Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Rand Paul Goons Assault Woman at Debate

Reported by care2

A group of Rand Paul supporters grabbed a woman who was trying to do some political theater before the Paul/Conway debate, held her down, and stomped on her head.

Seriously.They stomped on her head! They held her down and physically assaulted her.

An ugly scene took place outside the Kentucky Senatorial debate Monday night as what appeared to be a supporter of Republican candidate Rand Paul was captured by a local news affiliate literally stomping the head of a member of the progressive-activist organization MoveOn.org.

The MoveOn volunteer, twenty-three year old Lauren Valle went to hospital after explaining what had happened to local press. As of 11:30 pm EST she remained there, according to another MoveOn official. According to a local Fox station, Valle had attempted to approach Paul before the debate took place, dressed in a blonde wig and with a "RepublicanCorp" sign mocking him as a stooge of special interests.

Attendees around Valle are heard screaming,"Get the Cops!"as cameras captured her being dragged to the pavement by her red sweater. Once on the ground a man wearing white sneakers pushed the sole of his shoe down on her head.

The article at Huffington Post has numerous updates, and according to it will continue to be updated as more information is gathered. At this point, no one can or will identify the man who assaulted Ms.Valle. Also, another report from both Huffpo and Talking Points Memo states that a Paul supporter who was in a surgical boot had her foot stepped on by a Conway supporter, and her incision was reopened, although she did not require medical attention.

It was hoped that the woman who had her head stepped on had it done by accident.Witnesses were desperately trying to believe that the man who stomped on Valle's head was attempting to hold her down with his foot, and perhaps was pushed or something occurred to make him slip and it just appeared to be a violent gesture on camera.

This isn't the first act of violence among supporters at a debate. There is anger in this country, and there is a plea to "take back what is ours" from the nefarious "other" who challenges us.

But we are Americans. We don't use violence on each other. This isn't how politics is supposed to be. We get angry, and we vote, we protest, we run for office, we do so many things to improve our world, but we don't do it through violence on those people whom we disagree with in our own country.

It is hoped that this will be the last incident of the election.  We would like to believe it's isolated, one or two lone wolves getting carried away in the heat of the moment. But when candidates advocate armed rebellion if they lose, Americans get more and more concerned.

Nota Bene: We are becoming a nation of bullies. TV last year in Washington, DC  captured Blackwater goons as they grabbed Amy Goodman of “Democracy Now!,” by the back of her sweater as she attended a peace rally. What makes this incident  fresh in my mind is the fact that Amy Goodman is one of the gentlest and most rational people one can find on this earth.
  Ms.Goodman witnessed the tragedy of 9/11 and factually and objectively reported on it on “Democracy Now!”

Pence: Republican Majority Would Move First to Extend Bush Tax Cuts

By Michael O'Brien

Sept. 2, 2010 -- House Republicans' first move in the majority would be to extend tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year, House GOP Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.) suggested Wednesday evening.

Pence, the third-ranking Republican in the House, said that House Republicans would look to extend the tax cuts they helped President George W. Bush pass in 2001 and 2003, which are set to expire at the end of the year.

"Well, we're going to stay focused on Election Day. But I think before that, we're going to continue to demand that this administration and this Congress make it clear that no American will see a tax increase in January of next year," Pence said during an appearance on CNBC.

"So the first thing that we will do is try to preserve the tax relief of 2001 and 2003 for all Americans--for all small businesses and family farmers. But we also want to look at the kind of across-the-board tax relief, the kind of tax relief that will encourage capital formation, to get this economy moving again," the Indiana Republican and potential presidential candidate added.

Pence's assertion adds to the litany of pledges the GOP has made to voters as the fall's midterm elections approach. Republicans have made taxes a key part of their electoral assault against Democrats, who largely (led by President Obama) favor extending the tax cuts except for the wealthiest earners.

Republicans have also made healthcare reform a target of their ire, pledging to make repealing the reform bill signed into law by Obama earlier this year a central part of their agenda, should they win back control of the House in November's elections.

In fact, House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R-OH) said earlier this year that repealing healthcare reform would be the GOP's "No. 1 priority" if they win back the House.

Perhaps making the GOP's top priorities more clear will be the election document Republican leaders hope to roll out this fall, a document in the vein of 1994's "Contract With America." Boehner has suggested that Republicans would reveal that document shortly after lawmakers return from their prolonged recess in mid-September.

Source: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/116865-pence-gop-majority-would-move-first-to-extend-bush-tax-cuts