Tucson tragedy 'a real opportunity' for nonpartisan groups No Labels, Third Way

No Labels Founder: Tucson Tragedy Is A Real Opportunity To Advance Groups Message
Out of all the extreme Rhetoric about the nation’s extreme Rhetoric that has resulted from the Tucson shooting, this may well be the most vile. As the debate over civility in politics continues in the wake of the shooting in Tucson, groups founded to push Bipartisanship see an opening: Could this be a moment for the political middle? Routinely ignored amid heated discussions over Immigration and Health Care, moderate groups on the right and left are hoping their message of comity can final...

'It's a real tragedy, but it's also a real opportunity'
So sayeth Mark Mckinnon, co-founder of No Labels. Evidence that the muddled middle has now learned never to let a crisis go to waste. Wait--didn't I read that Loughner is registered as an independent? If so, has anyone sent the memo to Mark McKinnon? While surveying the newly-elected right-of-center governors, Rick Scott didn't immediately leap to mind as the most promising. Josh Barro recently . . . Go The Arizona shooting has been a disturbingly clarifying moment in our public life. Keith...

Never Let a Real Opportunity Go To Waste
You stay classy, No Labels gang: “It’s a real tragedy, but it’s also a real opportunity,” said Mark Mckinnon, co-founder of No Labels, a nonpartisan group founded last month. The Republican consultant sees potential to change the hyper-partisan political environment, which he has described as “MoveOn.org on the Left and the Tea Party on the Right.” Far better advice on how all parties should respond to the shooting in Tucson can be found here: embedded by Em...

Rahm Emanuel: Actually, its entirely appropriate to let this crisis go to waste
Via the Standard, I’m happy to assume that this is heartfelt, although of course no other answer is possible politically. We’ll see tomorrow how well his former boss does in taking his advice. If you’re expecting the sort of trainwreck that happened at the Wellstone memorial, you’re kidding yourself. Obama and his team are way too smart to descend to that level of grotesque political hackery, especially given how they cherish his “above the fray” image. Here...

New Gun Control in wake of Tucson tragedy unlikely
One of the first facts to come out of Saturday's events was that Jared Lee Loughner had shot 20 people with a Handgun and a a high capacity magazine, a magazine that would have been banned during the Clinton era.  The ban expired in 2004 due to a provision in the law that required an express renewal.  While efforts to do so were backed by President Bush, even that was not enough to get it passed.  Fast forward a little over 6 years later and Loughner was able to easily and legally...

Mayor Bloomberg says he doesn't blame Sarah Palin for Tuscon shooting
The tragic shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has led to a lot of finger pointing, including from New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, but one person who the mayor doesn’t blame is former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. On Tuesday Bloomberg, who serves as co-chair of the nearly 600 member Mayors Against Illegal Guns blamed government officials for selling a gun to a man who was rejected from the Military due to drug use and outlined five simple measures that could preve...

Glenn Beck Supports Barack Obama. Seriously.
There's just one week for the Bipartisan feeling to stay in the media, as conservative commentators lauded President Barack Obama for his speech at the University of Arizona during a memorial service for the six dead and dozen wounded at a Tucson shooting, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. But for now, media figures like Glenn Beck and Chris Wallace lauded the efforts of Obama, who flew with several other lawmakers to be on the scene as not just the city, but the state of Arizona mourned, notes

Will Tucson Tragedy Boost the Political Middle?
The Washington Post reports: As the debate over civility in politics continues in the wake of the shooting in Tucson, groups founded to push Bipartisanship see an opening: Could this be a moment for the political middle? Routinely ignored amid heated discussions over Immigration and Health Care, moderate groups on the right and left are hoping their message of comity can finally take hold. “It’s a real tragedy, but it’s also a real opportunity,” said Mark Mckinnon, co-f...

