While I agree with the general sentiment, I still think it'd be a little short-sighted to stop short of investigating any political motivations behind the murder of a politician. This representative was on Sarah Palin's "target map", for example. This woman has used violent rhetoric in her calls to action among her fringe supporters. No, I don't think that means she's responsible for this representative's death.
This is my point, really. The "target map" is being dragged through the streets as "COINCIDENCE?!?!", but we're already pretty sure that the guy responsible had no affiliation with
any political party, much less the tea party. It's all pan-flashing in an attempt to throw dirt, justified or otherwise, onto a campaign. And that isn't meant to defend Palin in any way, as I think she's far too incompetent to even hint at the assassination of anyone - she just does what she does to get attention (read: votes). Not a day after the shooting and we already have people politicizing the crap out of it, when at the core of the incident is one lone, unstable, borderline insane individual. A criminal investigation is something else entirely, and should one become neccessary to investigate any politician/fringe group/etc, I'd be all for it.
Edit: orite
what is it going to take before we stop treating these nutjobs as just a couple gun-loving hillbillies and start treating them like anti-American terrorists?
'We' as in the media? When the few people left who buy newspapers die out. 'We' as in the American government? Well, we already ban the mentally unstable from purchasing firearms, but that's only if they're registered as mentally unstable - information that comes from the NICS, which is pulled from
very incomplete medical records stating if someone has been institutionalized - willingly or otherwise - in a mental hospital. So the intent is there, but the means is not. Naturally, there are very likely to be many crazies who've never seen the inside of a funny farm. In short, a better solution is needed.