but people don't usually break the law unless they feel they will be able to get away with it.

Some people, like Mayfield, don't feel they can do time in prison...

cannabis users would also attest, in addition to the ones above.

Not to mention tens of millions of repeat offenders, of which a goodly portion are completely sane.

sentence in order to understand what it is I'm saying.

Anyone who is currently smoking weed is doing so because 1) they like it, and 2) they are not anticipating being arrested and jailed for it. If a police officer was standing right by them and weed is illegal where they live, a sane person is most likely not going to light up knowing they would be arrested soon after.

There are perfectly sane people who choose jail in order to protest injustice because the whole aim of their protest is to 1) raise awareness of a particular issue and 2) demonstrate their moral fortitude by showing a willingness to be jailed for their beliefs.

These situations are both completely different from say, a bank robber, who purposely breaks the law in anticipation of getting away with it. If Mr/Ms Bank Robber had a crystal ball and foresaw their own arrest beforehand, they will probably be sane enough not to carry out their plan.

Perhaps you mistakenly believe I'm endorsing incarceration (which I'm not)? Simply stating that a sane person is not going to break the law if they know with 100% certainty they will be locked up for it.

Just because it is for you doesn't mean it is for them.

Whether they are sane or not is a separate issue.

But you seem to be more interested in proving what you are saying than looking at all the evidence around you, which is a waste of time.

Enjoy. And I won't be able to read any reply.

but you seem as if you want to argue about something, jtuck004.

I don't know what your issue is, but please work it out before trying to pick a fight buddy.

It perhaps suggests that life in prison w/o parole is the
more unpleasant punishment than the death penalty
w/o parole?

From all accounts, he was a nice guy who got sucked into the conspiracy.

Tea Party is evil.

for the Bagger Brigade. Hell, he was their Number Two guy in the state...not some tool who got "sucked in." He was running the show.

Anyone who sneaks into a nursing facility for patients with severe dementia with the idea to take pictures of a bedridden, addled old woman, and to want to use those pictures to suggest that a guy is a "bad husband" because he doesn't have his drooling spouse at home because she's been "gone" for 12 years, is not a "nice guy." That is a pretty vicious political operative.

I agree, MADem. I found it absolutely disgusting that they would take pictures of her for any reason, but beyond vile that it was for a political smear campaign. They deserve to rot in jail. If he couldn't face it, it was his choice. No need to feel bad.

Sorry, but that is the unvarnished truth.

A nice guy, IMO, wouldn't be involved in spreading photos of someone's bed ridden wife which were illegally taken inside a private nursing home.

But I'll agree with you, the tea party is evil.

He was an asshole.

And now he's a dead asshole. He was a political thug/gangster, who could do the crime, but he couldn't do the time. People who try to rig elections and who play every dirty trick legal or not, to win, are common criminals. I think the guy probably deserved a good ass whipping, but not death. I have no sympathy for anyone who would pester some elderly lady in a nursing home, in order to sling some political mud.

Jail was too good for that asshole, IMHO, and apparently Mr. Asshole felt the same way about it himself.

So I'm asking this question very seriously...ARE YOU F**KING OUT OF YOUR MIND?????

It's what he actually does.

but you can’t be a “nice guy” and be a tea bagger.. Can an out and out racist be a nice guy?

"nice guys" do not do such despicable things. I feel bad for his family but, he was not a "nice guy".

You have an awfully bizarre sense of what's "nice".

Hey, let's get some pics of a dementia patient!

Nice!

I don't have any reason to doubt what you said. I agree, Tea Party is awful. Many seemingly nice folks do get sucked into conspiracies. So, I hope you enjoy a nice weekend, knowing that at least one DU poster understands what you said, and didn't jump to a knee-jerk condemning response, lol.

A good question to ask before a politically motivate act.

for being a spark plug in a movement that would ultimately hasten the deaths of millions thru the elimination of care and assistance they rely on.

His "elimination" actually SERVES the Tea Party as I see it. He's now just a footnote as opposed to having his testimony to use against the party and it's aims.

Maybe he was suicided to death.
That group of teabaggers are particularly nasty and I would not put anything past them.

How the hell do you use footage of someone's sick hospitalized wife against him in a political campaign?

"Mayfield, vice chairman of the Mississippi Tea Party, and is one of the three men charged with conspiring with Clayton Kelly to photograph U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran's bedridden wife in her nursing home and create a political video against Cochran."

I just don't see any possible angle from which this can be held against Sen. Cochran, unless they somehow have compelling evidence that he was responsible for her illness or had a mistress on the side, in which case they probably would have mentioned it with or without the video footage. Right?

Oh well, Republican primaries are weird.

He apparently travelled a lot with a certain female aide.

then I would hardly call being with someone else "cheating". His wife likely hasn't "been there" for a long time.

What would they want him to do? Become a sexless monk or climb on top of a bedridden person with dementia? The man was trying to get on with his life and I honestly don't blame him.

Also, remember Terri Schiavo? Conservatives might be more likely to consider it cheating, IMHO.

