Political Courseness

It is interesting to note that for two years, while Democrats controlled both Houses of Congress - no one talked of civility.   Some people would say there is a very good reason for that - Democrats are civil, versus the Republicans who are not.  That incivility became an issue about a year ago, when the campaigns for 2010 began.

They bring a knife, we bring a gun - sounds civil to me.

Get over it, we won - again, civil.

We will work with them whenever they want to work with us to help the American people, otherwise we will do what is best for the American people without their involvement - very bipartisan, as long as the Republicans went along with everything.

They should take him and tie him up and shoot him - again, sounds civilized to me.  Must have been a Republican who said that. 

They are obstructionists ... we have to vote on it to find out whats in it - again, reasonable and rational, availing no reason for disagreement or frustration whatsoever.

I won't mention the things they said about Bush, despite how civil the tone and words were.

It really is amazing that the media and the Democrats would suddenly be concerned with tone and civility - as if the Giffords shooting had anything to do with tone and civility (hint:  it did not).  It had everything to do with insane people and poorly developed laws pertaining to firearms.

If we were to return to the 18th century and take a look at the very first election in this country between two men of competing ideologies - Adams and Jefferson, we find horrible, slanderous, and in several cases libelous statements made about each man by the operatives for the other.  Hamilton and Burr did not end up in a duel because they disagreed about the color of the Blue Room ... accusations, character assassination and questioning the or slandering reputation - under constant attack by someone.  Unpatriotic, treasonous, fat, balding, criminal behavior, questionable business practices ... again, common in the 18th and 19th century. 

It is not that we have entered into a time of uncouth and uncivilized behavior - when Bush was elected, the Republicans who had just taken both houses of congress, walked across the aisle and told the Democrats they could keep chairmanship of the committees until January 20.  The Republicans worked with the Democrats - they bent over backwards to include them, and the Democrats response - Republicans are evil, horrible, and they question our patriotism.  When the Democrats took control of Congress - they immediately took control of the committees, not allowing the remaining month and a half to produce any legislation with Republicans in control.  Civil behavior or politcs?

When is it just politics and when does it cross the line - I suppose if you are a Republican it crosses the line when you get the boot up your backside.  For the Democrat everything is crossing the line, unless they do it - in which case it is simple politics.

But what if