I have had ENOUGH! I've been a DUer since 2002, and am pissed off

[Faygo Kid]

I'm tired of being bullied. People I care about were physically threatened in 2010, and since then, we have been bullied by Fox and talk radio. We have been threatened by these cheap Tea Party bullies who are complete ignoramuses who think Rush Limbaugh is a climate scientist.

I want good governance - I want my tax dollars (40+ years) to go to those who need it. I pay those taxes to be a better nation. I'm happy that I have achieved good and modest stuff, but I want a More Perfect Union. I know that some will disagree, but I want this old timer who was in charge of the Detroit City Council back in the day, and has been a quality Senator for many years.

Speak up, Sen. Levin. We need you desperately.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Bully behavior is a national epidemic

together with character assassination.

[gopiscrap]

2. No kidding and you can thank god damn right wing radio

[gopiscrap]

6. I agree, but we as a socity wind up taking cues from our leaders

elected officials, media, entertainment, sports etc.

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. To be honest, I didn't understand until I Am posted the link to the dictionary.

The full phrase is [From fisty cuffs : fisty, with the fists (from fist) + cuff.]

I'm not piling on, I'm just a grammar freak at times.

[DissidentVoice]

20. I lay so much of the blame directly at the feet of Rush Limbaugh

He has poisoned political discourse in this country to the point that I don't think it will ever be clean again.

[gopiscrap]

23. I totally agree

[awoke_in_2003]

27. Yep, it started with Rush...

everything to him is black and white, and the 30 years of "my way or the highway" have poisoned all aspects of talk radio, and the country as a whole. It was "legitimized" with the rise of Newt Gingrich to the speakership.

[DissidentVoice]

28. Back in 1994

I heard Limbaugh say "you're either conservative or you're liberal...there's no in-between."

I thought (not for the first or last time) "this man is daft!"

But his "philosophy" now rules this country.

[awoke_in_2003]

29. Yep, but I don't think he is stupid...

he is a master manipulator, and likely doesn't believe half of the shot he spews. He does know what sells, though.

[DissidentVoice]

30. He is NOT stupid, correct

I should have clarified that I do not think he is stupid.

He comes straight out of the Josef Goebbels playbook of "if you repeat a lie long enough it will be believed."

[awoke_in_2003]

31. If Goebbels were alive today...

he would be in awe of our propaganda machine.

[DissidentVoice]

33. Quite true. n/t

[G_j]

37. except Reagan first made the "L word" people the enemy

I blame him and all the people who bought it.

[rainy]

22. And the media for not calling the republicans on their blatant lies.

Look how bad it had to get before the people knew who to blame. With the media not telling the truth it takes a sinking of such lowness before it's even clear. The republicans have been lying and getting away with it for decades because the corporate media will not say a word. ITS ALWAYS THEY BOTH ARE TO BLAME unless it's the left and then they will call the democrats out or if the right says its the left the media will allow them to repeat it incessantly. I am so sick of the hoax of NEWS in this country. It's a big joke.

[Laelth]

3. k&r for good government. n/t

-Laelth

[MannyGoldstein]

4. Levin spoke up a few months ago

He made a deal with McCain to end filibuster reform.

[truebluegreen]

11. Yep.

Can't change the World's Greatest Deliberative Body! Even though it has often been changed before.

[joshcryer]

15. He and other Senators like the silent filibuster.

It allows filibusters to happen as other legislation gets pushed through.

ie, think of it as a parallel filibuster.

There was "no deal," they just like it for legislative reasons. The theory that Reid had when he put it in place was that you could filibuster and pass stuff at the same time.

[KoKo]

18. Yes...he did speak up. I used to Admire him...way back....

I don't pay much attention to him anymore.

[FarCenter]

9. He's 79 -- give him a break

[zbdent]

14. It seems that it is genetically inherent ...

the "bullies" from grade - high school sure do love them some Rush/Beck/Couter/TEA ...

[IrishAyes]

16. Faygo, we're all tired of bullies. That's why I delight in seeing them put in their place.

Of course then they call ME a bully for biting back, but that's the price of self respect. I promise to bite the next one especially hard in your honor.

