John Boehner went on Fox Noise and offered an embarrasingly-hollow condemnation of recent the recent threats and acts of violence, providing a back-door rationale for this heinous behavior. Knowing full well that members of the GOP House Caucus have fanned the reactionary flames resulting in threats and un-civil acts, many, including Eric Cantor and Mean Jean Schmidt, have come forward to report that they, also, have been the victims of similar attacks. Note: Cantor's claim has been debunked; Schmidt's is unsubstantiated.
Other Republicans have offered similar, half-hearted renouncements of teabagger threats and violence but not one has mentioned that the full force of the law will be brought to bear on those who perpetrate these incidents. Not one has called for federal investigations of the groups and individuals responsible. But several have made a lame and disingenuous attempt to hang the blame for this behavior around the necks of their Democratic colleagues.
What may not be immediately obvious is the self-realization that the GOP House leadership, their lieutenants, and some of the more vocal members maybe regretting the creation of a monster that they can neither control nor put back in its cage; a monster that may take on a life of its own; and one that may come back to bite its creators in more ways than one. For example, the lack, thusfar, of a strong and purposeful condemnation of all acts of aggression and hateful rhetoric toward political opponents may be indicative of a fear that the monster may turn on the GOoPers themselves in response to the condemnation. Bear in mind, some of the more disaffected among the teabaggers hate the GOP almost as much as they hate Democrats because from their oblique, far-Right perspective, both look the same.
The GOP now owns the monster, and like the parents of a wayward teenager, may bear some liability for its misdeeds. Eric Cantor was quick to assail Democrats for what he perceived as politicization of the recent threats and acts of violence. Damn right we will politicize it right up to the mid-term elections and beyond. If the GOoPers are going to play with fire they are going to get burned in the process. We will not be intimidated.