There is currently a petition on MoveOn.org which calls for those who orchestrated last fall's shutdown to be arrested and tried for sedition and treason. This is wrong. Just wrong.
Look, I'm just as outraged as what the teabaggers are trying to do to this country as anyone. But in the absence of something I haven't heard or seen, having Ted Cruz, Michele Bachmann, Mark Meadows and company arrested for treason would amount to criminalizing politics and punishing speech that, as appalling as we found them, is still protected under the First Amendment. They deserve to be called out for planning to defund Obamacare even though they knew it could cause a shutdown. But treason trials? That's a bridge too far. In fact, there is no difference whatsoever between these sentiments and the Repubs who accused us of treason for not supporting Bush 43 in the aftermath of 9-11 and the run-up to the Iraq war.
As we all know, there are some wingnuts--most prominently Larry Klayman and Erik Rush--who are calling for a coup against the president. Unless there is evidence that Cruz, Bachmann, Meadows and friends were actively conspiring with these elements, then calls for treason trials are unjustified.