Sedition.
The dictionary definition doesn’t really explain it in its entirety, but to open the dance, here it is:

“The difference between sedition and treason consists primarily in the subjective ultimate object of the violation to the public peace. Sedition does not consist of levying war against a government or of adhering to its enemies, giving enemies aid, and giving enemies comfort. Nor does it consist, in most representative democracies, of peaceful protest against a government, nor of attempting to change the government by democratic means (such as direct democracy or constitutional convention).

“Sedition is the stirring up of rebellion against the government in power. Treason is the violation of allegiance to one's sovereign or state, giving aid to enemies, or levying war against one's state. Sedition is encouraging one's fellow citizens to rebel against their state, whereas treason is actually betraying one's country by aiding and abetting another state. Sedition laws somewhat equate to terrorism and public order laws.”

The stirring up of rebellion against the government in power, primarily by means of force of arms, or of interference with the rights of citizens to participate in and benefit from the normal legislative processes of a duly elected government. It would seem to me that preventing people from speaking at meetings with their elected officials, showing up at rallies at which the President is scheduled to speak bearing arms, and threatening violence would qualify. On the other hand, all that and worse was done during the Sixties by organizations such as the Weathermen, Panthers, Yippies, and others on the Left. What then is the difference between the two situations? Legally, probably none.

Here is the difference as I see it: During the Sixties, I cannot recall a single elected official who ADVOCATED violent behavior. In fact, most did all in their power to defuse the situations. Ted Kennedy, George McGovern, and other Democrats all spoke out against the agendas of the more violent organizations on the Left.

What we have now is the spectacle of senators and congressmen egging on the actions of the lobotomized set, said actions including the hurling of racial epithets and sputum at elected officials. We are also treated to the idiotic and short-sighted remarks of morons such as Michelle Bachmann (I want my constituents armed and dangerous), and Representative John Boehner predicting “Armageddon” upon the passing of the fairly anaemic health care bill. What is equally disturbing is the failure of “Moderate” Republicans (all two of them) Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine to utter a single calming word in such a dangerous situation. And make no mistake about it, it IS a dangerous situation. When you have a gaggle of frightened, stupid, and Ill-informed people running around with semi-automatic weapons, someone is going to get hurt. People are going to be killed, mark my words. What has crawled out from under the rocks scattered throughout our once peaceful field should give pause to ALL sane people whether they align themselves with the Left or Right.

Of course, this is only a prediction; Then again, isn’t that all we get from the Republican Party these days? The stock market has nearly doubled in the last year and a half, the economy has turned from shedding jobs to adding them, and the retail sector is improving incrementally. Yet the GOP continues its never-ending “predictions” of doom. Predictions are nothing new to the party of “HELL NO;” they predicted all SORTS of things during their eight years in power. Tax cuts and un-paid for wars would work out just fine! These ideologues are interested solely in regaining power, so they can continue to run the economy and the nation at large into a ditch.

The sad part is, they will probably accomplish their ends. My final prediction is that the Republicans will take back the House, possibly the Senate, and the White House in 2012. If they DO take back one or both houses in seven months, Obama might just as well resign, because he’ll get not a single initiative implemented in his final two years. I predicted (yep, I do it too) when he was elected that he’d get two years to fix eight, then the public would turn on him. That’s how it is playing out. Lets hire back the same crew who wrecked the house to repair it! Makes sense to me. And yet, that’s how we seem to think as a nation. Progress is BAD. Change is DANGEROUS. Up is DOWN, dark is LIGHT.

Ignorance is bliss. Here is a tidbit for all the Teabaggers to chew on: this whole “mandate” aspect to the healthcare bill that has the “Libertarians” so upset doesn’t actually exist! Oh, it’s in the BILL all right; it requires all who can afford to do so to purchase insurance. What both parties don’t bother to tell you (for obvious reasons) is that in another section of the bill the IRS (originally tasked with collecting the fines) is expressly FORBIDDEN TO DO SO! That’s right! Read the bill. So all the idiots calling for Patty Murray to be shot between the eyes, all the wing nuts threatening to water the tree of liberty with the blood of niggers and fags can unload their weapons and go watch American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, and sleep well, knowing that the party of Bush, Cheney, Palin, Bachmann, Boehner, and John “I never said I was a Maverick” McCain is looking out for their best interests. Just like Massey Energy and their CEO Don Blankenship looked out for the well being of their employees. Oh, those GREEDY UNIONS!

Bachmann, Boehner, Palin, and Mr. Blankenship should all be thrown so far back in a cell in federal prison, that sunlight would have to be piped in to them. And you can throw in Bush and Cheney as well.