enemies List" and went after DEM donors, right???

The hypocrisy is nauseating....

Michale......

That's not a crazy assumption to make when you consider that just a few weeks ago, HBO had to recut its "Game of Thrones" episode, because a bust of George Bush's head was featured on a spike. The Hollywood Left is hardly beyond making their clever little politcal statements on film. The natural assumption would be that this "Bane" character was a political dig. That it turned out not to be the case was the exception, not the norm.

Sure didn't take long for Righty politicians (not media, mind you, but an actual officeholder) to blame it all on a lack of Christianity in America, eh?

Don't worry, I'll be ripping into both in today's column.

As for the Batman thing, the argument was actually from the Right -- that because the villain is "Bane" it somehow means an attack on Romney because of "Bain"... get it? Sigh. I've heard that in the movie they actually denegrade a psuedo-OccupyWS group, but whatever....

-CW

Yea, tell that to the abortion doctor who got killed..

Tell that to the family that gets terrified by protestors...

Why not force everyone to disclose their votes??

After all, if they don't want their votes made public, then they have no business voting..

It's the next logical step to the argument you are making..

Elevate the harassment and intimidation to a Federal Hate Crime. Make it easy for the victims of this Hate Crime to sue and get BIG settlements..

Then I'll support such disclosure laws...

Not before...

Hope I don't get SWAT'ed... :D Actually it's kewl.. Our local County SO team has standing orders to bring me beer if they ever respond to our house... :D

Michale.....

i'll ask the folks lined up outside the local abortion clinic, i'm sure they'll be happy to tell me all about it.

Yeah, it can't possibly be that the extreme violence, glorified in movies, TV shows and video games, is spawning a generation of headcases, dressing up in warrior costumes and committing mass murders, just like they see in those neato-keeno movies, TV shows and video games. Nah, it must be the Tea Party.

Someone remind me once again how the MSM is not in the bag for Democrats??? The evidence to the contrary is SO overwhelming, it's hard to remember that it's just all one big coincidence...

Michale.....

Conservative bloggers targets of 'SWAT-ing'
politico.com/news/stories/0612/77292.html

i.huffpost.com/gen/166472/thumbs/r-BANK-large570.jpg

Activists protest income inequality outside executives' homes
articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/11/business/la-fi-occupy-pasadena-20120411
"Now we're going to name you and shame you."
-Peggy Mears, Scumbag Protester and Terrorist

I have tons more links..

I await the anticipated "Well, those people aren't REALLY from the Left" response.. :D

Michale.....

I guess Democrats won't be using the BATMAN comparison any more, eh???

Actually, it wouldn't surprise me if they did continue to use it..

People do desperate things when their political life is coming to an end..

Michale.....

Sure, Michale. And Batman is really a liberal conspiracy.

Just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they are out to get you..

Would you like to see all the reports of Leftist intimidation thru threats and violence??

I can post at least 50 reports of the facts..

Just say the word... :D

Michale.....

Sure, Michale. And Batman is really a liberal conspiracy.

We're going to need a REALLY good bet for 6 Nov, right?? :D

Heheh ... we'll have to start brainstorming.

Yeah, but look at the jail space and court time you're talking about. Think of cops doing a big bust of OWS on some CEO's front lawn. The damage is already done, because that, in itself, is enough to dissuade some other person from contributing, just out of fear of having an OWS/cop fiasco go down on their own lawn — and having to show up at court, to testify, etc.

And look at the overload of court cases, as it stands. If a prosecutor — who has to use prosecutorial discretion, because he's on a budget — is gonna opt not to prosecute something, it's gonna be that.

Plus, there are so many DISCREET ways to intimidate. Getting your car keyed by some Code Pink headcase, who looked you up on the internet, is enough to dissuade people from making donations. I mean, who even wants to put up with crap like that?

I agree with the foundation of your hate-crime suggestion. I just don't think it's enforceable, practically speaking. Intimidation is a great thing in that you only have to do it to ONE big donor in order to spook any number of other future donors. You don't have to literally carry out lawn-protest after lawn-protest after lawn-protest to achieve the desired goal. You just have to make everybody out there think that they could be the next one to have their lawn invaded, or their car keyed, or their tires flattened, or their cat go missing.

With little record to run on, an economy mired in slow growth, and unemployment stuck above eight percent, the Obama team must face the possibility that it is unloading some of its only rhetorical ammunition without result. And after burning through $100 million of his money on campaign ads, Obama has failed to establish a lead over his rival.
http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2012/07/19/obamas-remorseless-attacks-effect/

Obama scroooed the pooch... BIG TIME...

Prepare to greet President Romney.. :D

Michale.....

I just LOVE it when Democrats get put on the spot.. :D

I can answer the question, though..

The reason Democrats didn't do it when they had a virtual lock on all facets of relevant government is because they were too busy shoving ObamaCare down the throats of the American people, who made it PLAINLY clear they didn't want that garbaged bill'ed as "reform"...

Why couldn't Reid just tell the truth and say that???

Michale.....

Not when they are used to harass and intimidate innocent people.

