WHY TRY TO DESTROY AMERICA WHEN GOP POLS WILL DO IT FOR YOU?

Like Spencer Ackerman, I'm uncomfortable with this:

The Department of Homeland Security is warning law enforcement officials about a rise in "rightwing extremist activity," saying the economic recession, the election of America's first black president and the return of a few disgruntled war veterans could swell the ranks of white-power militias....

Is there a rise in this kind of activity? Sure. Should the government preemptively suggest that it's all potentially criminal? Imagine the shoe on the other foot, then answer. Or, as Spencer says,

It's important for law enforcement to keep tabs on, as the department says, "the next Timothy McVeigh." But after years of insinuation on the right that Muslims in the U.S. represent a fifth column, it's similarly unacceptable to skirt the boundary of criminalizing right-wing politics, even if the invective can tend to the scabrous.

Exactly. Beyond that, the existence of this report is an incredible recruiting tool for precisely the movements it discusses. Now they're considered terrorists! What could be more motivating to people who want to feel dangerous! I don't know if a leftover Bushie in DHS leaked this, but that would be my first guess. I'm betting it's going to get people out to the tea parties. It's certainly going to be talked about at those demos, and in the right-wing media for weeks and months to come.

A Homeland Security spokeswoman says in the article,

These types of reports are published all the time. There have actually been some done on the other end of the spectrum, left-wing

Well, I hope someone leaks one of those, because that's the only thing that might dispel the notion that the fascist jackbooted Obama administration intends to crush its political enemies. (Not surprisingly, the article tells us that the White House "has distanced itself from the analysis.")

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And why would right-wingers want to bother trying to do harm to the United States? Why wouldn't they just wait for Republican politicians -- like, say, Texas governor Rick Perry -- to use their power to do that, along with the right-wing media?

Here's the latest Drudge "flash":

WAKE UP CALL: TEXAS GOV. BACK RESOLUTION AFFIRMING SOVEREIGNTY

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry joined state Rep. Brandon Creighton and sponsors of House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 50 in support of states' rights under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

"I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state," Gov. Perry said. "That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states' rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union." ...

I'm not sure why Drudge is posting this now -- the Perry statement was made last Thursday. No, wait -- of course I know why: Drudge (who routinely works hand in glove with the GOP and the Murdoch media machine) sees this as a recruiting tool for the tea parties tomorrow.

Here's more of what Perry said last Thursday:

Where are you going to stand? With an ever-growing Washington bureaucracy? Or are you going to stand with the people of this stte who understand the importance of states' rights?

Yup -- "states' rights." Hear him say that in the clip below, from the Austin American-Statesman.

Note that the reporter in the clip sees this as a cynical attempt by Perry to attack his likely opponent in next year's governor's race, Kay Bailey Hutchison, whom he can describe as part of that "Washington bureaucracy." But also note the rally attendee at the end of the clip who doesn't think this is a political game at all:

At this particular time, it is not our intent for secession. If -- if -- socialism agendas continue, then they leave us no choice. We, sir, are Texans.

This is the tiger politicians like Rick Perry are riding. Can they control it? Or at a certain point, will they even want to try?



A co-sponsor of Texas Resolution 50, Representative Leo Berman, was interviewed by conspiracy fan Alex Jones back in February -- the clip is below. Here's why he said the resolution is necessary:

BERMAN: ... the reason we're doing this, we're taking action, is because of the -- we understand that there's going to be a federal handgun registration? We don't want him to know where all of our guns are here in Texas! And also there's another bill, a federal hate crimes bill. If you open up your Old Testament to the Bible and read in the Book of Exodus that homosexuality is an abomination, you could be charged with a crime under that bill, and that's exactly what's happening in Canada right now. So we're just saying, if it's not in the Constitution, don't tell us about it, don't ask us to do it, 'cause we're not going to do it.

JONES: Why are resolutions needed like this? But not just resolutions -- the states acting on these resolutions. I mean, y'know -- the unfunded mandates, federal gun restriction laws, NORTHCOM announcing that they're going to be over the states and over state governors, I mean, we haven't seen this since the Civil War.

BERMAN: Well, you're absolutely right. You just answered the question yourself, Alex. They're running all over us! And they can't do that. We're gonna reassert our rights under the Ninth and Tenth Amendments and let Mr. Obama know we don't want socialism in Texas. We don't want socialism anywhere in the United States.

By the way, I hope John McCain is proud of himself for giving "socialism"-baiting this kind of legitimacy last fall.

Here's the clip:



You know what? I no longer think that Rush Limbaugh is the leader of the Republican Party. I think Alex Jones is the leader of the Republican Party.

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The text of Resolution 50 is here.