Ever since Watergate, it seems that conservatives have been itching to return the favor and impeach a Democratic president. For anything. So it comes as no surprise to me to find some of them fantasizing about how they would do it.
It does seem strange for the focus of their fool's paradise to be the 'Fast and Furious' program, which was started under their own leader Bush. But mix in gun enthusiasm and the delusion becomes clear.
And then, sometimes they broadcast their peculiar visions where others may record them, as Right Wing Watch has with Gun Owners of America director Larry Pratt.
Right Wing Watch includes a brief explainer, so it's understood how gun enthusiasts see the 'Fast and Furious' scandal through the lens of their 2nd Amendment obsession.
While the rest of the conservative movement is already several conspiracy theories ahead of him, Gun Owners of America director Larry Pratt is still hung up on Fast and Furious, the troubled Justice Department operation started under the Bush administration that Pratt and others believe was actually orchestrated by President Obama to promote gun control.
Now, there's no reason to be dismissive of 'Fast and Furious' entirely -- after all, there is a real problem in this country that brought it about, guns being smuggled from America into Mexico thanks to gun enthusiasts' interest in gun proliferation, lax gun laws and easy access to guns. As pointed out in RWW's CNN link, there is no federal statute against gun trafficking. And of course, there was a Democratic attempt last month to fix that,
which went down (thanks to filibuster rules) 42-58.
Yes, I wrote it that way on purpose; 42 votes beat 58, see, in today's Senate.
As the Washington Post reported, this is what Republicans really think of the problem that spawned 'Fast and Furious':
Gun trafficking failed 58-42: This legislation worked out by Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) targets only gun trafficking. It makes gun trafficking a federal crime and strengthens the penalties against “straw purchasers” (people who buy guns for others who are not legally able to do so). The NRA is on board with this amendment as well, thanks to a compromise ensuring that guns can be bought as gifts or prizes. It failed with 58 votes in favor and 42 against, a bit of a surprise given the bipartisan and NRA support. Collins, Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Kirk were the only Republicans in support. No Democrats voted against it.
In that light, it's interesting to consider where the fantasies of gun enthusiasts reside -- not in saving lives or making anyone safer, of course, but scoring political victories, in vengeance for Watergate.
Right Wing Watch has the video, and transcribed some of the ... discussion.
Pratt: This last week has been a spectacular spinning out of control of the future of the president. He is no longer the big guy in town. I don’t know who that might be to take his place yet, but it sure is not he. And he’s gonna be doing well not to end up just exactly like Richard Nixon. They still have helicopters that can fly you out of the White House on that last flight.
Solomon: Yeah, right, and of course, with a little luck he can be dangling from the bottom of one.
Pratt: Gangrene One!
Solomon: Yeah.
These jerks haven't heard of the latest scandals du jour, but I suppose as long as Republicans keep whiffing on building up scandals with which to attack the president, they have to keep coming up with new ideas. And 'Fast and Furious,' bad as it was, failed on them. I guess that won't stop the gun enthusiasts from indulging in some masturbatory rhetoric.