Dealing with Mental Illness

Written : Jan. 18, 2011

The Jan. 8, 2011 shooting rampage in Tucson, Arizona has prompted many of us to think about how to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. Let’s assume that guns will not be outlawed, as two prominent liberals have done. I usually don’t agree with radio talk show host Ed Schultz, or with liberal TV pundit Dylan Ratigan, but they were both correct as each focused on mental illness during their shows last week. Their assumption about guns was based upon the strength of the gun lobby, but my argument is that guns don’t kill, people do. As New York Post columnist S.E. Cupp said, similar acts of violence primarily occur in gun-free zones, such as schools. When weapons are fired at a gun show, as S.E. says, the other side may have an argument worthy of consideration.

Accused Tucson shooter Jared Loughner was allegedly face to face with Pima County deputies several times prior to the Jan. 8 episode at the Safeway shopping center. He was also turned away by his college and by the military. Why are people who exhibit signs of dangerous behavior before they commit crimes, able to purchase guns so easily? Could we value people’s personal rights over the safety of others? Is this something we should reconsider? We want a quicker diagnosis of people with mental illness, but should a person see a psychiatrist at the suggestion of someone he or she doesn’t know?

Would it be fair if someone accused you of mental imbalance, and as a result you were imprisoned or committed to an institution? We don’t want that to happen, but we might want to prevent someone rejected by the military to experience a delay in purchasing a firearm. Perhaps someone who confronted law enforcement in their past might need additional time added onto his or her waiting period.

Let’s not be silly here and accuse anyone for stoking violence with images of targets. Both sides have used military terminology to describe their struggle for votes. Let’s not stoke fears about guns for political gain. You may recall that Juan Williams was fired from NPR when he said that he’d be afraid on an airplane if he saw someone dressed in Muslim garb. Yet, last week Tom Brokaw, the former NBC News anchor, said that with the current Arizona gun laws, he’d be afraid to go into any bar in that state. No, he shouldn’t be fired, but do statements like his effectively deal with the mental health issues raised by the recent violence in Tucson?

For more information about Mark A. Cohen, see The Castle Rock, CO Gathering Place, Writer of the Month for Nov. 2010

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Tucson Tragedy – Jumping to Conclusions

Written : Jan. 11, 2011

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) was the most famous of the victims of the shooting rampage, which occurred on Jan. 8, 2011 in Pima County, Arizona. I hope she – and all the other survivors - make a swift and complete recovery. My prayers go out to all those wounded, and I wish to convey my heart-felt condolences to the families of the murdered victims. This was a senseless tragedy, but not everyone thought so shortly after it occurred. It’s a shame that so many placed blame right away, adding fuel to the tense national political climate.

Markos Moulitsas, founder of the left-wing Daily Kos blog site, tweeted the following, just over two hours after the tragedy, "Mission accomplished, Sarah Palin." Liberal Paul Krugman blamed conservative rhetoric about three hours after Giffords had been shot. He posted, “We don’t have proof yet that this was political [implying a crazy conservative shot a liberal], but the odds are that it was.” But it turns out it wasn’t. The alleged shooter, Jared Loughner, was described later as a left-wing pothead. (Conservatives are not pointing fingers, by the way.) However, Pima County’s Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, a Democrat, prematurely implied that right-wing hate speech was to blame for this shooting. But it wasn’t. Loughner, it turns out, was a disturbed individual, someone not interested in politics. Why do liberals always jump to blame conservatives in similar matters? Why can’t they wait to see what motivates people?

For a long time politicians have used rhetoric and metaphor to enhance their chances in elections. Googling “target republicans” returns almost 16 thousand hits. Try “republicans in the crosshairs,” and you get 31,800 hits. Leave out the quotes and you get many more. Yet, Democrats have said (and mainstream media reporters have implied, and liberals Kathy Griffin and Jane Fonda have tweeted) that Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) is responsible for the Tucson murders by creating a map of districts ‘targeted’ for Republican victory in the last election. Their problem is that images of cross-hairs appeared on her map. One of those districts belonged to Ms. Giffords. Palin did not mean that any Democrats were targets for assassination; they were merely important districts for Republicans to win. How ultra-sensitive we have become!