Do I *REALLY* need to pull up all the links about the protests and vandalism that occurred at the residents of Bank Presidents, Republican Donors, etc etc..

Ever hear of SWATing???

All of that done by Leftists against Conservatives and Republicans...

Hahahahahahah ... Nice. Are you sure you're ready for round 2?

Always..

We're going to need a REALLY good bet for 6 Nov, right?? :D

Maybe we can involve all Weigantians.. :D

Michale.....

http://news.yahoo.com/judge-man-stripped-nude-airport-not-guilty-224222940.html

Really? This sounds pretty dubious to me as I've never seen any examples of real harassment or intimidation. Everything I've seen so far has been trumped up foolishness like the New Black Panthers.

If anything criminal actually ever happened, people would be arrested and prosecuted as criminals.

But public demonstrations are not illegal.

Freedom of assembly and freedom of speech are a part of our Constitution, no? It sounds like what you want to do is to make these things illegal.

I have a new shirt for you to wear!!

Hahahahahahah ... Nice. Are you sure you're ready for round 2?

:)

-David

I have a new shirt for you to wear!!

:D

https://www.mittromney.com/sites/default/files/romney_2012_entrepreneurtee_red_donationpage_360x288.jpg?1342615542

:D

Michale.....

That's a good point.. However, I think that once people started seeing jail time and having a criminal record for Hate Crimes, then the possibility of protests will go WAY down...

I would support more transparency if, along with it, Political Intimidation would be elevated to Hate Crime status, be considered a Class B Felony and severe punishments meted out for those who commit the crime.

Further, this new Hate Crime legislation would make it easy for victims to sue in federal court for Civil Rights Violations and obtain huge monetary settlements.

Under those conditions, I would support transparency in donors...

But I have a feeling the Left would balk at this..

They want to be free to be as intimidating and threatening as they can w/o fear of prosecution..

Real brave, those folks are, eh?? :^/ They don't mind terrorizing families from behind masks...

Well, I say let's unmask the cowardly bastards...

Michale....

It's more than that. Even the mere thought that Code Pink or OWS might show up on your front laws is enough to potentially dissuade someone from contributing. And no American should feel intimidated about contributing, to get their voice heard in their own election process. The very reason our votes are kept private is to remove intimidation from the election process. For the same reason, I think donors names need to be kept private.

If you want transparent donor lists, then you MUST support harsher penalties for those who make threats and attempt to intimidate donors...

It's the ONLY fair way to go, if you expect donors to announce their donations..

Michale...

Huh?

I'm almost hesitant to ask what you're talking about. But I'm gonna do it.

What are you talking about?

-David

AND victims of said Hate Crime be allowed to sue in civil court for large punitive damages...

Michale....

This is good legislation which I'm glad to see being pushed. If conservatives were pushing it, I'd say the same thing.

I would agree, if the crime of threats and intimidation for political purposes be elevated to the status of a Hate Crime and be prosecuted AND punished to the full extent of the law..

Agreed??

Michale....

Agreed and well said.

Transparency would be a step in the right direction though.

If you can see when people are buying elections, it's less likely that those people will do it.

This is good legislation which I'm glad to see being pushed. If conservatives were pushing it, I'd say the same thing.

-David

That's exactly what I said a week or so ago.. :D

Matching funds. Each candidate gets x dollars and that's ALL they get..

I agree completely.. Take the money out of politics..

But, like you said. Neither Party would support that....

McCain & Obama said they would take public funds in 2008. Once Obama found out how much money he could raise, he reneged on his promise. So, McCain followed suit...

We'll never get the government we need until we take the money out of politics AND governing...

Michale.....

What they should really do is take money (and thus negative ads) out of politics completely and have a system like the French where each candidate gets:
i. The same amount of money
ii. The same amount of airtime
iii. The same amount of talk-time in debates

The French enforce (iii) so strongly that they have a clock during debates which they use to ensure each candidate gets the same amount of time to the very second!

No parties would dare support a system like this because it takes away the advantages they have in the current system. Instead they want a system that keeps their advantages and removes the others.

Common ground.. A wonderful thing! :D

"Detente... It's a wonderful thing."
-Maureen Robinson, LOST IN SPACE

Although I believe campaign finance reform is still needed for sure.

No argument from me...

But, like the discussion about ObamaCare, no one can agree on REAL reform. Both the Left and the Right just want to further their own specific agendas, at the expense of REAL reform...

Michale

Although I believe campaign finance reform is still needed for sure.

http://sjfm.us/temp/funny2.jpg

:D

Michale.....

I agree with CB in that such disclosure will open up individuals to threats, intimidation and retaliation, such as we have seen in the last few months from the Left.

I also agree with LD in that this election-year "votes to nowhere" are a waste of time and money..

As an aside, LD deserves an honorable mention for taking Democrats to task over something beyond just not being hard enough on the Right...

While it's not taking the Right's side over the Left's, it's close and deserves a half a kewpie. :D

Michale.......

I agree with CB *AND* LD.....

Maybe I got up early this morning. :D

Michale.....

The legislation is needed, but if it has no chance of passage we've more pressing problems we might actually be able to do something about to address.