The truth slips out.
This would be great satire, except that California’s Speaker of the Assembly, Karen Bass (drop her a line here), was foolish enough to say it — and believe it. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Bass responded to a question about conservative talk radio by calling show hosts terrorists, and openly wondering why we allow people to call politicians and give their opinions.
LA Times: “How do you think conservative talk radio has affected the Legislature’s work?”
Bass: “The Republicans were essentially threatened and terrorized againstvoting for revenue. Now [some] are facing recalls. They operate under aterrorist threat: “You vote for revenue and your career is over.” Idon’t know why we allow that kind of terrorism to exist. I guess it’sabout free speech, but it’s extremely unfair.”
There’s a lot of stupidity and tyranny locked into those few words. The First Amendment guarantees the right to petition the government forredress of grievances, even apart from the “free speech” issues Basscasually discards. Elected politicians are accountable to the peoplewho elect them in a free society. Politicians do not acquire lordlystatus when they go to the Assembly, or anywhere else.