The only time you would bed another woman is if your wife has died.

Choices are made.
It is not easy.

You can speak or observe couples caring for, tending one another when the relationship is unequal regarding health.

Many here can attest to that, either in their own case or through observation.

but it has to be a personal choice as to what the person decides to do. That scenario may not be right for someone but completely right for someone else. I can't and won't judge someone based on if they decide to date or not.

Example: My uncle was married to a woman who had huntington's disease. There is no cure and the individual who has it is on a long slide downward. She was violent to the point he would have to go out and sleep in the woods behind his house. He stayed with her until their son was 16 so that he (the boy) could legally decide with which parent to live with (and also to protect him from his mother). On his 16th birthday he took his son and left. He did not divorce her though, and he did support her for the rest of her life. He did start dating after he left her.

For him to not want to have some happiness in his life, to me, seems far fetched and a cruelty after what he had lived with for almost 20 years. I can't see judging him badly, or at all for that matter on his decision.

Like I said, and PLEASE take this point that I am making to heart........ what is the right situation for one person doesn't make it the right situation for another.

I submit that it is not wise for a person in elected life to consort regularly with someone while still married.

Yes, I realize many persons/voters do not care, and, indeed, the person so acting may be a far better candidate for office than the opponent(s) and therefore, the preferred candidate. (Ex. of public not caring - Mark Sanford, though whether he was the better candidate, I cannot say).

My friend's spouse had and died of Huntington's disease; one adult child has also died of the same disease, and three more are afflicted, and I am aware that psychological impairments are also a part of it, as one of the adult children was convicted and is serving a jail sentence for sexually abusing a young child; apparently, one can lose the inhibitions one has been taught regarding that phase of morality with the illness, among other problems.

During that person's long illness, the spouse commented to me on those who divorce during that time, many for monetary reasons. For that person, divorce would not be considered.

Bottom line, Sen. Cochran's liason with his staffer does diminish him somewhat in my eyes. He is likely still preferable to his Tea Party rival, McDaniels, but, hopefully, Travis Childers, the Democratic Senatorial candidate, will prevail on the issues.

Just show footage of any bedridden elderly lady, with the sinister voiceover making insinuations. Fairly standard stuff, as far as i can tell. No need to go all paparazzi on Cochran's wife. Oh well, wouldn't be the first time rightwingers have acted with spectacularly inexplicably poor discernment.

As political dirty tricks go, it doesn't seem like a "good" choice.

Last edited Thu Feb 26, 2015, 05:48 PM - Edit history (3)

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jtstillwater {responding to Allie Jones}
Yesterday 12:18pm

Before anyone jokes about this guy's suicide, I should say that whenever someone with a mental illness (hi!) reads about a suicide, there's a certain amount of fear — the thought process is sort of like, "Well I always tell myself I wouldn't do it, but clearly some people do, so what's saying that won't change?"

No question he did something awful, no question his political beliefs are unreasonable. But suicide is a horror.

Suicide prevention hotline: 1-800-273-8255

is going to get you in trouble at DU. Just sayin'.

I thought that was the correct response the last time we went through this, which was only a few months ago.

Horror as banker, 39, plunges to his death from headquarters of JP Morgan in Canary Wharf

..if you honor W.C.Fields with your screen name.

Anyone reading this who might feel suicidal, please call. They can help. There are other options and your life can get much better. There are many people who have been through suicidal feelings who are now living grateful, productive and overall healthy happy lives!

quite insane.

Guilt is a terrible mistress.

Remember the soul-deep regret Lee Atwater expressed at the end of his life?

At that time, he apologized to many people he had harmed (or intended to Harm) with his dirty tricks. Many thought it sincere. One person he apologized to was John Kerry, who he had spread lies about and harassed in the 1970s. If his apology were in fact genuine, he could have proven it in 2004. Did he speak out about how he and Nixon explicitly used John O'Neal to try to destroy the effectiveness of a young, honest, war hero? No, he backed the SBVT.

Atwater was dealing with death and he believed he would be judged after death by God. Obviously, I can't know what was in his heart, but it is hard to believe that if a medical miracle had occurred that years later he would have told the truth and defended anyone that he had smeared for the Republicans. Though we heard of his regrets, we did NOT hear any new details on who ordered him to do what or any attempts to try to correct lies. (In fact, as they destroyed political chances or careers, it would be impossible to correct the wrong done, but it is not clear that even did as much as he could to leave a complete account of what he did. )

I suspect that Colson, in finding a way to restore his own self image and the way others viewed him, likely did mean what he was saying. However, at a point where it would have taken courage to speak against people continuing what he started - at the cost of hurting himself with his own allies - he failed. Atwater had no down side to expressing his regrets as he was dying. I doubt it hurt his standing with anyone and helped with many willing to forgive. I would be more convinced had he provided any details that either helped a victim or identified higher ups who approved transgressions.

This may seem unforgiving, but an apology that does not even try to undo the damage done, seems pretty weak -- even if made on a deathbed. It does indicate that when faced with his own mortality, he knew what he did was wrong.

