The Republicans know how to game the system. Yet, when they’re beat, they’re sore losers. Noble. They’ve been scorching fields and salting the earth for 40 years in their win-at-all-costs effort to destroy public confidence in government.

Think Progress » Steele: Democrats Were Trying To ‘Flip The Bird To The American People’ By Voting On Health Reform Last Night

[T]he only reason why Congress held the cloture vote at 1am this morning, was because Republicans filibustered the bill. Last night, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) offered a unanimous consent agreement to move the 1 a.m. vote to 9 a.m. this morning if Republicans agreed to forgo the optional 30 hours of debate between each cloture vote and still pass the final legislation before Christmas. Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), who had also sternly criticized the early morning vote, objected to the measure.

Think Progress » Steele: Democrats Were Trying To ‘Flip The Bird To The American People’ By Voting On Health Reform Last Night

Think Progress » Matalin slurs health reform advocates as ‘health care jihadists.’ 

Yesterday on CNN, Republican strategist and CNN contributor Mary Matalin railed against Democrats for pushing forward with health reform efforts. “They’ve been on this jihad for 70 years, and they’re going to throw over all their competitive seats to do it,” she said, adding:

And I don’t know what kind of party that is. That leaves left in the Democratic Party the urban centers, this is tyranny of the minority. Two-thirds of the country don’t want this. And one-third of these jihadists, these health care jihadists do. I guess that’s how democracy in the Obama era works.

Moments later, she smeared the prior efforts to establish Social Security and Medicare as “entitlement jihads” as well.

Think Progress » Matalin slurs health reform advocates as ‘health care jihadists.’

Homicide rates linked to trust in government, sense of belonging, study suggests 

In his analysis, Roth found four factors that relate to the homicide rate in parts of the United States and western Europe throughout the past four centuries: the belief that one’s government is stable and its justice and legal systems are unbiased and effective; a feeling of trust in government officials and a belief in their legitimacy; a sense of patriotism and solidarity with fellow citizens; and a belief that one’s position is society is satisfactory and that one can command respect without resorting to violence.

When those feelings and beliefs are strong, homicide rates are generally low, regardless of the time or place, Roth said. But when people are unsure about their government leaders, don’t feel connected to the rest of society, and feel they don’t have opportunity to command respect in the community, homicide rates go up.

This theory helps explain why the United States generally has had one of the highest murder rates since the mid-nineteenth century of any advanced Western democracy, Roth said.

"As Americans, so many of us hate or distrust our government. You can see it today in the anti-government rallies in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere. It’s been part of our culture since the very beginning, but especially since the Civil War, and it is one reason why we have such a high homicide rate," he said.

Homicide rates linked to trust in government, sense of belonging, study suggests

Cal Thomas 

This is about liberal Democrats realizing their decades-old dream of complete control of our lives. Every move you make, every breath you take, they’ll be watching you. Except, of course, when it comes to terrorists who want to destroy America faster than the liberals do.

Cal Thomas

Apparently, Cal has forgotten that it was the conservative Republicans that compelled sheep-like citizens to take off their shoes for the good of the Fatherland, er, Homeland. That an incensed flock of conservative chicken hawks waged war all over the globe. That conservative Republicans rammed the horribly named PATRIOT act down our throats while pushing those who objected into “Free Speech Zones,” cages located off the beaten path. That self-professed freedom-loving conservatives created CIA prisons and tortured anyone — anyone! — they chose to without taking any “personal responsibility” for their own crimes.

Cal has every right to be an idiot and to make his idiocy well-known. Sadly, each column he writes now is a loaded rifle tossed into the hands of an even bigger idiot who sees himself as saving the nation from blacks, browns, women, gays, hippies, the young, Democrats, whatever. To these dangerous fools, the nation is only what they accept and nothing more and they will kill to have their way. Thomas, Krauthammer, Beck – is Lush Limbaugh still around? — Palin, ad nauseum, are the rabble rousers. Blood will be on their hands.