Posted on 11/30/2009 12:15:22 PM PST by steve-b
The most surprising and disappointing aspect of our politics is how little pushback there has been against the vile, extremist rhetoric that has characterized such a large part of the anti-Obama movement.
President Obama's White House has largely ignored those accusing him of "fascism" and "communism," presumably believing that restraint in defense of dignity is no vice.
Republican politicians, worried about future primary fights, have been reluctant to pick a fight with a radical right that seems to be the most energized section of their party. Their "moderation" has consisted of a non-benign neglect of the extremists and of accusing the president merely of "socialism." And so it is that the first genuinely ringing call for moderation has come from a man who is effectively without a party and whose own demeanor and career define temperance.
Jim Leach spent 30 years as a Republican member of Congress who went his own way. If this meant standing almost alone against his caucus, he was content to do so....
...Leach offered his critique of extremism in a speech at the National Press Club titled "Bridging Cultures" a few days before Thanksgiving. It deserves far more attention than it has received.
"Little is more important for the world's leading democracy in this change-intensive century," Leach argued, "than establishing an ethos of thoughtfulness and decency of expression in the public square."..
Leach's speech is the kickoff for a 50-state "civility tour," and my hunch is that this very civil man may have to put up with a lot of incivility along the way. It's strange that a call to consider respecting each other more might become a controversial endeavor. This is precisely why Leach's witness to moderation requires an immoderate dose of courage.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
L O L
Steve, I’m sure you get a thrill up your leg when you post E.J. Dionne’s cyber-vomit.
Is this from the Onion?
What “radical right”? To EJ, anyone to the right of Olympia Snowe is a radical.
Where where these as*holes when the vile and disgusting name calling was aimed at GWB? Apparently it’s only important to have civility directed towards the president when a lib occupies the WH.
Methinks there's a reason for that.
Vile and hate filled? Forgot Bush ever existed.... huh.
What I find amazing is how they trot out this same crap everytime a Democrat manages to lie to enough people to get into office.
Leftards seem to always forget that.
I wasn’t aware that The Onion took over publication of the Washington Post.
LLS
President Obama's White House has largely ignored those accusing him of "fascism" and "communism," presumably believing that restraint in defense of dignity is no vice.
The leftist press is again talking about themselves, whilst they attempt to blame others. If they had journalists they would be addressing the actual substance of the concerns of the working Americans who made this country great.
Instead, these propagandists draw and connect their own dots to point the way they wish. It is no surprise that their readership is in a free fall; people want substance, not the same old, weathered line, especially if it is untrue.
The problem being addressed here is one of lack of public propriety, not one of political policy.
This from EJ Dionne, who couldn’t find adjectives vituperative enough to describe George Bush.
Hey, Eddie, your hypocrisy is showing. Again.
Yep, this is what we were complaining about for 8 years.
“This is precisely why Leach’s witness to moderation requires an immoderate dose of courage.”
Interesting they send out a “Leach” to get metaphorically “Lynched.” (;-)
NO this is the real deal of the leftist bent mind of E.J. Dionne Jr. plucking out the soft spoken moderate banking rep Leach from Iowa. Now it has not been much more than a week when the master Commutator Huckabee was singing pretty much same song. There appears to be a pattern developing of can't we just get along.
You and the rest of the radical left always admire limp-wristed, spineless sell-outs like Jim Leach, E.J. They are always ready to betray the US, the American people and the republican party for a nice flattering puff piece in the WaPo.
Where was that civility during the Bush years? Hmmmmm?
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