I wish my liberal friends would realize they are ratcheting up the rhetoric when they suggest that conservatives are to blame. In 2006, a debate over trying President Bush and Vice President Cheney for war crimes was big in the old media. At least one movie was made depicting Bush’s fictional assassination, and t-shirts were made with “Kill Bush” in prominent, bold letters. Protesters carried signs, which said, “Bush, the only dope worth shooting.” Posters were made showing his decapitated head with blood dripping from his neck. How do you think that made his supporters feel? Was that not too extreme? President Obama said, "If they [the Republicans] bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun," in 2008. He added fuel to the fire in 2010 by saying the Republicans were hostage takers and by telling Hispanic voters to vote against their ‘enemies.’ Although both sides are to blame, liberals have peddled this kind of rhetoric more than conservatives. Just listen to Randi Rhodes and Ed Schultz on progressive-talk radio!

Concerning the tragedy in Tucson, liberals will bring up the second amendment, the right to bear arms, and they’ll say something like, “This incident illustrates why we have to ban guns.” But it’s a smoke screen. The real issue is how we treat mental illness when we see it. How do we decide who is mentally ill, and when? Guns don’t kill people, people kill people and we need to formulate a method for identifying potential madmen. There’s a way to do it without making it into a Salem witch-hunt. This is something America will have to deal with, and soon.

For more information about Mark A. Cohen, see The Castle Rock, CO Gathering Place, Writer of the Month for Nov. 2010

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No Labels II

Written : Dec. 31, 2010

The philosophy of the No Labels movement is a thoughtful one. It’s based in understanding and kindness. No Labels believes in not forgetting about, but putting aside our labels (such as Democrat, Republican and Independent) in order for the Congress to do the work of the people in Washington, D.C. They say, “Not left, not right, but forward.”

Former Representative Harold Ford, Jr. (D-TN) wrote an article for the Washington Post on Dec. 31, 2010 outlining five tips for what new members of Congress need to consider as they join their respective Houses in early January, 2011. One of these is: "...real leaders aren't afraid to compromise." He further states that the newly elected (mostly Republican) leaders should not "...allow party orthodoxy or leaders' expectations to stop you from doing what's in the best interests of your constituents and the country." He's right, of course, and No Labels has many supporters.

But, one must ask: Where was former Representative Ford's bipartisan sentiment when Democrats called for a criminal investigation of the entire Bush Administration for war crimes and the like? Where was Mr. Ford when Senator Harry Reid squinted his eyes, and with anger in his voice said the Democrats wouldn't let President Bush fix Social Security? Compromise was not in the cards in those days!

Was Congressman Ford sleeping when Nancy Pelosi called President Bush "a total failure" in 2008? Or when Senate and House Democrats created the 2,000+ page Health Care bill in the dead of night without consulting the Republicans? Or when President Obama told the Republicans, "I won," to indicate to Republicans they would be shut out of the discussion on the Health Care bill if they didn't support his agenda? Where was he when the Speaker said, "If the election results close one door to reforming the health-care system, you go to the gate; if the gate's locked, you climb over the fence; if it's too high, you pole-vault in; and if that doesn't work, you parachute in?" Was Rep. Ford absent when the Dems rammed the unread and non-debated Health Care bill through without a single Republican vote? Why does his article appear now?

Even after their loss of over 60 seats in the House and after the creation of the No Labels movement, the Democrats kept the lame duck session of Congress open and in a partisan manner pushed many pieces of legislation through. The Republicans were voted in and will now be in charge of the House of Representatives. Therefore, one must wonder: After all the partisan bickering since the Democrats took over in 2006, why is everyone suddenly calling for bipartisanship?

