Tax day, right-wing extremism and more: The Swamp
The Swamp
Chicago Tribune
Posted April 15, 2009 9:00 AM


The Swamp

by Mark Silva

In the conspiratorial view of power in Washington, the release of that Homeland Security report warning of a rise of "right-wing extremism'' fueled by today's political and economic environment comes curiously close to today's "TEA" Party tax protests.

Radio's Rush Limbaugh calls the Homeland Security assessment of the dangers lurking out there: "an effort to criminalize political dissent.... We are not extremists,'' Limbaugh declares. "They are extremists.''

But in the political view of Washington's power brokers looking out, those tax protests today - promoted as "Taxed Enough Already'' (TEA) parties -- may well be the work of political extremists such as former Rep. Dick Armey of Texas.

"On the day you pay your taxes, Wednesday, April 15, join others across the country and in your hometown who will be participating in TAX Day TEA party rallies in front of their city halls,'' the organizers say, maintaining that theirs is a grass-roots movement.

But it isn't only taxes they are talking about.

Do you "want government controlled health care?'' the organizers ask. Do you "want to take away the right to vote with a secret ballot in union elections? Refuse to stop the flow of millions of illegal immigrants into our country? Appoint a defender of child pornography to the Number 2 position in the Justice Department? Want to force doctors and other medical workers to perform abortions against their will? ''

Sounds like there's something happening here.

What it is isn't exactly clear.

Homeland Security suggests that the slumping economy, many war veterans returning home and finding it difficult to reengage in society and the election of an African American president are fueling a mixture that is ripe for recruitment by right-wing extremist groups - a danger reminiscent of the Oklahoma City bombing, minus the African American president, carried out on the April 19 anniversary of the conflagration at David Koresh's Branch Davidian compound outside of Waco, Texas, following a 28-day siege that started with the killing of four federal agents serving a warrant.

The Homeland Security assessment that we told you about here yesterday actually was issued on April 9 -- and it spread in news accounts only breaking yesterday, on the eve of Tax Day -- 10 days out from April 19.

Limbaugh, for one, sees the timing as suspect:

"This is being made and widely disseminated now on the day prior to the tea parties as well.... So you have a report from Janet Napolitano and Barack Obama, Department of Homeland Security portraying standard, ordinary, everyday conservatives as posing a bigger threat to this country than Al-Qaeda terrorists or genuine enemies of this country like Kim Jong Il. They wouldn't write anything about Jim Jong Il like this. They wouldn't write anything about Osama Bin Laden like this.''

The only problem is, it isn't "everyday conservatives'' whom Homeland Security is warning the nation about. It is militant right-wing extremists.

Tax day? Forget it. The relevant date is April 19.

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Comments

These "tea parties" are less a wave of populist anger at Obama than they are a bizarre and potentially dangerous push for conservative insurrection by none other than Fox News.

Didn't they call Bush bashing "treason" only a few months ago? What about this incendiary political stunt?

http://www.political-buzz.com/


Right-wing extremists! What a joke! Liberals are the most hateful people in this country! Just last night a pack of liberals rioted and chased a conservative off the University of North Carolina. Maybe Homeland Security should get their names and follow them around?


Just great Americans protesting the continued misuse of out tax dollars and out of control spending. Silva don't make us out as only right wing loons there are many fiscal conservatives that are objecting including "blue dog" Dems. You continue to slobber over all things Obama. The Swamp is so hyping the Obama agenda lately that it is becoming a WH propaganda outlet. Enough of the fluff, do some serious articles with objective facts.


How about the extremists on the campuses?

A speaker was unable to talk at the University of North Carolina.

These are tactics of extreme groups.

"Get in their faces" Obama said in Colorado.

Well, the violent tendencies of those tactics are creating problems in this country.

When a president advocates violence, what can one expect?

Hurray for Tax Protests.

Obama will not be re-elected in 2012.

Make sure your ability to vote is not compromised in 2012.

There will be protesters at voting precincts harrassing voters.

People should be able to speak and assemble.

What about that group in NY that protested and clogged the streets.

Guess only those who don't work, don't pay taxes; want those who do work and do pay taxes to continue funding their way of life.

The people of this country eyes have been opened.


Limboff is starting to sound like those John Birch Society fulminators in the 50's.

If you are too young to remember them, just count yourself lucky.


How is it that those of us that want a more limited government, a government that exhibits occasional fiscal responsibility, a government that should be more in alignment with the United States Constitution that has served us so well for almost 222 years, get characterized as Extremists by this regime???


