There was a tragic shooting today so Sarah Palin should make it all about her in 3..2..1...here we are.

Can't we all just get along? And for God's sake pay attention to me?

So apparently after all of the dust settled from that unfortunate shooting today in Virginia, which wounded Rep. Steve Scalise and three others, and resulted in the death of he gunman, Sarah Palin saw an opportunity.

So she contacted perhaps the only media outlet that still takes her calls. Breitbart News which itself is currently hemorrhaging advertisers at an alarming rate.

I will link to the website here, but feel in no way obligated to provide them with any clicks.

Here are the pertinent portions:  

“Prayers for healing are raised for all victims of today’s horrific violence, while we with lift up thankfulness that lives were not lost,” Palin told Breitbart News. “While justice is now sought upon the capture of the deranged attacker, an additional prayer must be for no acceptance of a rush to destroy anyone else in this horrible incident. Those seeking political advantage reacted so recklessly and irresponsibly the last time a member of Congress was brutally attacked, as media inexplicably played a knee-jerk blame game assuming that attacker’s motives. Today’s shooter appears to be a Bernie Sanders supporter and campaign volunteer. But Bernie Sanders is not to blame. Maybe the media have matured enough to allow coverage of this most recent violence to focus on facts, because media integrity will be crucial as America witnesses today’s events unfolding and, on behalf of our Congressional Representatives, we all seek justice.” 

Palin’s call for unity, and media responsibility—and her statement standing up for Sanders despite the shooter being a Sanders supporter—comes after she has been the target of vitriolic media rhetoric for years. Perhaps the worst example of the media targeting Palin was in the wake of the shooting of Giffords, where Palin was blamed inaccurately.

That's right Sarah Palin, who has fanned the flames of partisan rage and violence for years now, is suddenly calling for unity.

The only problem with the comparison of the Gabby Giffords shooting and what happened today is the existence of this:

Yes there are reports that this gunman once worked for the Bernie Sanders campaign, but there is no evidence that HE ever posted a map with gun sights on it that singled out a ball field in Virginia.

Not only that but Sanders IMMEDIATELY came out to condemn the shooting:

"I have just been informed that the alleged shooter at the Republican baseball practice is someone who apparently volunteered on my presidential campaign," Sanders said. "I am sickened by this despicable act. Let me be as clear as I can be: Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society and I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms. Real change can only come about through nonviolent action, and anything else runs against our most deeply held American values."

By contrast Palin came out four days after the shooting of Gabby Giffords and gave her incredibly insensitive blood libel speech during which she made it all about her.

Gabby Giffords, by the way, also issued a timely response to the shooting today in which she said the following: 

"It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or a Republican, nor if you're a senator or a representative, nor a staffer or a sworn officer," Giffords said. "If you serve the institution of Congress, you're connected to your colleagues, current and former, by a shared sense of service to ideals far greater than yourself. This shooting is an attack on all who serve and on all who participate in our democracy."

"I am heartbroken for the pain of Congressman Scalise, the other victims, and their family, friends, and colleagues who survived," Giffords continued in her statement. "I am thankful for the great courage of the Capitol Police, who were my protectors after I was shot and became my friends. I also know the courage it takes to recover from a shooting like this, and I know Steve and everyone there this morning have such courage in great supply."

Another very appropriate, non-partisan response that offers good wishes and a speedy recovery to others while exerting no effort to engage in blaming the media or shining the spotlight on herself.

THAT is the difference between what happened today and what happened back in 2011.

As for unity, yes we can all stand together against gun violence, and I welcome my Republican brothers and sisters to join us in that fight, but as for the partisanship, so long as the Republicans are attempting to do away with everything that President Obama accomplished in eight years, I fear that battle is only just beginning.

Needed to be said.

Hey remember when Mitch McConnell was a real stickler for cabinet appointees to have their paperwork finished before any hearings? Yeah neither does he apparently.

Courtesy of Think Progress:  

The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate plans to rush forward this week with confirmation hearings for many of Donald Trump’s nominees for cabinet and other key executive positions. Though many of the picks have not yet completed the customarily required ethics clearances and background checks, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has shown no willingness to delay.

But back in 2009, McConnell took the exact opposite view. A letter to then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), posted on Twitter by Citizens for Responsible Ethics in Washington co-founder and former Obama administration ethics adviser Norm Eisen on Sunday, shows he demanded that “financial disclosures must be complete” before any confirmation hearings be scheduled.

In his letter, McConnell wrote that his party’s duty to “conduct the appropriate review” of presidential nominations, “consistent with the long standing and best practices of committees, regardless of which party is in the majority,” was one it took seriously. “These best practices serve the Senate well,” he added, “and we will insist on their fair and consistent application.” The then-Senate Minority Leader called the financial disclosure process and other ethical steps essential “to fairly review a nominee’s record and to make an informed decision prior to a vote.”

Yep, that ole Mitch McConnell is a by the book kind of guy.

Right up until it inconveniences a president from his party that is.

John Boehner to quit as Speaker of the House at the end of October.

Courtesy of AOL News:

In a stunning move, House Speaker John Boehner informed Republicans on Friday that he would step down at the end of October, giving up his coveted leadership post and his seat in Congress in the face of hardline conservative opposition. 

The 13-term Ohio Republican shocked his GOP caucus early Friday morning when he informed them of his decision in a closed-door session. It came one day after the high point of Boehner's congressional career, a historic speech by Pope Francis to Congress at Boehner's request. 

Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., said Boehner "just does not want to become the issue. Some people have tried to make him the issue both in Congress and outside."

Yeah I think that Boehner realizes that the writing is on the wall concerning his chances for be elected Speaker again, and its getting out while the getting is good. 

The Right Wing has been gunning for him for years now and it was only a matter of time before they wore his old orange ass out.  

I cannot begin to imagine what kind of yahoo the Republicans might elect to take his place, but I imagine that the partisanship in the House is only going to get much worse going forward.

But hey, maybe at least this time maybe they will elect a guy who does not cry every time the wind blows.

In front to the Pope and everything. That is just pathetic.

Partisanship in America has dramatically increased over the last two decades. In other words we are screwed.

 Courtesy of Pew Research:

Republicans and Democrats are more divided along ideological lines – and partisan antipathy is deeper and more extensive – than at any point in the last two decades. These trends manifest themselves in myriad ways, both in politics and in everyday life. And a new survey of 10,000 adults nationwide finds that these divisions are greatest among those who are the most engaged and active in the political process. 

The overall share of Americans who express consistently conservative or consistently liberal opinions has doubled over the past two decades from 10% to 21%. And ideological thinking is now much more closely aligned with partisanship than in the past. As a result, ideological overlap between the two parties has diminished: Today, 92% of Republicans are to the right of the median Democrat, and 94% of Democrats are to the left of the median Republican. 

Partisan animosity has increased substantially over the same period. In each party, the share with a highly negative view of the opposing party has more than doubled since 1994. Most of these intense partisans believe the opposing party’s policies “are so misguided that they threaten the nation’s well-being.”

This is a totally unfair comparison because the Right Wing policies DO threaten the nation's well being.

I mean who's policies tanked the economy, resulted in rampant crime on Wall Street, and got us into two unnecessary wars?

Damn it that's not partisanship, that's common sense!

And if we are going to compare which side is the most partisan, we can really only do that when a group of Democratic lawmakers gather on inauguration night to plan the sabotage of EVERY single policy put forward by the newly elected Republican President and his party.

So no I don't think that this poll is fair one little bit. 

To me it is a little like suggesting that rapists and their victims have great animosity toward each other, and that both are equally to blame.