Montana Legislator tries to claim the Constitution says you can shoot Socialist"

[Fugus]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...on-socialists/

Rep. Rodney Garcia, a state lawmaker in Montana, told a roomful of Republicans he believes the U.S. Constitution says socialists can be jailed or shot simply for being socialists. Garcia initially made the statement at an election event, then he reiterated it to a Billings Gazette reporter.

The Republican Party in Montana swiftly rebuked him.

Garcia’s inflammatory assertion first came Friday night, after former interior secretary Ryan Zinke gave a speech at the party event in Helena. According to reporting from the Gazette, Garcia said he was concerned there were socialists “everywhere” in Billings, which he represents in House District 52.

Billings Gazette reporter Holly Michels later asked Garcia to clarify his remarks, and the lawmaker doubled down.

“So actually in the Constitution of the United States, [if you] are found guilty of being a socialist member you either go to prison or are shot,” Garcia told Michels.

Garcia was not able to say where he finds that in the Constitution, the Billings Gazette reported.

Anthony Johnstone, a law professor at the University of Montana, told The Washington Post that “nothing in the Constitution of the United States authorizes the government to punish socialists or anyone else on the basis of their political beliefs.” In fact, the First Amendment prohibits punishing political speech, and the Constitution of Montana “expressly prohibits discrimination on the basis of political beliefs,” Johnstone said. All state lawmakers swear an oath to uphold those doctrines.

People often misunderstand the Treason Clause in Article III of the Constitution, interpreting it to justify punishment of political opponents, Johnstone said. The framers, he said, “were careful to define treason narrowly so it could not be used for merely political purposes.”

In his interview with the Billings Gazette, Garcia said it was fair to shoot or jail socialists in Montana and across the country because they are enemies.

“They’re enemies of the free state,” Garcia told Michels. “What do we do with our enemies in war? In Vietnam, [Afghanistan], all those. What did we do?”

Garcia did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post.

Spenser Merwin, executive director of the Montana Republican Party, released a statement criticizing Garcia’s remarks.

“Under no circumstance is violence against someone with opposing political views acceptable,” Merwin said. “It’s disappointing that this isolated incident took away from the weekend’s events which showcased the strength of our statewide candidates and the importance of the upcoming election.”

President Trump and other Republicans across the country have used the term socialism to stir fear among their supporters when speaking about Democratic candidates running for the White House as well as other elected officials. Some Democratic Party front-runners in the 2020 presidential race have been campaigning on programs that would give the federal government more control, but only one, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, associates himself with the word “socialism.” Sanders, who has served as an independent in his own state, has said he is a democratic socialist.

Socialism is an economic philosophy that advocates collective public ownership of the means of production in a society that would lead to less corporate power and more wealth distribution. Democratic socialists believe socialism should be achieved democratically and slowly replace the free markets of capitalism.

Garcia told the Billings Gazette that based on Facebook advertising he has seen, he believes there is an influx of socialism in Montana that is “very dangerous.”

“They’re teaching that to kids,” Garcia told the newspaper. “Thank God my grandkids know it’s wrong because I teach them. And it’s a very dangerous situation.”

Garcia’s 2018 opponent in the race for House District 52 was a transgender woman named Amelia Marquez who is also a self-described democratic socialist. She told the Billings Gazette she wishes Garcia “would continue to focus on the issues rather than this constant worry over things that are somewhat ludicrous.”

Not even insulting the Republican party on this as they are rebuking him but what the actual fuck.....

How do loons like this keep getting elected......

Mod Edit: This thread is closed.

[Draco-Onis]

Not even insulting the Republican party on this as they are rebuking him but what the actual fuck.....

How do loons like this keep getting elected......

Let me remind you that this is the party that funded and supported racist pedophile Roy Moore and he barely lost. They have also voted into office indicted then convicted felons, there's no bottom for the right at the moment.

[Themius]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...on-socialists/



Not even insulting the Republican party on this as they are rebuking him but what the actual fuck.....

How do loons like this keep getting elected......

Remember when a literally nazi got like a quarter of the vote in 2018?

