Civility in the Democrat Caucus, Vol. 4

September 1, 2011

Democrats Resort to Offensive and Hateful Name-Calling As They Struggle to Defend Their Failed Policies

Back in January, Democrats made much of President Obama’s call for “a more civil and honest public discourse.”
Yet in recent days, Democrats have been anything but civil in their public comments, using offensive and hateful attacks on everyday Americans to defend their big-spending agenda that led to America’s unprecedented credit downgrade.
Democrats are resorting to incendiary language as they struggle to defend their refusal to cut spending despite the record $4 trillion they’ve added to the national debt. We’d direct them to some advice from their own inflammatory DNC chair: “It’s easy to throw bombs and to be incendiary, not so easy to sit down and actually govern.”

BACKGROUND

Back in January, Democrats made much of President Obama’s call for “a more civil and honest public discourse”:

OBAMA IN TUCSON SPEECH: “… ONLY A MORE CIVIL AND HONEST PUBLIC DISCOURSE CAN HELP US FACE UP TO THE CHALLENGES OF OUR NATION …”(President Barack Obama, “Full Speech: Obama Urges Civility at Tucson Memorial,” PBS’s News Hour, 1/12/2011)

Yet in recent days, Democrats have been anything but civil in their public comments, using offensive and hateful attacks on everyday Americans to defend their big-spending agenda that led to America’s unprecedented credit downgrade:

REP. ANDRE CARSON (D-IN): TEA PARTY WOULD “LOVE” TO SEE BLACK AMERICANS “HANGING ON A TREE,” WANTS TO RETURN AMERICA TO “JIM CROW”: “Democratic Rep. Andre Carson told a Miami crowd last week that the Tea Party movement would ‘love’ to see black Americans’ ‘hanging on a tree.’ The comment is the latest charged remark made by a member of the Congressional Black Caucus as lawmakers tour the country talking about jobs. Carson, D-Ind., lamented at the event that the Tea Party was stopping ‘change,’ in an effort he said was reminiscent of the ‘Jim Crow’ era.” (Judson Berger, “Rep. Andre Carson: Tea Party Wants to See Black Americans ‘Hanging on a Tree,’ Fox News, 8/31/2011)

CARSON OFFICE “NOT PUSHING BACK” ON REMARKS: “Jason Tomcsi, Carson’s spokesman, is not pushing back on the comments, saying in an email to POLITICO that his boss ‘did make the comment during the Congressional Black Caucus’s Job Tour visit to Miami. The Congressman’s comment was prompted in response to frustration voiced by many in Miami and in his home district in Indianapolis regarding Congress’ inability to bolster the economy.'” (Jake Sherman, Politico’s “Huddle”, 8/31/2011)

REP. MAXINE WATERS (D-CA): “THE TEA PARTY CAN GO STRAIGHT TO HELL.”(“Maxine Waters to Tea Party: ‘Go Straight to Hell’,” National Journal, 8/22/2011)

REP. FEDERICA WILSON (D-FL): “LET’S ALL REMEMBER WHO THE REAL ENEMY IS. THE REAL ENEMY IS THE TEA PARTY.” (Anthony Man, “Congresswoman Federica Wilson Takes on Tea Party,” The Sun Sentinel, 8/24/2011)

Democrats are resorting to incendiary language as they struggle to defend their refusal to cut spending despite the record $4 trillion they’ve added to the national debt. We’d direct them to some advice from their own inflammatory DNC chair: “It’s easy to throw bombs and to be incendiary, not so easy to sit down and actually govern”:

PELOSI TO LIBERAL BLOGGERS: DEMOCRATS WILL “REFUSE TO AGREE TO FURTHER SPENDING CUTS” EVEN IF IT MEANS A SHUTDOWN. “At a meeting this morning with online writers, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi tried to persuade progressives that the Democratic caucus won’t get rolled in future hostage standoffs. … The clear implication, however, is that she does in fact expect Democrats to refuse to agree to further spending cuts even if refusal results in a shutdown.” (Matthew Yglesias, “Pelosi Vows Dems Won’t Get Rolled Again,” ThinkProgress, 8/4/2011)

“NATIONAL DEBT HAS NOW INCREASED $4 TRILLION ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S WATCH.” “The latest posting by the Treasury Department shows the national debt has now increased $4 trillion on President Obama’s watch. The debt was $10.626 trillion on the day Mr. Obama took office. The latest calculation from Treasury shows the debt has now hit $14.639 trillion.” (Mark Knoller, “National Debt Has Increased $4 Trillion Under Obama,” CBS News, 8/22/2011)

OBAMA DEBT BURDEN “THE MOST RAPID INCREASE IN THE DEBT UNDER ANY U.S. PRESIDENT.” (Mark Knoller, “National Debt Has Increased $4 Trillion Under Obama,” CBS News, 8/22/2011)

DNC CHAIR DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: “It’s easy to throw bombs and to be incendiary, not so easy to sit down and actually govern.” (Remarks from Debbie Wasserman Schultz, CBS’ “Face The Nation”, 5/29/2011)