And JK graciously accepted it. But I dont think they were sincere as well as Colson.
Its still admirable that Kerry had this ability of forgivness. I dont think that if I suffered that same kind of harassment I would be able to forgive that way...even décades after the fact jad occured.

What a collossal waste of life and money this Tea Party fad has become. I said back in 2010 that the Republicans would rue he day they welcomed these crazies into the fold.

...His areas of expertise include real property matters, sale-purchase agreements, loan closings, title insurance, secured creditors rights, judicial and power of sale foreclosures (statewide), evictions and creditors rights in bankruptcy.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/mark-mayfield/57/672/940

and that would have been in a minimum security county or state jail. There were most likely other issues, including mental health issues, going on. Ironically, every tea party member I have ever spoken too has had nothing good to stay about psychology or psychiatric drugs. So, maybe he had some mental illness that was untreated.

And one I didn't even think of.

...keeps the investigation from going up the Food Chain. (Dead men tell no tales)

My wife has a terminal illness. To think that these ass-hats see this as a mark against a person just nauseates me.

My wife's illness does not reflect negatively on me. And it damn sure doesn't reflect negatively on HER.

What's the matter with those people?

I didn't think conservatives were capable of shame.

he was scared shitless of prison, with good reason.

Mrs. Cochran is bedridden in a nursing home. How was that supposed to be used against the Senator?

...while I suppose one who is deeply depressed is capable of most anything, I can't help but think there might have been something much worse coming to light for an individual to do something so dire. My condolences to his family, and may his soul rest at peace.

Was he killed by:

1) Obama? (just because)

2) McDaniels for botching his mission?

3) Cochran for revenge?

4) Himself, because he suddenly developed a conscience and realized the unforgivable thing he had done?

5) Himself, because he was yet another mentally ill person with access to a firearm?

...bye.

Anyone who kills him/herself - whether they're on our side or not - is suffering from a mental disorder (either temporary/acute or long-term/chronic) that has little relationship to "overt" political actions.

Even in the face of criminal charges or guilt and regret over past actions, there has to be a component of some sort of mental or emotional imbalance to push someone to suicide.

I abhor this guy's political worldview. But his suicide is not something we should be flippant about.

Agree 100% It's devastating for family & loved ones in a way I would not wish on anyone.

I detest the simplistic bullshit and ignorance displayed regarding any suicide - people, if you do not understand suicide, consider yourself fortunate and STFU

Countdown to tea partiers claiming he was murdered in 3....2.....1....

This is truly sad to me, no matter how much I may have disagreed with this man's distasteful Tea Party stands. Ideology and political obsessions drive people down uncharted paths. Maybe there were other, underlying issues at stake in this man's suicide (mental health or family issues), but all I have to go on at this point is that in a zealous, misguided moment in pursuit of political success, he made a horrible misjudgment, was arrested, would probably have lost his law license if convicted ... and took his own life.

Sit back for one moment and reflect on what is important in your life. I know I have cut back greatly on my political junkie-ism over the past few years, watching less political television, reading fewer blogs, trying to be less hyperbolic and hysterical in my reactions to all the momentary crap that passes by each day here on DU and elsewhere. It doesn't mean I don't keep myself informed, or write my legislators, or even donate or work on campaigns at the appropriate moment. But a 24-7 diet of political intrigue is bad for one's health, physical and mental.

I wish this person had found a different way ... before he was led to take such an irreversible step.

So well stated.. You can only wonder what sadness was in this mans life aside from politics, that he would take his own life.

I am 180 degrees opposite of this man in my political leanings, but I will not dance on his grave. He was somebody's child..

more than you might imagine. Have a wonderful weekend.

You have a good weekend too!!

and help us see the awful paradigms to which we (and I mean me as well) are enslaved. I truly wish to get others to join us in that struggle to free ourselves from these awful paradigms. For me, that includes reducing our spending on the military-industrial complex, asking more from those who benefit most in our society, and spending that towards better education and health care for all. Bearing all that in mind, I try my best to be aware that others will read my posts who may not have the same ideologies or policy preferences as mine. I believe I will only win them over, so they can see that this will also benefit them and their loved ones, by practicing the kind of tolerance and thoughtfulness that I would wish be extended toward me in time of devastating loss like suicide. Maybe I'm nuts, but I think that how we respond publicly or on a message board to difficult events like this reflects maybe some small part of our humanity. Thank you for your post. Have a good weekend.

who will go unpunished, and hundreds of those (the most vile) will move up the TP food chain, with the absolute dregs actually getting elected to office (Ted Cruz). So the odds favor being a sociopath.

I guess he screwed up their evil scheme and the Tea Partyists threatened him, or maybe you just don't mess with Repukes even if you're a Repuke because they'll have your hide? Either way, I think this guy was driven to it, probably, by right wingers.

May he rest in peace and may his wife and family find comfort.

What has gone through their mind. I would ask Why but now understand why I did not understand. Suicide is heartbreaking for those left behind,