Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Media Matters nails John L. Perry, a Newsmax columnist, for a column that pretty clearly urged a military coup against the American government to fix what he calls the "Obama problem." He wrote:
Will the day come when patriotic general and flag officers sit down with the president, or with those who control him, and work out the national equivalent of a "family intervention," with some form of limited, shared responsibility?Imagine a bloodless coup to restore and defend the Constitution through an interim administration that would do the serious business of governing and defending the nation. Skilled, military-trained, nation-builders would replace accountability-challenged, radical-left commissars. Having bonded with his twin teleprompters, the president would be detailed for ceremonial speech-making.
Military intervention is what Obama's exponentially accelerating agenda for "fundamental change" toward a Marxist state is inviting upon America. A coup is not an ideal option, but Obama's radical ideal is not acceptable or reversible.
Unthinkable? Then think up an alternative, non-violent solution to the Obama problem. Just don't shrug and say, "We can always worry about that later."
In the 2008 election, that was the wistful, self-indulgent, indifferent reliance on abnegation of personal responsibility that has sunk the nation into this morass.
It appears that Newsmax has now removed the column because if you try to go to it, you'll just get the front page. Google still shows the article there, but you can't actually get to it.
Politics
Comments
Talking Points Memo has the text of the article.
Posted by: countlurkula | October 1, 2009 9:19 AM
Steve Benen is skeptical on Newsmax's attempts to distance itself from Mr. Perry.
Posted by: Michael Heath | October 1, 2009 9:20 AM
Link didn't work the first time. Try again:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/09/full_text_of_newsmax_column_suggesting_military_co.php
Posted by: countlurkula | October 1, 2009 9:22 AM
TPM claims this is the full text of the Newsmax/Perry column.
Posted by: Michael Heath | October 1, 2009 9:36 AM
So...how hard would it be to find a Newsmax column (ot three) deriding those who criticized the Shrub administration?
Anyone willing to sacrifice a few brain cells?
Posted by: FastLane | October 1, 2009 9:38 AM
It's become increasingly clear in recent years that right-wingers actually have no idea what's in the Constitution. There's no surer way of violating it than through a military coup.
Posted by: James Hanley | October 1, 2009 9:51 AM
Wow. Just wow.
I loved this bit:
They can see that Americans are increasingly alarmed that this nation, under President Barack Obama, may not even be recognizable as America by the 2012 election, in which he will surely seek continuation in office.
OMG, Obama is probably going to seek continuation in office for another term in 2012. Only a pinko commie fascist socialist Muslim foreigner would do that! Time to overthrow the bastard!
Posted by: Adrienne | October 1, 2009 9:53 AM
So it begins. The meme is given a test drive by some nobody. It will come back, especially if the Pentagon doesn't get its way overseas.
Compare to the "Iran has a secret nuclear weapons program" meme: It's the same thing: Lie for us and force military action, or action will be taken anyway. Obama stood before the American people and lied his ass off about Iran.
Unless Obama expands the wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and creates a new one in Iran, he's gone. I'd give even odds that he makes it through 2012. I realize this is pessimistic, but I really don't see a happy ending here.
Posted by: kehrsam | October 1, 2009 9:53 AM
Hey, do you think that what Perry wrote could be considered......treason?
Someone call Ann Coulter!
Seriously, where are all the repubs who shouted down those who criticized GWB because he was a "sitting president during wartime"?
Posted by: Adrienne | October 1, 2009 9:59 AM
"Skilled, military-trained, nation-builders would replace accountability-challenged, radical-left commissars."
This is a great plan, signed the success stories of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Posted by: JohnV | October 1, 2009 10:00 AM
Unfortunately Commodeodor Perry's bons mot are no longer on "NewsMax" (what a misnomer). His bio is still up, for the moment, at: http://www.newsmax.com/john_perry/bio/.
It seems that Mr. Perry is another of those people who toiled in obscurity while an apparatchik in the Johnson and Carter WH. Lucky for him that he discovered the marketbility of horseshit that gets decorated with the flag. What an idiot.
Posted by: democommie | October 1, 2009 10:12 AM
Oh sorry, what the guy did is sedition, not treason.
On another note: I just discovered that comedian Jackie Mason is now a WND columnist, writing a column called, "The Ultimate Jew". How bizarre.