Students' rights weighed as colleges try to assess threats
A growing majority of colleges nationwide are keeping tabs on Students through "threat assessment teams" charged with identifying dangerous students, causing debate to erupt over how much power the schools should have as they try to flag disturbing behavior. Two states — Virginia and Illinois — now legally require such teams and 80% of colleges nationwide have started them since the 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech that left 32 people dead. At Pima Community College in Arizona, a Behav...

The madness of cross hairs, shots in the foot and the civility of blame
Does Sarah Palin have blood on her hands? Does she? Answer the question! Or the Tea Party for that matter? Care to blame someone not already mentioned? If, God forbid, Sarah Palin is ever put in the cross hairs of some perverted assassin’s weapon will the Left accept her blood on their own hands? Will you accept the responsibility of your own complicity in that act by virtue of the incontinent words with which you have chosen to condemn her? You were all so quick to assign the blame for th...

Former Classmate Of Rep. Giffords Shares Personal Memories
Since last weekend’s deadly shooting in Arizona that claimed six lives, and left 14 wounded - including a vibrant, young Congresswoman - people have been trying to understand how something so heinous, so senseless could happen. It appeared that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was specifically targeted by the gunman, prompting some to surmise the attack was politically motivated. That touched off a national debate about the tenor of Rhetoric in this country and whether it has ...

Stephanopoulos, NYT, CNN, WaPo decline to correct erroneous Giffords reporting (Daily Caller)
Read more stories from The Daily Caller Congressmen want increased security for themselves — but are they in more danger than teachers and doctors? Stephanopoulos, NYT, CNN, WaPo decline to correct erroneous Giffords reporting ObamaCare Repeal rescheduled; GOP not scared off by left-wing attacks Pollsters say Obama's Approval Ratings will have modest bump Woman behind Va. 'Repeal Amendment' effort running for Senate ABC News host George Stephanopoulos refuses to admit fault or issue a corre...

Where will Obama go from Tucson?
President Obama is receiving uniform praise for his memorial remarks in Tucson, Ariz. Even Conservatives are saying he hit the right notes, substantively and tonally. I agree, with a few qualifiers and gentle cautions. Obama was eloquent in his tribute to the Victims and appropriately acknowledged that "none of us can know exactly what triggered this vicious attack ... or what thoughts lurked in the inner recesses of a violent man's mind." More importantly, he said: "But what we cannot do is...

Quote Of The Day - Trent Humphries
"It’s political gamesmanship. The real case is that she [Giffords] had no security whatsoever at this event. So if she lived under a constant fear of being targeted, if she lived under this constant fear of this Rhetoric and hatred that was seething, why would she attend an event in full view of the public with no security whatsoever?" - Tucson Tea Party founder Trent Humphries, blaming Rep. Gabrielle Giffords for her own shooting. Labels: Arizona, assholery, Gabrielle Giffords, Tea Party, T...

Obamacare repeal rescheduled; GOP not scared off by left-wing attacks (Daily Caller)
Read more stories from The Daily Caller Congressmen want increased security for themselves — but are they in more danger than teachers and doctors? Stephanopoulos, NYT, CNN, WaPo decline to correct erroneous Giffords reporting ObamaCare Repeal rescheduled; GOP not scared off by left-wing attacks Pollsters say Obama's Approval Ratings will have modest bump Woman behind Va. 'Repeal Amendment' effort running for Senate The House heads back to work next week, and Republicans plan to move forwar...

Per GOP spinmeister Frank Luntz, saying your opponent wants to kill you is just as bad as saying you want to kill your opponent
by Ken No, boys and girls, saying unkind things about someone is really and truly not "violent Rhetoric." Even saying that the Right is made up entirely of ignoramuses, lunatics, liars, criminals, and economic predators isn't "violent Rhetoric." It may be unkind, but then, what are you supposed to say when it's the honest-to-gosh truth? Just not say anything? Well, that seems pretty much what the Right has in mind: freedom to spread its psychotic lies without any answer at all. Here are some t...