The Constitution is not that complex of a document. Liberals just make it seem that way. This past week, Ruth Bader Ginsburg has gone off on how great and wonderful Foreign Law is and how Americans may in some way be subject to some kind of interpretation of those laws, hers and Souter’s, of course. That is Extremism.


We already have an extremely progressive system of taxation in this country. The top 10% pay 50% +/-, whatever the number is, of the total taxes in this country. In California, the top 10% pay something closer to 90%. Those that pay nothing are No Equity Stakeholders. They will never be sensitive to the tax burden that is shouldered by others and that never demands any sacrifice or contribution from them.


There is nothing in the Constitution about medical health care and abortion. I have no desire to see Chrysler or GM fail, but there is nothing in the Constitution about bailouts for industries, maybe mismanaged over a number of years possibly, but also dragged under by high union wages. This is Extremism.


It was Janet Reno and Bill Clinton that turned the tanks loose on the Branch Davidians in Mount Carmel. The Right Wingnuts had nothing to do with this. The Oklahoma City bombing and Timothy McVeigh? My issue would have been why did it take some long to give him his reward? It is not Right Wingers marching in the streets, holding candles, and singing Kum-Ba-Ya. Execute the mass murderer and be done with it.


The Fairness Doctrine ~ is it possible to misname an anti-American, anti-free speech, most pathetic, Extreme piece of legislature more erroneously than this? Why can’t Liberals manage to get their own radio talk show? Surely George Sorros would be willing to purchase one or several. You already own practically all of the major newspapers in America, MSNBC and most of the other TV networks. You couldn’t lose an election in Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, etc. if you tried.


I know that Rush, Hannity, Beck, and Levine have been tough on Obama. I find some of their criticisms trivial, but you know, this still is America. Why does the unrighteous Reverend Jeremiah Wright and Louis Farrahan not get the correct labels attached to them every time that they rise out of the sewer. The unrighteous Reverend Jeremiah Wright does an extreme amount of harm with his made-up versions of history. Wright and Farrahan personify total abject ignorance. Hard too imagine that most Americans would consider either of them anywhere near a mainstream.


If Rush, Hannity, Beck, and Levine were totally off base, their audience and their sponsors would shrink, and we would be listening to NPR. The Left wants total absolute control, and there is a name for this. The Constitution, and amendments, are not that complicated. Liberals just make it out to be that way. Take a few hours to read the damn thing.


Cut the IRS a nice big check. Pay your fair share until they can come and get the rest, unless you are part of that expanding democrat special interest group that never owes anything. They take Mastercard, Visa, annnnnnnnnnd Amerikan Xpress. Enjoy your day in Amerika.


THERE WILL BE A CIVIL WAR!


I am humbled by the selfless sacrifice that working class Republicans are making at these teabagging events on behalf of the overprivileged in our society. While most of the protesters will be receiving modest tax cuts, they're still taking it to the streets for their rich brethren who stand to have their tax rates restored to what they were before Bush gave them all generous tax cuts. I hope that Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and the thousands of other rich folks appreciate what these hard-working Republican protestors are doing for them.



Excuse me. How could the writing
of Thomas Paine be twisted into
the persona of a contemporary
conservative exposition? That would
be like using biblical references to
promote war. Oh. Never mind.


Silva, how exactly is Dick Armey an" extremist?" Armey is a traditional conservative, NOT an extremist.
The Obama Monarchy calls U.S. veterans potential "terrorists." How insulting. And clueless idiots like Silva just slobber up the Obama crap like dogs drinking a bowl of water on hot summer day. This Monarchy calls those who oppose the federal government as "terrorists." Does that include a governor who believes too much federal instrusion is a bad thing?
No wonder this administration loves thugs like Castro, Chavez and whatever thugocracy it is cozying up to. It's because they are one and the same. And the U.S. media, lead by slobbering lap dogs like Silva, are there to help Obama turn the U.S. into a Socialist/Monarchy.


Hey Quippy;
I surmise you support a tax code that is over 100,000 pages in length. You must also support the proposition that over 50 per cent of our citizens pay nothing. The issue is not really about who pays. The issue is about the 537 elected federal officials who are foolishly spending the money without regard for the future generations who will be stuck with the bill. Quippy, stop thinking about Britney and Paris, they and the 50 per cent of the folks who pay nothing in taxes are simply social sponges. Real taxpayers like me create jobs and ensure a future. They just don’t want their effort and money squandered away.


