Following the tragic shooting which nearly cost “Gabby” Giffords her life last January, liberal politicians joined forces with the mainstream media by insisting that the tragedy in Tucson was precipitated, at least in part, by angry rhetoric spewed by right-wingers like Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and Sean Hannity.
Calls for civility in public discourse dominated the liberal agenda for weeks.
However, extreme, violent language coming from the likes of Senator Charles Schumer and other top Democrats suggests that liberals either did not receive the civility message, or are deliberately ignoring it.
As reported, in part:
Top congressional Democrats on Wednesday ramped up the rhetoric in the standoff over Federal Aviation Administration funding, referring to Republicans as “hostage takers” no fewer than a dozen times and casting blame on them for a crisis that’s left nearly 75,000 people out of work.In addition to Wednesday’s emotion outbursts, Vice President Biden make news when he accused Tea Party members of Congress of “acting like terrorists” by forcing Democrats to cut spending equal to the amount of the rise in the debt ceiling.
After raising the debt ceiling and averting a government default Tuesday, Congress left town for its August recess without passing temporary financing for the Federal Aviation Administration, which has experienced a partial shutdown since July 23
About 4,000 agency employees have been furloughed, while 70,000 construction jobs have been frozen. Some airport safety inspectors are being asked to pay for their own travel expenses until the impasse is resolved.
“This is a made-up crisis. This is government by hostage taking,” Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), a senior member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said at a news conference.
“Unfortunately, Republicans continue to practice the politics of confrontation and hostage taking,” added House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).
In a heated exchange with reporters, New York Sen. Sen. Chuck Schumer, who heads policy and messaging for Senate Democrats, continued the hostage metaphor.
“The issue is not essential air service, it’s not even a labor issue. It’s the issue of hostage taking,” he said. “It’s as if someone puts a gun to your head and says, ‘Give me your money,’ and then you say, ‘Why won’t you give them your money?’”
Because both chambers are in a “pro forma” session, either can pass an FAA bill by unanimous consent. And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) called on House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to pass a “clean” extension out of his chamber, something they said could be done within minutes.
“I again say, Speaker Boehner, stop this nonsense,” Reid said.
Democrats, however, have blocked a short-term FAA bill already passed by the House because it includes a GOP provision cutting subsidies for rural airports. And a long-term House bill has been tied up over a labor dispute.
“The only reason 80,000 jobs are at stake is that Senate Democratic Leaders chose to play politics rather than keep their word and pass the House bill,” Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said. “That’s indefensible, and they should end this crisis immediately.”
More reckless, inflammatory language by liberals who, without logic and common sense on their side, resort to angry innuendo and distortion.
The burning question for the Left: Whither the civility?
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60602.html#ixzz1Tzg5Cqrz
