Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.
Webster's defines Treason as:
the betrayal of a trust : treachery
This is not exactly the legal definition but I believe it is what most people would see as treason either to themselves from loyal friends or to their country.
For eight years we heard Republicans invoke the word whenever anyone dared criticize Bush's war (Iraq). But we hear little of it today and it is in today's political climate that it might actually apply. I believe a case could be made (possibly legally) that Republicans in the Senate have committed acts of treason as extreme as that may sound. Not because they disagree with President Obama and have used every obstructionist tactic the Senate rules allow to stop any initiative Obama supports. My grounds for a charge of treason lie more in examining where their loyalties truly lie and the tactics they use to serve their loyalties.
It seems to me if their loyalty was truly to America and not simply a subset of America that shares their ideology, they would at least engage their opponents in a debate about the merits of the bills they are being asked to vote on. But they don't. What little passes for debate is typically Democrats having to defend their position against lies. Is it not treasonous to subvert our democracy by willfully making false statements to incite people to rise against democratically elected politicians?
If it is not then I fear that our long experiment in self government is coming or has already come to an end. Democracy can only exist if the truth has space to breath. This is why the founding fathers established a free press. This is also not simply a question of what I think is the truth. No one has a lock on the truth. We all seek it every second of every day and occasionally we are lucky enough to find it. Seeking the truth of a thing is a journey not a destination.
But how can reasonable people seek the truth when they are bombarded day in and day out with lies. How can a democracy flourish when its participants are misinformed? It can't. So if you actively engage in misinforming (lying) voters for the sole purpose of defeating your political opponents, are you not subverting the very democratic process you have taken an oath to uphold? Should you not be brought up on charges of treason since your actions threaten the very foundation of our constitution, self government.
Just a thought.