Threatening To Blow Sky High

The big story this morning is this Sari Horwitz/Ben Pershing piece in the WaPo detailing the tripling of threats against members of Congress in 2010.

The lawmakers reported 42 threats in the first three months of this year, compared with 15 in last three months of 2009, said Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance W. Gainer, who had information about threats involving both chambers.

"The incidents ranged from very vulgar to serious threats, including death threats," Gainer said. "The ability to carry them out is another question and part of an investigation to determine what, if any, appropriate steps to take."

Nearly all of the recent threats appear to come from opponents of the health-care overhaul, said Gainer, who also served four years as chief of the U.S. Capitol Police. And, he said, there have been "significantly more" threats against House members than against senators.

The threats, which have led to at least three arrests, have not abated since President Obama signed the measure into law March 23. The Capitol Police have contacted the FBI about such threats even more often since the law was signed, said Lindsay Godwin, an FBI spokeswoman. 

No, not all the threats are based on health care reform, and not 100% of the threats were aimed at Democrats.  But a great many of the threats involve both.  This is starting to get out of hand, and the winger response is nothing more than "Well, if Democrats hadn't passed this bill, they wouldn't have gotten these people so angry."  In other words, not only are the threats justified in the eyes of some Republicans like Newt Gingrich, but the Democrats are to blame for them.

There's something wrong with that, frankly.  Nothing justifies it.  Saying the Democrats are "responsible" for these threats only encourages more threats.  And Gingrich supposedly wants to be President again?

Good luck with that.  He should be praying daily that nobody actually gets hurt over this.  But frankly, I fear that day will be coming soon given the sheer number of threats against the government these days and the lascivious manner in which some on the right are egging these lunatics on.