Inciting to Riot 11

More of the same at a McCain-Palin rally in Pennsylvania:

Jeffrey Feldman sums it up perfectly [emphasis mine]:

As the 2008 race winds down, McCain's cynical campaign in Pennsylvania and other close states has succeeded in undermining any semblance of debate over real problems in America. In shouting violent epithets, the McCain supporters in Pottsville have abandoned any interest in real problems, choosing instead to tilt at windmills. Is America in real danger of a Manchurian candidate seizing hold of the White House by hiding his true identity from billions of people the world over for decades? Sadly, that is not even the real question that concerns the country. What we should all be asking is: Can we afford to waste even one more second on useless bigotry and fear that does nothing but prevent us from working together to solve real problems?

The answer is a resounding: No!

Imagine what it would mean for the United States and the world if the mob politics of McCain's campaign were to dominate the next 8 years. It would ruin this country--destroy it every level.

A victory for McCain delivered by an enraged campaign mob would shatter any and all possibility for deliberative democracy. Democratic government based on conversation would give way to rule by mobilizing panic. If victory comes at the hands of rage and panic, governing by the same is quick to follow.

What a world it would be. A world completely devoid of solutions to any of the problems we face. A world without healthcare. A world without retirement security. A world without effective education. A world without renewable energy. A world not fueled by optimism and American pragmatism, but by constant, never ending alarm.

The McCain campaign panic Americans see in Pennsylvania is more than just a window onto an ugly side of American life. It is a warning.

If you want to call voters in PA, here's the Obama phone-banking widget.