Not very eloquent, Django.
But most of us are listenting to NPR. Enjoy playing with your teabags.


What did the bloated Limpbaugh say about anyone who said a bad word about George Bush??


Hey Quippy....it's their money! Why do you feel that you have the right to reach into anybody's pocket and take out a larger portion then the next guy??? It might not be the Paris Hilton's of this country...it might just be your hard working neighbor. If it is...are you go pound on their front door and demand them to give more money to the government???


A similar report on left wing terrorist activity was released by the DSH on January 26, 2008 (see http://www.foxnews.com/projects/pdf/Leftwing_Extremist_Threat.pdf for a copy of the report)indicating that the latest report is part of a series of updates that date back to the Bush years.

I suppose you could say that since it was released while Obama was President that he is targeting the left too.


The right wing nuts are nothing but a bunch of crackpot malcontents; losers in life.

The nuts at Fox Fake News just throw gasoline on the fire of these pathetic worms.


Right-wing extremists! What a joke!
Posted by: Joe

The GOP's own DHS reports right wing extremism is no joke a year ago when their report was censored by the powers that were, The nearly 60 people who have died thanks to right wing extremists goose stepping their "start the revolution" talking points in right wing media rants since January don't think you and your ilk are joking either when your AK's and shotgun's bullets fly.

Do tell us all Joe, please point us out to the archived headlines wherein your Planet Zoid's liberals have perpetrated killings based on a political mantra proffered by talking heads in the media, membership in Bigots R Us and the pulpit pounder pews as we the people, and the world who is watching . . witnessed right wing ilk's prolific blood lust these many years.

Curious minds like to know.



John D is making even less sense than normal. Someone tell his doctor it's time to rebalance his meds.


That's a tea bag speech? I thought it was a commercial for a car dealership for a while there.


Donut,

Watching you lose what's left of your marbles is just so satisfying.

Glad you're enjoying your extreme minority status.



Flo, Hola. Que hace'. Nine paragraphs and a total miss, you say. Sorry about the length, but this Extremism business is very much off the mark when I look at all the things that the Left has said and done over the last 20 years.


Sometimes I watch Doug And Carrie or Raymond And Debera to go to sleep. Maybe I will give NPR a try. They, Obama and Associates, already collected 22K from me for the past year, and I still have to keep working. No Teabag party today. Regards.


Django, try Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice.


Flo, maybe I will give that some consideration. I just like how D&C and R&D so perfectly capture marital tension with the essential deprecating husband humor thrown in. The pretty Latinas all know that I am Pretty-Latina weak, so we just kind of stay away from that subject. D&C and R&D just helps to underscore the soundness of the M issue, at least for the right-now. Anything else would be unadulterated Extremism.


Did Mr. Glen Beck forget we all got a tax cut from Obama? I guess he didn't check his paycheck! Ooops, he did and he doesn't qualify because he makes over 200K! LOL


Flo, you missed the whole point of the tea parties due to the amount of Obama kool aide you have consumed. The 2010 Congress will be decidedly conservative. The Obama/socialists agenda is grinding to a halt real fast as Americans are tried of this free lunch for those who continue on the entitlement gravy train. Our voices will be heard!


Bubba Porter... nice hearing from you, but I don't see that I said much at all about the tea parties, other than to ask what you were protesting. The "leaders" seemed anxious to make it all sound bipartisan and not anti-Obama (I guess you missed that part), but we know better. With Beck, Newt, and Armey leading the way, how can I take it seriously--or in any way bipartisan. Unless you smoke, Obama hasn't raised your taxes, so what's it all about? That "socialist" word really doesn't scare people like in the red scare days.


The Left wants total absolute control, and there is a name for this.

Posted by: Django - N Exile somewhere in/around the 30th Parallel | April 15, 2009 11:18 AM

What a joke you are? Look who's calling the kettle black MORON! You guys on the right are the ones who want total control of everyones equal rights, and their own religious views/values. You've had your time and you messed it up! Highest deficit in history. Biggest government in history. Funny how you MORONs didnt protest with TEA parties when all of this was happening. Funny how when we protested we were called traitors and when you protest you say its your right. You are a bunch of hypocrites and the MAJORITY of Americans have finally opened their eyes to your tactics and nonsense!


Perhaps if you Wingnuts spent more time at home "TeaBagging" you'd be much happier!


Scottie,

Speaking from experience?


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