With all the talk on this forum about civility in public discourse, I couldn't help but think of the recent "non-news" story of Democrat Assemblyman Gordon Hintz pointing a finger at Republican Assemblywoman Michelle Litjens and yelling "You're F******g Dead!!", after a recent Wisconsin budget vote.

You might have heard of this story if you happened to be tuned in to Fox News at the right time or are an avid news junkie, like me, who combs internet news outlets to find out what's happening outside the bubble we live in; but almost nowhere else.

I wonder if it would have been a HUGE story, especially considering the not too distant tragic event in Tucson, if it had been a male Republican lawmaker who pointed at a female Democrat lawmaker and screamed "You're f******g dead!!"

How is this not news?

Oh well; this Democrat lawmaker apologized later for his "outburst", as he deemed it, and he also apologized for visiting a massage parlor which was the target of a prostitution sting, and also not a "news story", and I'm sure if either story got any traction, the major media would be quick to point out his remorse in both cases and their hope for this good man to be forgiven.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sh...ng-dead-assemb

AP'a 153 word report on this. The longest news story of this event on the web.

http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=14163044

If this happened, and there is NO reason to believe it did not happen, just as reported by Richie - that Assemblyman should have been immediately censured AND removed from his elected post. Some formal charge should also have been imposed legally on him, too, and he should have been hauled away in handcuffs by security.

Makes no difference to me what political party a person like that belongs to. A death threat should be punished immediately.

As for the probable prostitution visit, that should also make headlines. Too many of our elected officials seem to have a hard time keeping their zippers closed. Once again, makes no difference what the political party is to me.

a difference what party the perp/violator/politician is!!!!!!!

btk

I believe nothing I see or hear from Fox entertainment or I did not know they had palm trees in Wisconsin.

Originally Posted by waynet

I believe nothing I see or hear from Fox entertainment or I did not know they had palm trees in Wisconsin.

The story is from Associated Press.

His statement could have been prosecuted as a crime.. assault and harassment.

If that would have been a republican, it would be headline news for at least two weeks if not longer.

Democrate? well, the media just sweeps that under the magic carpet.

If you're at a tea party rally you better not even blink wrong. Left wing rallies? No limits, no reporting.

Nooo, there's no bias in the main stream media.

It happened. I'm in Wisconsin and this whole mess is really sickening!

Not sure if anything will be done to the teachers who walked out on their students to protest in Madison and then had doctors write excuses while at the rally calling it "Walker stress".

Pickets and union thugs still patrol the capitol grounds even after two weeks! Don't these people have to work for a living!

And..the 14 democrat senators are still "hiding" in Illinois! Unbelievable.

Governor Walker presented his two year budget yesterday which reduces a $3.6 million dollar deficit to several hundred thousand dollars with almost zero property tax increase. Obviously Democrats are crying crocodile tears while Republicans are saying it's about time.

I don't know where or when this will end. Can a state senator stay away from their job indefinitely without any repurcussions? Apparently yes if you are a Democrat with union support!

Originally Posted by dennis11003

It happened. I'm in Wisconsin and this whole mess is really sickening!

Not sure if anything will be done to the teachers who walked out on their students to protest in Madison and then had doctors write excuses while at the rally calling it "Walker stress".

Pickets and union thugs still patrol the capitol grounds even after two weeks! Don't these people have to work for a living!

And..the 14 democrat senators are still "hiding" in Illinois! Unbelievable.

Governor Walker presented his two year budget yesterday which reduces a $3.6 million dollar deficit to several hundred thousand dollars with almost zero property tax increase. Obviously Democrats are crying crocodile tears while Republicans are saying it's about time.

I don't know where or when this will end. Can a state senator stay away from their job indefinitely without any repurcussions? Apparently yes if you are a Democrat with union support!

In the private sector, you don't get to show up for work when you want to. Do that and you're fired...not your subordinates. I'm not the brightest, but I don't understand why employees stand to lose their jobs if they don't return instead of them. Kinda bassakerds to me!

Originally Posted by billethkid

a difference what party the perp/violator/politician is!!!!!!!

btk

First this should be dealt with pure and simple. No one should be that hostile.

But you are correct with your statement. While this incident is being reported here no one mention the incident at a Republican Town Hall meeting in GA. Someone actually asked the Congressman "Who was going to shoot Obama?" They all had a good laugh including the Congressman who then later had to issue a statement...but his actions were caught on tape.

Originally Posted by cologal

First this should be dealt with pure and simple. No one should be that hostile.

But you are correct with your statement. While this incident is being reported here no one mention the incident at a Republican Town Hall meeting in GA. Someone actually asked the Congressman "Who was going to shoot Obama?" They all had a good laugh including the Congressman who then later had to issue a statement...but his actions were caught on tape.

I agree that the guy in the audience who asked the Congressman the stupid question about Obama is an idiot. I'm sure the authorities are doing due diligence in investigating him.

The embarrassed Congressman, who the question was addressed to, did not address the question like he probably should and gave some lame response regarding elections.

This, however, has no relevance to a sitting Assemblyman issued a death threat against a colleague because he's angry about that colleague's vote.

Personally, I'm not all that excited about this reported incident. There are looney tunes folks on both ends of the political spectrum whose activities get way more media coverage than is justified.

Do those from the conservative end of the spectrum get more coverage and criticism than those from the left? Sure. There isn't much question that the mainstream media leans to the left. But does that mean that we should all get our shorts in a knot over what one of the looney tunes politicians from either political persuasion does? Or over the fact that the media, who leans one way, tilts their reporting to make the folks leaning the other way look bad? Not as far as I'm concerned.

Sorry, I can be disappointed that people in elected office can act so irresponsibly...even reprehensibly. But am I getting all exorcised over the reported events? Not even for a moment.

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

Persoanally, I'm not all that excited about this reported incident. There are looney tunes folks on both ends of the political spectrum whose activities get way more media coverage than is justified.

Do those from the conservative end of the spectrum get more coverage and criticism than those from the left? Sure. There isn't much question that the mainstream media leans to the left. But does that mean that we should all get our shorts in a knot over what one of the looney tunes politicians from either political persuasion does? Or over the fact that the media, who leans one way, tilts their reporting to make the folks leaning the other way look bad? Not as far as I'm concerned.

Sorry, I can be disappointed that people in elected office can act so irresponsibly...even reprehensibly. But am I getting all exorcised over the reported events? Not even for a moment.

I agree VK, but there would be a national media uproar demanding the resignation of a Republican Assemblyman by the New York Times, The L.A. Times and similar venues in similar circumstances.

I would even support that, and I think the same should happen in this instance.

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

Persoanally, I'm not all that excited about this reported incident. There are looney tunes folks on both ends of the political spectrum whose activities get way more media coverage than is justified.

Do those from the conservative end of the spectrum get more coverage and criticism than those from the left? Sure. There isn't much question that the mainstream media leans to the left. But does that mean that we should all get our shorts in a knot over what one of the looney tunes politicians from either political persuasion does? Or over the fact that the media, who leans one way, tilts their reporting to make the folks leaning the other way look bad? Not as far as I'm concerned.

Sorry, I can be disappointed that people in elected office can act so irresponsibly...even reprehensibly. But am I getting all exorcised over the reported events? Not even for a moment.

I agree with you 100% which in itself is an upset !

I think that the larger worry is how the press influences elections. I will not dwell on 2008 as you expect but these individual stories are not what worry me. The media can just decide who they want elected and go from there...will it work all the time..probably not, but what we have seen in the last few years will tell you that they will avoid stories and chase stories based on political leaning making you wonder whatever happened to true journalists !