The Republican Party, Where Spite is More Important Than "The Majority Rules"

Colorado will hold the first recall election in its history on September 10.  The N.R.A. and Colorado's Republican Party are trying to unseat two state senators who supported that state''s new gun law.

After the Columbine and Aurora massacres, the legislature of Colorado had had enough and passed a new gun law requiring universal background checks for all gun purchases and restricting magazine size to 15.  The bill had wide public support.  State Senators John Morse (D), who sponsored the bill, and Angela Giron (D) were both outspoken supporters of the bill and are now the focus of the September recall election.

Senator Morse who serves as President of the State Senate, is a former police chief who says he respects the Second Amendment, but with reasonable restrictions.  About the recall election, he said, "Recalls are for unethical behavior and not disagreements."

what eye thynk:   Senator Morse is absolutely correct; but today, so much of our political conversation is ruled by pettiness and spite that respect for our democratic process is beginning to seem like an anachronism.  

The principle of the-majority-rules no longer seems to apply in today's public arena.  "I don't agree with you, but your opinion garnered more votes than mine, so that's the way we'll go forward from here" has been replaced with "I don't agree with you and your opinion garnered more votes than mine, but I'm going to ignore the wishes of the majority and continue to fight you in every way I can.  And if I can ruin you in the process, so much the better."

The N.R.A. and Republicans who oppose the new gun bill see the recall election as a chance to send a message to any politician anywhere who is thinking about supporting similar legislation. Becky Mizel, chairwoman of the Republican Party in Ms. Giron's home district was recently quoted as saying "Legislators should be scared."

To show how petty and spiteful the recall effort is, Ms. Giron is up for re-election next year anyway.  And, under Colorado's term limits law, Mr. Morse is ineligible to run again in 2014.  

But spite is a drug that the Republican Party can't seem to get enough of.  And, for the N.R.A., the chance to bring down anyone who disagrees with them is a high they seem to crave beyond all reason.