[Fugus]

Let me remind you that this is the party that funded and supported racist pedophile Roy Moore and he barely lost.

I know, the Republican party is fucked in the head, they support racists, they support pedophiles, they will actively support murdering and torturing immigrants and people in other nations. But to have one actually support shooting fellow Americans is a bridge I didn't think a legislator would openly support.

That is effectively trying to egg on a civil war at that point.

[NED funded]

Rodney Garcia you have my full support.

Godspeed dude

[JohnBrown1917]

Rodney Garcia you have my full support.

Godspeed dude

Scratch a lib/neolib and a fascist bleeds.

[NED funded]

Scratch a lib/neolib and a fascist bleeds.

Its called critical support for a reason

[Xarkan]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...on-socialists/



Not even insulting the Republican party on this as they are rebuking him but what the actual fuck.....

How do loons like this keep getting elected......

As i recall we have posters on this forum who think socialists should be gunned down like rabid dogs. If there are votes to be had from a specific position there will be people trying to get those votes.

[JohnBrown1917]

Its called critical support for a reason

Thats what the libs in '40s Germany also said when they sided with Hitler. Reminder to hide your nazi imagery from your parents, I don't think you want them to find out!

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As i recall we have posters on this forum who think socialists should be gunned down like rabid dogs. If there are votes to be had from a specific position there will be people trying to get those votes.

In this very thread lol

[Orbitus]

Let me remind you that this is the party that funded and supported racist pedophile Roy Moore and he barely lost. They have also voted into office indicted then convicted felons, there's no bottom for the right at the moment.

This is also a state that elected a guy that assaulted a reporter, just because he had an R next to his name.

[Machismo]

Rodney Garcia you have my full support.

Godspeed dude

At least you are finally admitting exactly what you are.

[Adam Jensen]

“So actually in the Constitution of the United States, [if you] are found guilty of being a socialist member you either go to prison or are shot,” Garcia told Michels.

I'd like for him to point out which section and which article of the Constitution this clause is written.

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Remember when a literally nazi got like a quarter of the vote in 2018?

And a dead guy.

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Thats what the libs in '40s Germany also said when they sided with Hitler. Reminder to hide your nazi imagery from your parents, I don't think you want them to find out!

Also, Swastikas have a 45 degree slant. Just trying to help out since many nascent Neo-Nazis seem to have a hard time with that.

[Z-Man]

So farmers are going to need to find somewhere other than Montana to cash their bailout checks?

[Xeones]

Wonder how he would feel if someone tried to argue it was ok to shoot anyone they feel is a fascist?

[Beefhammer]

As i recall we have posters on this forum who think socialists should be gunned down like rabid dogs. If there are votes to be had from a specific position there will be people trying to get those votes.

And many of those asshats are fully in favor of all the great socialist programs in our government. I would also bet, many of them benefited from unemployment, are on SS/MC/MA, work for or benefited from the police or fire departments, were in the military, benefit from our roads, and other infrastructure put in place by the government.

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Wonder how he would feel if someone tried to argue it was ok to shoot anyone they feel is a fascist?

It is isn't it?

[Edge-]

Given the current Republican party, this seems accurate for their understanding of the Constitution.

[GreenJesus]

What can I say besides "Oof" and "Yikes"?? What happened to the bill of rights?

[Wyrt]

But does he know what a socialist actually is or is he pulling the typical dumbfuck Republican card of calling every single fucking thing he doesn't like "socialism" and "far left?"

Because I have heard Republicans call free trade socialism before.

[Zaydin]

But does he know what a socialist actually is or is he pulling the typical dumbfuck Republican card of calling every single fucking thing he doesn't like "socialism" and "far left?"

Because I have heard Republicans call free trade socialism before.

What with the quality of todays 'Republicans', odds are 'socialism' to them means 'anything I don't like'.

[pathora44]

What can I say besides "Oof" and "Yikes"?? What happened to the bill of rights?

Everything but the 2nd Amendment is crossed out with red crayon because that is the only thing that matters to Republicans.