Lawmakers consider new curbs on incendiary speech

Several leading House Democrats blamed inflammatory rhetoric for contributing to the Tucson massacre, while Republicans denounced criticism of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) following the tragedy.

Rep Louise Slaughter (D-NY) suggested the Federal Communications Commission was “not working anymore,” adding she would look at ways to better police language on the airwaves. Rep Slaughter cited Palin’s use of gun sights to target Democrats in last year’s election and the assertion by Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle (R) that “Second Amendment remedies” might be needed to stop the Democratic agenda. “There’s nothing else to surmise from that than that people should be shot,” Slaughter said. “What I'd like to see is if we could all get together on both sides of the aisle, Democrats and Republicans, and really talk about what we can do to cool down the country,” Rep Slaughter said.

“Part of that has to be what they’re hearing over the airwaves.” Rep James Clyburn (D-SC), the third-ranking House Democrat, also referenced Angle’s “Second Amendment” statement from the campaign. “He saw a Second Amendment remedy and that’s what occurred here and there is no way not to make that connection,” Rep Clyburn told the Charleston Post and Courier, referring to the alleged gunman, Jared Lee Loughner.