Posted by: Adrienne | October 1, 2009 10:14 AM
Oh this is wonderful. A wingnut blogger claims that Perry is really a crazy liberal and is in no way a conservative because he worked for Democrats 20 yrs ago. Even though Perry writes a column called "Right Angles" for newsmax.
http://www.publiusforum.com/2009/09/30/lefty-outrage-at-conservative-article-misses-key-fact-writer-isnt-conservative/
Posted by: Adrienne | October 1, 2009 10:16 AM
Unthinkable? Then think up an alternative, non-violent solution to the Obama problem. Just don't shrug and say, "We can always worry about that later." In the 2008 election, that was the wistful, self-indulgent, indifferent reliance on abnegation of personal responsibility that has sunk the nation into this morass.
The irony of this statement is downright painful.
Why is it those who claim to love this country the loudest, wrap themselves in the flag, scream "traitor" and "treason" at the top of their lungs, always seem to be the ones who are willing to destroy what they claim to love for personal preservation?
This is very concerning because you have this constant meme that Obama isn't legitimate, isn't even American. To that they've added the Hitler/Stalin bullshit, portraying him as not only an "outsider" but an atheist-Islamic, communist-fascist outsider. Add in the weapons at the tea parties and referring to the President as a "problem," and you have the stage set for an assassination. Finally we have this truly traitorous idiocy; effectively waxing nostalgic about a hypothetical overthrow of the government by the military.
Posted by: dogmeatIB | October 1, 2009 10:20 AM
Well, as you know, atheism leads to violence, lawlessness and lack of civility. But FOX, Beck and Drudge encouraging this kind of talk? That's just a free and untrammelled exercise of free speech, necessary to the great free market of ideas.
Posted by: gwangung | October 1, 2009 10:28 AM
Yeah, people do tend to freak out when it's suggested that there are atheists among them.
Posted by: AL Jeremy | October 1, 2009 10:47 AM
And what part of the constitution would we be restoring?
Is the executive branch setting up funding of faith based charities in violation of the 1st amendment? Nope, that would be Bush.
Is the executive branch wiretapping our phones or searching our personal records without a warrent? Nope, that would be the Bush administration.
Is the executive branch violating the 5th, 6th and 7th amendments by denying citizens due process, speedy trials and civil trials? Nope, that was the Bush administration again.
Is the executive branch supporting the use of cruel and unusual punnishment in violation of the 8th amendment by waterboarding prisoners? Once again, that was the Bush administration.
So where was the outrage when a president actually was violating the constitution?
Posted by: GregB | October 1, 2009 11:11 AM
Article One, Section Two, Clause 3.
Posted by: D. C. Sessions | October 1, 2009 11:26 AM
Stupid Birthers. Go away!
Posted by: Iason Ouabache | October 1, 2009 11:31 AM
Got questions? Got answers.
Posted by: Scott Hanley | October 1, 2009 11:41 AM
There's two things here that I think are important.
1. I'm starting to become immune to the idiocy. It no longer surprises me at how BAD it is. That disturbs me that "they" have distorted my views such.
2. Jesus General responds:
http://patriotboy.blogspot.com/2009/09/secret-constitutional-duties-of.html
Posted by: Drake33 | October 1, 2009 12:34 PM
At least when the teabaggers were calling for open revolt they were asking the people to overthrow the Obama "Marxist dictatorship". Can we now assume that the right wing is returning to their traditional preference for a coup by the state security forces?
Posted by: Chiroptera | October 1, 2009 12:40 PM
Recess appointments?
I don't get your point, assuming you have one.
Posted by: xebecs | October 1, 2009 1:20 PM
xebecs, #23:
Ha ha ha ha. Thanks for the question, xebec. It made me look it up, and DC Sessions won teh intertubes here.
The following used to be part of Article 1, Section 2, clause 3: Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.
The Civil War Amendments removed this portion of the clause. DC Sessions is suggesting that this is the part of the Constitution that the birfers want restored.
Jesus, that was funny.
Posted by: Chiroptera | October 1, 2009 1:24 PM
Oops. I just reread your post more carefully, xebecs, and your question wasn't what I though it was. Sorry for ruining the joke by explaining it.
Posted by: Chiroptera | October 1, 2009 1:55 PM
gwangung:
"Birferthink" (I know, it's an oxymoron) is to the "Marketplace of Ideas" what Dollar Tree is to Neiman Marcus.
Posted by: democommie | October 1, 2009 2:05 PM
he wants a military coup?
