"There's a strain of madness in today's GOP, and it remains terribly unsettling."

[babylonsister]

Posted with permission.

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/08/19354809-missouri-governor-rejects-second-amendment-preservation-act?lite

Missouri governor rejects 'Second Amendment Preservation Act'
By Steve Benen
-
Mon Jul 8, 2013 12:35 PM EDT


Right-wing state lawmakers in a wide variety of legislatures have pursued radical "nullification" measures this year, but arguably none of them was as outrageous as Missouri's "Second Amendment Preservation Act."

The proposal begins by mandating that state law enforcement not enforce federal gun laws, but then takes the additional step of making it illegal for federal officials to enter Missouri to enforce federal gun laws. By any sane measure, the proposal was blatantly, breathtakingly unconstitutional, and was predicated on a radical legal theory resolved by the U.S. Civil War.

Many of us have grown accustomed to a certain degree of nuttiness in Republican policymaking in the 21st century, but even by today's GOP standards, this was just insane: "The bill seeks to nullify any and all past and future federal laws that might infringe upon Missouri's interpretation of the Second Amendment, which is very different from the Supreme Court's and which can be summarized thusly: Anything goes."

And yet, it passed the GOP-led state legislature anyway. Missouri's Democratic governor may be a moderate representing a "red" state, but he couldn't possibly go along with this.

Gov. Jay Nixon on Friday vetoed a bill that would have called on the state to prosecute federal officials who try to enforce federal gun laws in Missouri and prohibit publication of the names of people owning guns. Noting that federal laws supersede state laws, the governor, a Democrat, said the bill was unconstitutional because it would nullify some federal gun laws and infringe on free speech rights by punishing anyone who published names of gun owners in Missouri.

GOP extremists didn't take the news well. My colleague Kent Jones flagged this item out of Missouri, in which a deeply confused Republican state senator named Brian Nieves accused the governor of "b___— slapping" the Constitution.

There's a strain of madness in today's GOP, and it remains terribly unsettling.

[ananda]

1. That strain has infected a lot of Texans too.

It's quite disturbing.

[Scuba]

7. We've got it here in Wisconsin too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10846011

[Pretzel_Warrior]

2. it is scary how angry and violent the GOP and cons get when they aren't in power

pretty darn scary. I really think it is critical the Democrats and we, ourselves, work to get another Dem elected in 2016 so there is a chance to moderate the current U.S. Supreme court as well.

That is the only way to make sure some of these state laws that are so far off the beam never get the USSC stamp of approval as constitutional.

[Orsino]

3. Maddow is confusing cynical pandering with actual madness.

While the two can seem indistinguishable, a journalist who isn't digging more deeply s one who doesn't really want answers.

I don't need Maddow to tell me Republican policy is bad; I need her to show us how and why it looks this way.

[Romulus Quirinus]

4. Who wants to believe in the banality of evil? nt

[Coyotl]

5. ALEC Strategy = harm opposition's ability to persue anything positive, place on permanent defensive

It is not a strain of madness, it is an effective strategy of CONTROL of legislation, dialogue, resources, litigation, lobbying, and the ability to move social welfare forward. It is a neutering strategy.

On edit and further reflection, their political warfare mentality engenders tactics which reframe debates on their pet issues while also 'taking all the oxygen out of the room' to deprive the opposite view of being able to carry on with its own agenda. The seemingly crazy intends to create a reaction on the oppositiion which stifles their agenda AND their energy in its entirety so they cannot even attend to their wish lists, just defend against the onslaught of the craziness of outlandish shifts to the ultra-right.

[freshwest]

6. ^^^This is it^^^

[love_katz]

8. Kicking.

especially for post # 5 by coyotl.

Exactly.

[Cha]

9. thanks for Steve Benen pointing out the gop madness, again,

babylonsistah. He has been relentless on that issue over the years.