When Rep Steve Scalise and several other people were shot during baseball practice by a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders, many in the media and the political realm began to meditate how superheated rhetoric could inspire the mentally unhinged to take violent action. The idea is if one accuses one's opponents of wanting to starve children and kill old people, somebody is going to take such statements as fact and not just political hyperbole. Some talk actually occurred about softening the tone and restoring, to the extent possible, comity between the two political parties.
Sadly, some people have not gotten the message.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren and ‘blood money.'
The Senate Republican version of the reform of health care reform has been rolled out, and a lot of people are unhappy. Some conservatives, such as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and Sen Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, do not think the bill goes far enough. But the conservative senators expressed their objections mildly and indicated that they were open to negotiation.
Not so, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Warren, the firebrand liberal who is on the leftist short list for president in 2020, erupted in rare form, even for her. She tweeted, “I’ve read the Republican ‘health care’ bill. This is Blood Money. They’re paying for tax cuts with American lives.” She went on to suggest that Republicans are willing to see the elderly and the sick die to pay for “tax cuts for the wealthy.
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Rage reflected on social media
Warren’s superheated rhetoric is being reflected on social media. Some people, who sound like activists, are posting messages that in effect accuse Republicans of wanting to kill their children who are struggling with horrible, life-threatening diseases.
Not to put things delicately, this is how people like Scalise get shot.
If someone actually believes that a Republican lawmaker literally wants their kids to die to pay for a tax cut for the rich, they might be tempted to take matters into their own hands, just like James Hodgkinson did.
Does Elizabeth Warren want her Republican fellow senators to die?
One could, if one were disposed to do so, turn Warren’s logic about “blood money” and wonder if she wants Republican senators to die.
To be sure, she has not likely thought through the consequences of accusing people of wanting to slaughter kids. In her mind, she is just engaging in hyperpartisan rhetoric for effect to stoke her liberal base. But as the recent shooting proved, some may be motivated not to vote against Republicans or call their officers. Some may be motivated to try to kill them.
