Experience forces me to disagree. Libertarians – in the modern, American context and in the traditional, decentralized socialist context libertarianism once enjoyed – believe in no to minimal centralized government (no libertarian I’ve ever met failed to believe in, say, “self-government”).

Conservatives, on the other hand, insofar as I can tell have never abandoned the Teddy Roosevelt “progressive” impulse to centrally plan both the American and world economy through a large regulatory apparatus and the military might which requires large government to back it up. They would, however, prefer that the language used to justify this behemoth state appropriate the language of the libertarian. It’s all so fantastically Orwellian.

I think that the reasons for this are twofold: to marginalize genuine small-government folk and to give progressive venues all the ammunition they need to attack genuine limited government folk by assigning them the blame for the excesses of the large-government conservatives.

Janet Napolitano is doing her job and she doesn’t strike me as the type of person that needs an apology. I have to admit that she has exceeded my expectations. Homeland Security is now the largest governmental agency from what I have read. It was created under the Bush Administration. Conservatives tend to believe in small government, so, it was surprising that this mammoth department was created under Bush. Her internal report seems to have hit the mark, but time will tell.

Three does show the makings of a trend, but it may not be that simple. You bring up two factors which may be key. The first one: “1) The right wing feels disempowered — when you think your grievances can never be redressed within the political process, you’re more likely to turn to violence.” Well, being a Democrat, I sat through eight years of feeling that way, but never felt violent…I just knew the pendulum had swung too far to the right and it would correct itself. Most, not all, of the problems we face today were the making of the right. They should keep that in mind as they lash out on the airways etc. Their way was not working for this country. It is way too early to tell if President Obama will deliver on the great promise he showed before taking office.

Your second factor: “2) Violence like this can spread in a way similar to an epidemic.” If school shootings didn’t prove that, I don’t know what else to say. I believe the media was partially to blame because of their non-stop coverage of these events. Yes, we need to be informed. Do we need to be bombarded with these events in such minute detail?

I know at first glance it doesn’t seem related, but it is just to point out the power of the media. Look at all the coverage David Letterman’s remarks have garnered. Does it not seem disproportionate since he is a comedian? I’ve never seen such an attack on a comedian doing his job. It is only because it involved Sarah Palin. If it was Tyra Banks, we would have never heard a word about it. The media is sometimes irresponsible in their coverage of events as they happen.

I prefer to watch the local news and then ABC’s World News with Charles Gibson. Except on rare occasions, even the biggest story only gets about three minutes of coverage, which for me, is quite enough. I cannot sit mindlessly watching…say…CNN’s coverage of a single event.

I don’t mean to minimize recent events by equating it with the hoopla over David Letterman and Sarah Palin, I just think people may need to take on the responsibility of enough is enough themselves. The media will and has kept stories alive far too long without considering the kind of fallout that comes from such coverage. It is, unfortunately, our appetite that feeds this kind of coverage.

Sandy

Yep, absolutely, this guy was definitely the kind of nut that Ms. Napolitano was warning us about.

But of course Limbaugh, Drudge, and party-line cronies like Sean Hannity will never apologize for their words. They exist for the sole purpose of fanning the flames of discontent. Listen to Hannity’s radio show some afternoon (if you can stomach it). I’m convinced at least 1/3 of his callers are cleaning their guns and watching ‘First Blood’ when they call in.

The gunman from Pittsburgh is named Richard Poplawski, and he is an alleged white supremacist. He posted regularly on the Storm Front site. He also believed Obama was coming for his weapons cache… so he definitely fits the extremist profile.

Here’s an early profile of Poplawski that ran right after he shot and killed the three Pittsburgh police officers back in April: http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/emerging-portrait-richard-poplawski-

“Obama Breeds Climate of Hate Against Jews

By Rabbi Dr. Morton H. Pomerantz

Our new president did not tell a virulent anti-Semite to travel to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington to kill Jews, but he is most certainly creating a climate of hate against us.

It is no coincidence that we are witnessing this level of hatred toward Jews as President Barack Obama positions America against the Jewish state.

Just days ago Obama traveled to Cairo, Egypt. It was his second trip in a short time to visit Muslim countries. He sent a clear message by not visiting Israel.

But this was code.

In Cairo, Obama said things that pose a grave danger to Jews in Israel, in America and everywhere….”

This is the type of double speak that would Orwell proud!