Ask the Burmese and the Argentines, maybe even the Brazilians and the Chinese how well that works.
Posted by: Tsu Dho Nimh | October 1, 2009 2:05 PM
Well since the current economic crisis is viewed as the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930's it makes sense that this would come around again.
I read this book a long time ago after seeing this episode of the short lived TV Series City of Angels with Wayne Rodgers. In that scenario they attempted to convince a retired general to assume leadership of the country in a Fascist take over, fortunately he remembered his commitment to uphold the constitution. I suspect our current military will do the same.
Posted by: JackU | October 1, 2009 2:29 PM
A program which Obama proudly continued.
Another program which Obama proudly continued.
A third program Obama proudly continued. Although Obama hasn't continued this program, he continues to protect those who originated it.Posted by: llewelly | October 1, 2009 3:01 PM
llewelly, #29:
I see your point here. But I would like to repeat something that a commenter on a previous topic pointed out: these aren't the issues that frighten the anti-Obama crowd. What they find frightening is that Obama wants all Americans to have access to necessary health care.
Posted by: Chiroptera | October 1, 2009 3:21 PM
We need a coup because those right-wing "nation-builders" did such a good job in Iraq? (Not knocking the military. The military was never never trained for "nation building". That's what the State Department is trained for, and never used for.)
Posted by: Scott | October 1, 2009 3:23 PM
Posted by: llewelly | October 1, 2009 6:10 PM
Lindsey Graham calls birthers crazy. Says Glenn Beck is a cynic. "Graham also ventured to call "crazy" a recent article on Newsmax, laying out how a military coup could overtake the Obama administration."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/01/sen-graham-calls-beck-a-c_n_306434.html
Finally, a Republican with something approximating sanity (also against torture). Now when will the leaders of the Republican party stand up?
Posted by: JusticeLeague | October 1, 2009 7:00 PM
I'm sure Andy Williams agrees with this guy!
Posted by: Siamang | October 1, 2009 7:07 PM
Justice League @ 33:
He also dissed Rush Limbuagh. I'm not a fan of Senator Graham, I think he's one of the sleaziest opportunists in the Senate. However, I've been whining about there not being any formal leaders in the Republican Party taking an aggressive rhetorical dissent at the party's informal leaders' message of hate, insurrection, and insanity, and here Graham does. So kudos to him.
I still don't trust him.
Posted by: Michael Heath | October 1, 2009 7:20 PM
"And what part of the constitution would we be restoring?
...
So where was the outrage when a president actually was violating the constitution?"
Posted by: GregB @ 17
He's black. The constitution was written by white folk.
Posted by: Katkinkate | October 1, 2009 7:22 PM
Michael-I suppose it's a disheartening sign that we actually offer kudos to someone for the simple willingness to call crazy people crazy.
Still it shows where the other Repukes are that none nof them have seen fit to do so.
Posted by: JusticeLeague | October 1, 2009 7:40 PM
Lets throw this treasonous bastard in jail and throw away the key.
Posted by: Paul | October 1, 2009 8:49 PM
Adrienne:
Oh this is wonderful. A wingnut blogger claims that Perry is really a crazy liberal and is in no way a conservative because he worked for Democrats 20 yrs ago. Even though Perry writes a column called "Right Angles" for newsmax.
Look, at one time Charles Krauthammer supposedly worked for the Carter administration. And we all know what a screaming liberal he is, right?
Posted by: Chris Krolczyk | October 1, 2009 8:55 PM
You can find it in all it's glory, here: http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?p=9717050 posted by "7thAngel" who did his/her patriotic duty to keep it in the spotlight
Posted by: Jeanne | October 1, 2009 10:43 PM
"We have to burn the constitution in order to save it." :) - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | October 1, 2009 10:51 PM
Re Chris Krolczyk
Actually, I think that Dr. Krauthammer worked at one time for Speaker of the House, Tip O'Neill.
Re Justice League & Michael Heath
Relative to Senator Graham, there are rather strong rumors in South Carolina that he is a closeted gay man. For some reason, the Rethuglican Party seems to attract such individuals (e.g. David Drier, Charlie Crist, Rick Perry, Mitch McConnell, not to forget Mark Foley and Larry Craig)
Posted by: SLC | October 2, 2009 5:31 AM
SLC:
They are in the closet, but the entire back wall of the house is missing, so they ain't 'zackly invisible.
Posted by: democommie | October 2, 2009 8:32 AM