JamulBlog

California leads the way... in vile politicos.  First there's this series of tweets, from Allan Brauer (at right), who is the communications chair for the Democratic Party of Sacremento, California to Amanda Carpenter, an aide to Republican Senator Ted Cruz:

May your children all die from debilitating, painful and incurable diseases.

Busy blocking the tapeworms that have slithered out of hellspawn @amandacarpenter's asshole. How's your day so far?

I'm being attacked on Twitter for wishing one of Ted Cruz's pubic lice to experience the pain her boss is inflicting on Americans.

Well, I guess we all know how he feels about civil intercourse.

Now mind you, I fully support Brauer's right to say these things, vile as they are.  This is America, and the First Amendment is still in force (for now, anyway).  But that doesn't mean there shouldn't be consequences for this speech.  Given his position as communications chair (!) in the Democratic Party, of course what he said will be interpreted as (at the very least) being condoned by the Democratic Party – something you'd think they'd not appreciate.  The appropriate thing for them to do would be to fire his sorry ass, posthaste.  So far, at least, that isn't happening.  Instead, the company he works for is saying “Case closed, because he's apologized.”

But I'm actually more disturbed by this response from Democratic Party spokesman Tenoch Flores:

The problem with this kind of rhetoric is that it lets fringe characters—those who are actively trying to shut down the government—like Ted Cruz, off the hook. It’s never acceptable to wish physical harm against political opponents, regardless of how objectionable their policy priorities are.

Really, Tenoch?  That's the problem with what Bauer said?  Not the crudeness, the vulgarity, the incivility?  They're not a problem at all?

Many have said this before, but it's worth keeping in mind: when politics works the way it is illustrated above – and there's a lot of this sort of low dealing – the only people who even consider running for public office are those that are so motivated by the power (or perks of corruption) that they're willing to overlook the nastiness.  I can think of quite a few people I've met in my life who would make far better elected officials than the ones we have.  I can't think of a single one who would even consider running...