TEA Party sympathizer and CNBC host Rick Santelli responded to the GOP slashing of the powers of the new Democratic Governor by going into a disingenuous State Rights argument. Politico Magazine contributor Jeff Greenfield responded with a discernable scorn.
TEA Party hack and CNBC Host Rick Santelli caused Jeff Greenfield’s painful grimace
TEA Party inspired Rick Santelli went on a State Rights diatribe on North Carolina’s GOP partisan attack on the powers of the new Democratic governor. Jeff Greenfield grimaced in pain, and in disbelief of Santelli’s ignorance.
Chuck Todd pointed out that even as what the Republicans who have a supermajority in North Carolina are doing is virtually unprecedented, partisan, and just wrong, it is legal. Rick Santelli, the man who gave the infamous rant that many claimed gave fuel to the TEA Party movement, gave a silly state rights answer.
“I believe in state power,” said Rick Santelli. “And I think much of this is due to a nasty election in that particular state. A lot of the issues that the Assembly is working on voter registration and some of those issues. But I think in the end they should be able to do as they wish. I think one of the key tenets of the election that we’ve seen in many elections since 2010 is the federal government gets too much control in various states. If this doesn’t go against what the rules of the state are, then I think the federal government ought to let them fight it out.”
Chuck Todd pushed back saying that it seemed like sour grapes on the part of the Republicans losing the North Carolina governorship. Jeff Greenfield and BBC anchor Katty Kay then chimed in.
“At the risk of repeating myself,” Jeff Greenfield said. “It’s another norm that has fallen. So when your guy wins, you give him as much power as you want. And when your guy loses, you take away the power of the guy whose freely elected. That does not sound like the way the process ought to work.”
“Democracy functions partly on law and partly on tradition and custom,” Katty Kay said. “And the peaceful, successful transition of power is part of that custom. If you state eroding those traditions and customs, you start undermining the functioning of democracy.”
Rick Santelli then angrily interjected.
“Traditions and customs, we have a less that 2% economy,” Santelli said. “We have Europe telling Brussels to hit the road. You know what, this nerve exists. And whether we like it or not, it’s going to play out. And I think that the media ought to focus on that nerve more.”
Jeff Greenfield lashed back.
“This has nothing to do with what happened in the election,” Greenfield said. “Not down in North Carolina, it doesn’t. It is a power grab by people who are doing it because they can in violation of a whole lot of what we use to think of as traditional when the other guy loses.
“What about the telephone call from Taiwan,” Santelli childishly asked. “Is that a norm that was broken?”
Jeff Greenfield shook his head from side to side as he listened to Santelli’s incoherent ramble. He then held his head in his hand as if he could take no more of the TEA Party style irresponsible rants.