After saying all of this I still believe each side needs to listen to the other, and we do need to work together to solve America's problems. But remember, in the event of a tie, we won!

For more information about Mark A. Cohen, see The Castle Rock, CO Gathering Place, Writer of the Month for Nov. 2010

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No Labels

Written : Dec. 28, 2010

Let me introduce the No Labels movement to you. They say, “We are Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who are united in the belief that we do not have to give up our labels, merely put them aside to do what’s best for America.” Sounds nice, doesn’t it? And, as I suggest in my book, From the Left to the Right, we need to lower the level of vitriol in our political dialogue, while adding a large dose of civility at the same time. They apparently agree, and I like their slogan, “Not left, not right, forward.” Cumbaya so far!

I find this movement intriguing, yet somewhat disturbing. Let me say first that none of the following items - by themselves - is any big deal. First of all, No Labels was kicked off on Dec. 13, 2010, at Columbia University in New York City, both bastions of liberalism. Secondly, any party, or ideology, which gets bashed in a national election, seems to start a ‘movement’ after their defeat. The Democrats just got throttled, so I have to ask myself if this is their movement. Thirdly, this centrist movement seems to be an extension of the Coffee Party, which was formed to counteract the Tea Party. Anything that distracts from the Tea Party in my opinion, is a detriment to our country, and no one even mentioned the Tea Party in the initial meeting of No Labels. In addition, the founders of No Labels are mostly left leaning, former Democratic Party operatives. Lastly, most of those who spoke at their first meeting were liberals and/or Democrats.

The group has some good ideas, but as with anything new, we need to be a little skeptical. Remember the brutal resistance the Tea Party encountered when it was first formed? Is No Labels a genuine and dedicated group of Americans who will really put partisan politics aside and work for the benefit of our country? Or, is this a slick group of liberals who are angry they were trounced in the last election and have a left-wing agenda to carry out? Time will tell…

For more information about Mark A. Cohen, see The Castle Rock, CO Gathering Place, Writer of the Month for Nov. 2010

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Responsibility vs. Morality

Written : Dec. 21, 2010

David Gregory of Meet the Press quoted President Obama from his book, Audacity of Hope, on the Dec. 19, 2010 show. Mr. Obama found the Bush tax rates for the wealthy “morally troubling.” Vice President Joe Biden said, “They are.” Mr. Biden insisted that he and President Obama still believe lower rates for the rich are immoral.

Bill O’Reilly took a more sensible view on his own show a day later. Bill feels it’s immoral for the responsible to pay for the irresponsible. O’Reilly believes the responsible can support others if they so choose, but it should not be an imperative set in place by the government. I agree, it should be up to us as to what we share, and not up to someone else’s arbitrary view of morality. Should others tell you what to do?

As one TV commentator puts it, “How much is too much?” Rich people pay about 70% of all U.S. taxes, depending upon how you define ‘rich.’ Their individual tax rates can be as high as 60%, if you include state, local, and sales taxes to federal. If taxes are to be raised on upper-income people, what is the appropriate rate? Do we try 80%? Why is that fair, and how do we know they are not already investing the extra 20% in stocks or in some form of business? Therefore, how can we assume they are not already creating or maintaining jobs for some of us? Wouldn’t it be suicide for us to pull the rug out from under them?

The Vice President said he and The President broke their campaign promise on letting the Bush cuts expire, and supported the recently passed the tax compromise bill only to help the middle class. This bill extends the Bush-era tax cuts for every American for another two years. Does he not realize that the struggle is and should be an individual one, and not based upon one’s economic class? Vice President Biden wants to revisit raising taxes on entrepreneurs prior to the next presidential election. Does he not understand that this is a recipe for disaster for his party? I guess not!