Palin's 10 Red Herrings (Politico)
Sarah Palin has continued and intensified the rhetorical strategy introduced by her supporters and surrogates in the wake of the Tucson tragedy. She’s offering a series of red herrings — distracting with concepts that are truthful, but irrelevant, to deflect from other issues or vulnerabilities. (The term originates with the practice of using cured fish to put Hunting Dogs off the track. 1) Free Speech: “Congresswoman Giffords and her constituents were exercising their right to...

Never Waste a Crisis, No Labels!
This might be the best example (by which I do mean worst) of how the Tuscon tragedy has exposed Washington's revolting reflex of politicizing (read: dehumanizing) everything-Washington Post: "Tucson tragedy 'a real opportunity' for nonpartisan groups No Labels, Third Way." From the article: "It's a real tragedy, but it's also a real opportunity," said Mark Mckinnon, co-founder of No Labels, a nonpartisan group founded last month. Jesus Christ. ...

Sick and Tired
No Labels: Hey, This Is Just What We Needed!!! It's not all bad news, of course. As Mark Halperin predicted, Barack Obama could really use a horrific tragedy to re-connect with the American People. And Frum's/MacKinnon's/Blumberg's No Labels group can certainly frisk the dead for loose change and usable shoes. "It's a real tragedy, but it's also a real opportunity," said Mark Mckinnon, co-founder of No Labels, a nonpartisan group founded last month. How wonderful! Maybe, like Mary Jo Kopechne,...

Gun Control Doesn't Work
So says the Chicago Tribune editorial Board Member, Steve Chapman. via Fat White Man. The first idea came from Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., who wants to ban all ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds — which was the rule under the assault weapons law. Her rationale is that the rampage ended when the shooter exhausted a clip that held at least 30 rounds and tried to reload, at which point he was subdued. With a 10-round clip, he co...

How the mental health system failed Jared Loughner, despite Arizonas lenient commitment standard (Daily Caller)
Read more stories from The Daily Caller MSNBC's Chris Matthews is the left's version of a 'birther,' says Pat Buchanan Congressman's wife sentenced to jail for Tax Fraud Giffords making miraculous recovery, can move arms and legs Military commission prepares to recommend that women be allowed in combat roles TheDC on TV: Jamie Weinstein discusses Health Care on the RT's 'Big Picture with Thom Hartmann' As Americans grapple with the implications of Saturday’s shooting in Tucson, which ki...

Guns For Killing Cops and Soldiers?
5. We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its Sovereignty. 6. We will NOT obey any order to Blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant Concentration Camps. 7. We will NOT obey any order to force American Citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext. 8. We will NOT obey orders to assist or support the use of any foreign Troops on U.S. soil against the American People to "keep the peace" or to "maintain control." 9. We will NOT obey ...

Tucson tragedy can be a learning moment for politicians if they let it
LatinaLista.net -- Ever since the senseless shootings in Tucson, I, like many people have experienced a range of emotions: horrified shock that such an act would be committed against innocent people; anger that life was lost from young to old; pride that a young Latino would have the courage and state of mind to know what to do to save his boss; admiration for people in their golden years who mustered up the strength and resolve to disarm the shooter and finally, relief. It sounds strange to l...

A 9-year-old's death hits home for Obama
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is not known for showing a surplus of emotion in public, but toward the end of his Speech at the University of Arizona on Wednesday night, he paused for 50 seconds and appeared to gather himself. The audience was on its feet. Obama had just laid down a stark and powerful gauntlet, challenging the country to live up to the expectations of 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green, whose death Saturday was an emotional punch to the gut for so many people across the co...

Jared Loughner alleged to use the drug salvia - Did it precipitate Gabrielle Giffords shooting?
A friend says the Arizona shooter used the hallucinogen salvia. Arizona shooter Jared Loughner used salvia, the Hallucinogenic drug, according to a High School friend of his. Obviously, Loughner was troubled. But did salvia have anything to do with it? There’s very little scientific information about the drug’s effects—thanks, in part, to salvia’s relative safety. “So far, the Federal Government has not funded any studies, because it’s not seen as relevant unt...