How Yummy Are ‘Heads on Sticks'?

"Heads on Sticks" is back.

This charming verbal construction came from the Southern California talk radio hosts John & Ken, who in the past have demanded the heads of apostate Republicans in the California legislature who dare vote for tax increases. These hosts have big conservative audiences, and have succeeded in intimidating any GOP legislator whose devotion to math and balanced budgets might tempt them to support revenue increases.

The "Heads on Sticks" talk is back -- as you can see from this post -- because Gov. Jerry Brown is looking for a few Republicans to support his proposal to put temporary tax increases on the ballot. Mind you, said Republicans could still oppose the tax increases, but conservatives object to putting even the question to voters.

To protect themselves from having their heads mounted on sticks, a new Taxpayers Caucus of legislative Republicans was formed this week. These are the Republicans-who-won't-raise-taxes-no-matter-what-even-if-the-Almighty-Himself-ordered-it. Those Republicans who have decided not to join are getting the "heads on sticks" treatment.

Now, if this sort of rhetoric sounds uncivil or inappropriate in the wake of the shooting of a Congresswoman in Arizona, well, Republican political rhetoric isn't for you.

My own position: I love eating anything on a stick, but I've heard Republicans -- who live on a diet high in red meat -- can taste kind of gamey.

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