[Snotcicles]

17. He has his eye on a lobbyist prize. We need Teddy back. nt

[blkmusclmachine]

19. 11-Dimesional Chess. It's gonna work out someday. Just you wait. And wait. And wait.

[DissidentVoice]

21. My wife got the bullying too

Both our cars have Obama bumper stickers on them.

Some time ago, she was in the drive-through at McDonald's, minding her own business.

A carload of TP shitbirds behind her started yelling abuse at her. She was frightened.

If I had been there, they would not have yelled the abuse, or the outcome would have been SIGNIFICANTLY different, and not to their favour.

P.S. I live in Michigan (I know you would almost have to by your reference to Faygo; I'm drinking a Vernors right now). I will miss Carl Levin when he retires. I've corresponded with him many times. Great guy.

[Initech]

24. And this is why I don't put bumper stickers on my car.

I live in a heavily conservative / teabagger friendly area (after all I do live in the hometown of Richard M. Nixon) and I own a fairly current vehicle. I do not want to see it vandalized and I don't want teabaggers giving me shit when I'm driving to work. It's getting ridiculously scary out there.

[DissidentVoice]

25. I refuse to let them dictate to me

It is my First Amendment right and I'm DAMN well not going to let teabaggers stop me.

[polichick]

32. I was run off the road in PA before the 2008 election because...

of my Obama sticker. The creeps drove alongside me about six inches from my car and held a piece of paper with the words: N***** Lover

These people are sick beyond words.

[DissidentVoice]

35. If they try to do that to me...

...they had better be ready to fight.

They think liberals are all wimps, which is of course incorrect. I grew up fighting, and my experience has been that most of the time when you call a bully's bluff they back down.

Of course, that's not always true, and the chance exists that I could be hurt or killed by these goons.

Better to die on my feet fighting than to grovel on my knees.

[polichick]

36. The only choices were to leave the roadway or be hit with a vehicle larger than mine...

going over 60mph.

[DissidentVoice]

38. I didn't mean to infer you did the wrong thing

I probably would have done the same thing in those exact circumstances (human instinct for self-preservation).

My reference is to the many "keyboard commandos" who have threatened me online ( ) but even moreso to the fools who yelled abuse at my wife.

[polichick]

39. It's really scary because those guys yelling at your wife could be armed...

It's clear these people are delusional and angry - not a stretch to imagine they'd like to use their guns.

[DissidentVoice]

40. It is no stretch

Which is why I was so pissed-off when my wife told me about it.

She is one of the most inoffensive, genuinely kind and patient (she has to be, to have been married to me for almost 16 years!) people you would ever want to meet (and who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer ). She hates conflict (whereas I don't like it but don't run from it - we balance one another well).

I am convinced that, had she not been alone, these fools would not have started in on her.

If they would have tried to get truly violent, the area in question is within sight and hearing of a border crossing with Canada. It would be interesting, to say the least, for some idiot to try to get violent with armed Border Patrol/Customs agents (one of my wife's colleagues is a Customs agent at that crossing).

[polichick]

42. Bullies are always chickenshits - they probably wouldn't have done it...

if she hadn't been alone.

Honestly, having bumper stickers isn't worth the risk right now. Truth is, they don't change anyone's mind anyway.

[DissidentVoice]

43. True enough

But I'm not taking mine off.

[polichick]

44. Maybe you could take hers off - she doesn't need that happening again.

[DissidentVoice]

45. She's like I am in that respect

She doesn't want it taken off. She believes, as I do, that it is her right to support whatever political candidate she chooses.

I see your point, really, but if we start knuckling under to them on this...give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

They already control too much of the political speech in this country thanks to hate radio and Fox.

[ScreamingMeemie]

34. He is one of the only senators who responds to emails personally.

I love him for that.

[awoke_in_2003]

26. I agree...

I benefitted from a good public education and student loans. I wish all Americans could achieve what I have. I am, by no means wealthy, but I have a roof over my head (3 more years and it's all mine), clothes in the closet, and plenty of food in the kitchen. Throw in some good books and some pipe tobacco and I am pretty damn happy.

[walkerbait41]

41. well said