Violent Rhetoric Bites Democrats

For John, BLUF:  The "Bolsheviks" want to rule the world and don't care who they step on.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

---

California Democrats To Far-Left Single Payer Advocates:  Stop Bullying And Threatening Us!

From The Hill, by Reporter John Sexton, posted at 1701 on Sunday, 2 July 2017.

The lede:

In California, the far left is going after moderate Democrats with a vengeance.  Using tactics usually reserved for Republicans, the nurses’ union, which is the most vocal proponent of California’s single payer bill, is calling for protests against Democratic members of the Assembly.  The situation has become so ugly, with reports of death threats, that the entire Democratic Assembly caucus signed a letter asking single payer proponents to stop acting like violent bullies.

Well, if they get away with against Republicans, why not against Democrats?

Professor Jacques Berlinerblau, of Georgetown University, had an OpEd in Friday's edition of The Washington Post, "When your next college free speech controversy erupts, don't blame liberals".  His thesis is that there is a third force out there, making life miserable for Republicans and mainstream Democrats alike.

Here is the Professor's ideas in two paragraphs:

There's a lot to be gained by contemplating the tripartite distinction identified above.  College administrations and scholarly societies need to ask themselves why these ideological imbalances are so pronounced.  They might also wonder why it's so hard to identify a fourth camp, comprised of professors whose politics are inscrutable or unpredictable.  (I would hope that my teaching and research places me in that camp.)  The radical left might ponder why the academy is the sole American institution where its ideas hold any sway.  Conservatives have every right to complain about ideological imbalance.  But they need to stop blaming liberals for their misfortune, politically expedient as such a charge might be.

As for liberals, whose core values on issues like freedom of speech are everywhere under assault, they need to define what they actually stand for.  And if it causes tension with their "allies" on the radical left, so be it.

On the other hand, Ed Driscoll, writing for the Instapundit said:

I BLAME THE VIOLENT RHETORIC OF ELIZABETH SANDERS AND BERNIE SANDERS

I am sure he meant Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff