Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.
General George S. Patton
Attempted Assassination of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ),
Federal Judge John Roll and 5 Others Murdered, 18 Wounded in Tuscon, AZ Area
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| Congresswoman Cabrielle Giffords and her Husband, Astronaut Mark Kelly Our Thoughts and Prayers for the Congresswoman's Full, Quick Recovery Photo Courtesy of Reuters |
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| GHW Bush-Nominated Federal Judge John Roll Murdered by Gunman Near the Giffords Event Our Thoughts and Prayers for the Judge's Family Members Photo Coutesy of the Associated Press |
Third-term Congresswoman Giffords barely won reelection in a plurality, a little over 1 point over Republican Jesse Kelly two months ago. She was both a Blue Dog Democrat and a Clintonian-style New Democrat. Before one waxes enthusiasm, it should be noted that American Conservative Union rated her lifetime voting record as 14.67%, well below former Congressman Mike Castle's 52.5%. (Christine McDonnell unexpectedly sniped Mike Castle's run for Joe Biden's old Senate seat; the Tea Party Express had targeted Castle as being a so-called RINO (Republican in Name Only.) She represents a purple district, previously held by a long-time moderate Republican Congressman, Jim Kolbe.
Jarod Lee Loughner, a 22-year-old, allegedly shot the congresswoman at her head at point-blank range and then emptied his semiautomatic weapon into the gathered crowd for a meet-and-greet near or at a Tuscon Safeway supermarket. At last mention, the congresswoman is in critical but stable condition at an area hospital; however, 6 were killed, including Federal Judge Roll and a 9-year-old little girl.
Almost immediately leftist bloggers and Giffords' father were trying to link Sarah Palin and other Tea Party supporters to the attempted assassination. But then word started leaking out that his social networking page listed, among his favorite books, Hitler's "Mein Kampf" and Marx & Engels' "The Communist Manifesto" (try finding those on any Tea Party member or conservative's bookshelf...). A one-time acquaintance, Caitie Parker said, "I went to high school & college, & was in a band w/ the gunman...really good friend...He was a political radical & met Giffords once before in '07, asked her a question & he told me she was stupid & unintelligent...he was a pot head... As I knew him he was left wing, quite liberal. & oddly obsessed with the 2012 prophecy...I haven't seen him since '07. Then, he was left wing." Other news reports, based on uploaded videos to social and video sharing portals, showed an obsession with a new American currency (backed by gold and silver), illiteracy and anti-government rants (including allegations of brainwashing of the people by the government).
Some people may be confused how someone could be a liberal and at the same time have pro-gun and anti-government views. Actually, libertarians tend to cut across the usual traditional political divide. For example, many libertarians (like Ron Paul) are against the Patriot Act, for the Second Amendment, against drug laws, and against the Fed. I don't adopt the orthodox libertarian view on these issues, but it's easy to see how the anti-authoritarian, more idealist tendencies in younger people might align themselves with liberals. However, these idiosyncratic mind-control rants from Loughner, in my view, are beyond my area of expertise, and I believe Loughner will be examined by mental wellness professionals.
I can already anticipate that Loughner's defense attorneys will attempt to plead that his mental status should exempt him from responsibility for his alleged criminal acts, but final posts mentioning things like a "countdown" and "please don't be mad at me" seem to indicate clear, knowing premeditation and a realization that what he was planning would be considered by most people as wrong.
Quick Notes
- Giuliani Running for the GOP Presidential Nod? Thumbs UP! I was disappointed "America's Mayor" Rudy Giuliani didn't attempt to challenge Kirsten Gillibrand for Hillary Clinton's junior Senate slot. In the 2008 campaign Giuliani had gambled his chances on winning Florida and then building on that momentum to Super Tuesday with a number of winner-take-all states. The problem is that McCain, who had won critical primaries in New Hampshire and South Carolina, had picked up momentum and Giuliani was competing with McCain for the moderate/independent vote. The New York Post has an intriguing story that Giuliani is seriously considered a second try. With a number of all-but-announced candidates (Romney, Huckabee, Pawlenty, Santorum, and, of course, Palin) out competing for the Tea Party/media conservative vote, Giuliani no doubt believes that his mix of administrative, budget-cutting experience in managing America's largest city and his unimpeachable leadership during the 9/11 crisis will appeal to fiscal and military conservatives, plus his proven appeal to blue state voters will attract voters whom have one ambition: defeat Obama at any cost, and they realize only a candidate with strong appeal to moderates and independents has a chance of the President and his billion-dollar reelection war chest.
- Illinois Looking To Nearly Double State Income Tax? Thumbs DOWN! Nothing like waiting until after last November's squeaker victory for Blago successor Governor Pat Quinn (D-IL) and his legislative cronies to propose a 75% increase in the Illinois state income tax rate to 5.25%. (Quinn, ever hear of Gray Davis?) Even outgoing Mayor Richard Daley notes,"We have to do more with less. Then, all of a sudden, after we have our election, they want to increase these taxes." This proposal is being spent in a way analogous to last November's failed Washington state class warfare income tax; the tax-and-spend Democrats can't wait to spend tax money on their education and health care programs.
"The first order of business for the 112th Congress: blaming everything on the 111th Congress." – Jay Leno
[Now, Jay, be fair. They also blame President Obama.]
"How about the new Speaker of the House, John Boehner. Have you seen this guy's enormous gavel. I'm telling you, if in four hours, that gavel is still that size, he's got to call a doctor." –David Letterman
[Well, Dave, Speaker Boehner does come from a purple state...]
Musical Interlude: One-Hit Wonders/Instrumentals
Marvin Hamlisch, "The Entertainer"