For more information about Mark A. Cohen, see The Castle Rock, CO Gathering Place, Writer of the Month for Nov. 2010

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Grover Norquist, Part II

Written : Dec. 7, 2010

…continued from last week…

The spectacular appearance of Grover Norquist on Washington Journal on Dec. 5, 2010 is worth discussing some more. He said that President Obama’s so-called stimulus package cost $800 billion, which led to higher unemployment, lower growth, and made the economy worse. How can you disagree?

Host Pedro Echevarria said the New York Times recently listed how much extending the Bush Tax Cuts could cost - and what it might yield for the U.S. if not extended. Each household over $250K would get an extra $25K annually if continued, while if the cuts expire, the Government would receive about $60 billion in revenue. The NYT suggested the $60 billion could buy - for example - a tripling of federal funding for research, or universal pre-school for 3- and 4-year-olds, or a much bigger troop surge in Afghanistan, etc. Mr. Echevarria asked Grover Norquist to respond.

The founder of Americans for Tax Reform surprised me with a little more excitement. “I don’t care what greedy politicians [want to do with] your income!” He then said that the NYT and the federal government play God and they think we’re wasting our money on our families. Norquist argued that we could spend it better. “The whole idea of the Tea Party was: You know what, Washington, you can’t spend my money better than I can and second of all, it’s not your money!”

Mr. Norquist continued, “The King wants the peasant’s money and he thinks the peasants are wasting it… It’s not the King’s money, it’s the American peoples’ money. We don’t have peasants in this country: We are citizens. …The nerve of the New York Times to announce: ‘Let me walk through your house and take things out...’ It’s not their job!”

Grover Norquist concluded, “Where was the NYT when we spent $800 billion on the so-called stimulus package…?” He then used an analogy. Take a cup to a lake and fill it with water. Next, walk around to the other side of the lake and dump the water in the cup back into the lake. And the so-called stimulus did it 800 billion times. Norquist suggested that Keynesian economics says if you take $1 from someone and give it to someone else it stimulates the economy. Doesn’t it seem like a silly idea?

For more information about Mark A. Cohen, see The Castle Rock, CO Gathering Place, Writer of the Month for Nov. 2010

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Grover Norquist, Part I

Written : Dec. 7, 2010

Did you catch Grover Norquist on Washington Journal on Dec. 5, 2010? Fortunately, I did. Mr. Norquist is the head of Americans for Tax Reform, and he was stellar on CSPAN!

According to Mr. Norquist, the Dems would like to make you believe they urgently want to extend the current tax rates for some but not for all. “Think about that,” he said. Democrats have had a majority in Congress for years (since 2006) and they’ve never even written a bill to extend the rates for anyone! “Not for poor people, not for middle-income people, for no one.” So, Mr. Norquist argued: President Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Sen. Harry Reid have gotten up every morning and never lifted a finger to extend these tax cuts. The concept that they have a burning desire to extend the lower rates for anyone is nonsense. They were hoping they could let the Bush cuts expire, but they were beaten in the last election.

He explains my position beautifully. Grover Norquist painted a verbal picture of the President standing in front of businesses with a sledgehammer. Since Norquist’s appearance on this program, the Congress and the President have compromised on an extension of the cuts for two years. But he was prepared for the circumstance. Mr. Norquist said that President Obama would say to businesses, “We’re not going to smash you in the face now, we’re going to smash you in the face in two years.”

Norquist maintains, “Do you think investors and businesses [are going to say] that’s great, we’re going to build a new factory because we’re protected for two years? And then you hit us in the side of the head? No. Temporary tax cuts don’t have the incentives…that people face.” He says that the President’s plan is to make the change temporary, and then cause them to expire after he gets re-elected.

Grover Norquist concluded that since the cuts are not permanent now, we have to replace President Obama “in two years with a president who respects that when people earn money, it belongs to them [and] not to some greedy politician....” Well put, man!

...to be continued next week…

For more information about Mark A. Cohen, see The Castle Rock, CO Gathering Place, Writer of the Month for Nov. 2010

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