CA Assembly Speaker, “Free Speech Is Terrorism”
Beware the politicians who consider dissent terrorism. They’re either idiotic beyond belief, or tyrants waiting for an opportunity. Bass might just be both.
–Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.
–Harry S. Truman
Apparently, CA Assembly Speaker, Karen Bass believes that the voice of dissent is an act of terrorism. In an in terview with the Los Angles Times on Saturday, Ms. Bass expressed her opinions about conservative talk radio critics.
Q: How do you think conservative talk radio has affected the Legislature’s work?
A: The Republicans were essentially threatened and terrorized against voting for revenue. Now [some] are facing recalls. They operate under a terrorist threat: “You vote for revenue and your career is over.” I don’t know why we allow that kind of terrorism to exist. I guess it’s about free speech, but it’s extremely unfair.
Quite a profound statement and telling statement, which gives insight to either her lack of understanding, or her total disregard for The First Amendment. But, the next question and answer also shed light on Ms. Bass and her politics.
Q: Do you get especially exasperated when your own people — Democrats — don’t agree with you?
A: You know, I was a community activist, so I’m used to standing out in front of an elected official’s office and protesting.
A community activist, the first cousin of the community organizer. Hmm, where have we seen this scenario? So, as a community activist, dissent whether by protest or speech, was just fine with Ms. Bass. Just make sure you’re on her side of the debate. it certainly seems that Ms. Bass is emulating the political tactics of the Obama Administration. SignOnSanDiego.com has a list of reasons why Ms. Bass’ attitude is “mind-boggling”,
This is mind-boggling for many reasons. The short list:
1. It is anti-democratic to liken criticism of elected officials and organized, peaceful attempts to hold them accountable for their decisions to “terrorism.” Bass would prefer a state full of sheep who just dutifully accept tax hikes and union payoffs. Earth to Karen: This is a democracy. If you want an obedient public, move to Pyongyang.
2. The “terrorism” remark makes the utterly idiotic presumption that conservative talk-radio hosts are the only reason there is anti-tax sentiment in California. Earth to Karen Bass: Voters of all parties don’t like tax hikes. Measure 1A failed in San Francisco, for God’s sake. Talk about being in a bubble. Karen Bass and George W. Bush: peas in a pod.
3. The “terrorism” remark is pathetic on a personal level. Karen Bass’ biggest critics are two talk-radio conservatives in her hometown, John & Ken of KFI-640 in Los Angeles. Instead of just trotting out the usual cliches used to knock such hosts — they just want to create controversy to boost their ratings, etc. — she calls them “terrorists.” This is obnoxious. It’s a lot closer to hate speech than what John & Ken are doing to Republican turncoats like Anthony Adams.
4. Finally, it could not be more obvious that Bass (and her interviewer, too) think she has firm grasp on the moral high ground.
This from an elected official who went along with blatantly dishonest ballot language on Prop. 1A hiding its $16 billion in new taxes.
This from an elected official who lets union leaders write legislation so it prevents fraud from being investigated in huge programs staffed by private union members.
This from an elected official whose party blocked attempts to let hundreds of thousands of needy families use the Internet to sign their kids up for free state health care because it might have led to the loss of jobs for clerks in county welfare offices.
This from an elected official whose party has blocked almost every last single education reform over the past decade except the one — classroom-size reduction — that vastly increased the size of the California Teachers Association. (And hasn’t worked.)
This from an elected official whose party blocked attempts to stop sleazy lawyers from using nuisance lawsuits alleging violations of trivial state rules to extort small businesses, especially those run by minorities with poor English skills.
I could go on and on and on in this vein. I could also offer at least 80 harsh adjectives to describe Bass’ repellent remarks. But I will settle for this conclusion:
Karen Bass should be ashamed. Likening people who loudly object to the Sacramento status quo to terrorists is as obnoxious and contemptible as it gets.
June 30, 2009
Tags: Barack Obama, Chicago Politics, Community Organizer, Democrats, Karen Bass, Liberal Media Bias, Liberals, Marxists, Race Baiting, Radical Left, Socialism, Union Thugs Posted in: Media Bias, Politics
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