Politics Plus

In Oklahoma, they just might.

The Associated Press reports that Oklahoma tea party leaders, “frustrated by recent political setbacks,” are working with right-wing Republicans in the Oklahoma legislature to create a new “volunteer militia to help defend against what they believe are improper federal infringements on state sovereignty.” State Sen. Randy Brogdon (R-OK) and State Rep. Charles Key (R-OK) have met with tea party leaders, like J.W. Berry of the Tulsa-based OKforTea group, to plan legislation for a state-authorized militia. Brogdon, who is running for Governor and sponsored the right-wing anti-health reform “state sovereignty” resolution in his state, explained that he believes his anti-federal government militia has constitutional backing:

The founding fathers “were not referring to a turkey shoot or a quail hunt. They really weren’t even talking about us having the ability to protect ourselves against each other,” Brogdon said. “The Second Amendment deals directly with the right of an individual to keep and bear arms to protect themselves from an overreaching federal government.”

But critics say the tea party militia idea could “throw fuel in the fire of radicals.” Even some Republicans are opposed to Brogdon’s initiative. “If the intent is to create a militia for disaster relief, we have the National Guard,” said Sen. Steve Russell, (R-OK), a retired Army lieutenant colonel. “Anything beyond that purpose should be viewed with great concern and caution.” Indeed, the news of the state-sponsored militia movement arrives shortly before the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, on April 19.

Berry, the tea party leader who first solicited support for the militia, has posted rants against President Obama: the “Muslim President” — a “reincarnation of Pol Pot” [Teabaggers delinked] who is trying imprison [Teabaggers delinked] Americans for resisting health reform. One ominous posting from Berry says that his militia should “launch a thousand guerrilla attacks on the plans that these people have to ruin us and our country.”

Both Berry and Brogdon lean heavily on far right propaganda and media outlets to fuel their conspiracy theories. Berry frequently cites conservative news outlets like CNS and notes that he draws inspiration from the white supremacist thriller The Turner Diaries. [Teatraitors delinked] Despite his extremism, Berry has met with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and other members of the Oklahoma Republican delegation, and counts them as “rock solid.” [Teabaggers delinked] [emphasis original]

Inserted from <Think Progress>

Defending a state from the US by force of arms sounds like a Civil War Redux to me.  Ed Schultz interviewed this … person.

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Ded you notice how he tried to weasel out of answering the question, but refused several opportunities to deny it?

If they follow through with this, it’s a win-win scenario.

Liberal Democrats see an opportunity to reassert their power in the Senate this spring on the Wall Street reform bill, after being forced to swallow a series of compromises on everything from health care reform to jobs legislation.

A group of Democrats, joined by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, are planning an aggressive spring offensive to strengthen key provisions of the financial reform bill — and daring Senate Republicans to vote against them.

“Given that [large financial firms] steered this country into the ditch, it’s going to be very hard to stand up on the floor and say don’t do financial reform or do it without teeth,” said Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.). “There are a number of people in our caucus who feel like there are things that can be done to strengthen it.”

Liberal Democrats believe widespread frustration across the country with Wall Street bailouts will make it difficult for Senate Republicans to mount a full-scale opposition to the legislation, particularly as voters near the midterm elections this fall.

Those tricky politics, they believe, offer an opening to move to the left the legislation that passed the Senate Banking Committee last month — a chance the caucus lacked on health care, which divided the electorate and prompted an outcry from conservatives who rallied against the bill to voice their opposition to President Barack Obama.

Unions, consumer groups, party activists and liberals on Capitol Hill see regulatory reform as a win-win issue: They get either a strong bill or a strong campaign argument for the midterm elections.

“If they pass something and it’s relatively strong, it’s seen as a big victory for consumers, and if they get a strong Republican pushback, electorally Democrats think they would benefit from it,” said a Democratic aide for a member involved in the effort.

Their efforts conflict with those of Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and party moderates, who are pushing to focus more on compromising with Republicans. Dodd has spent months in negotiations with Republicans on his committee, trying to craft a deal that could fly through the Senate with significant bipartisan backing… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Politico>

Dodd’s bill is to Finance what BARF (Baucus Against a Real Fix) was to Health Care.  Even if the Republicans can successfully filibuster a strong bill, that will drive a wedge between the leadership and the Teabaggers.  They hate Wall Street.  Let the GOP defend their protection of their corporate masters to voters.