Running-dog Democrats?

How about "runny cunt Democrats"? Talking Points Memo (which is helpfully labeled as "Democratic Milquetoast" in the links at right) decided to weigh in, and give its readers a chance to comment on, congressional Democrats' proposed resolution to condemn Rush Limbaugh for saying that any member of the military who disagrees with the President is a "phony soldier."

Talking Points Memo, gathering place for blather and ambiguous declarations of interest, seems to feel that such a resolution is a terrible idea for two reasons. First, it would "look like a tit-for-tat reso" retaliating for the MoveOn.org condemnation. Well, duh, you fools. That's what it is. Second, TPM feels that it isn't Congress' job to regulate the speech of "private citizens."

Since when is Limbaugh a private citizen and not an employee and spokesperson for a major media outlet? He's using the public airwaves to broadcast his opinions and the federal government, as the licensing agent for the public, has every right and responsibility to monitor and regulate what is said by entertainers like Limbaugh. Unlike the Hustler Magazine-Jerry Falwell incident, Limbaugh was not trying to be satirical. He wasn't making a hypothetical conjecture. He slandered an entire class of Americans because they don't share the political beliefs of his paymasters, and he used a very powerful medium to do so without giving his targets any recourse or opportunity to defend themselves. In sum, Limbaugh used a privileged position granted him by the FCC to commit a crime. Since when is that not Congress' business?

MoveOn.org, on the other hand, took out a newspaper ad--which is, by all apparent and known laws, protected speech--and questioned the decisions of a US general. MoveOn is, to be clear, a stupid and ineffective organization, but what it did is not a crime and does not in any apparent way fall under the jurisdiction of the government.

But, Talking Points Memo (and apparently, many of its readers, the so-called Democratic intelligentsia) feels that the two things are synonymous and fears that any attempt to squash Limbaugh will look petty and rude. In other words, it is as I have said many times: some Democrats would rather lose political agency in this country than appear uncouth. "It's only the high road for us, thank you! See if you can win elections without your dignity, Republicans! (and especially you, Karl Rove, with your soiled conscience. We think not!) Advantage...us!"

When the other side has the better game, you play by its rules if you want to win. You can't keep trying to switch the game to something more civil. But some Democrats are insistent that when Republicans come after you with baseball bats, the proper course of action is to quietly, meekly ask them if they'd really rather share a laugh over a nice game of cards. The answer, received just before the lights go out, is no and hell no and you'd really think by now, wouldn't you, that we'd have figured this out.