I can accept this, however, that means the OP's assertion that Obama's new class warfare rhetoric has divided this country cannot be true because like you said, it takes time to manifest itself. I still say that no one is swayed one way or another by the rhetoric. If you were an Obama supporter before it, you will still support him after it...and if you hated him before he started spouting bad rich people stuff, you are not going to suddenly fall in love with him. The rhetoric allows people to seize on something, but the psychological divide was already in place long before Obama started talking about rich people. If I blame someone for something does that make them responsible for it? No, of course not. You'll find no argument here. Actually, if you watched the democratic primary, you would have noted that Hillary was supposed to win the nomination. However, she shot herself in the foot (no pun) when she lied about taking sniper fire in Bosnia, and that opened the door for Obama. As for tanks in the street Latin america style, well, we our police forces do have apc's so we are not far from that now.
If you don't think rhetoric matters, please do not speak to any family members who grew up in Nazi Germany. Most the Jews there would not agree with you that rhetoric doesn't matter. Yes, you are right in that rhetoric will not sway anyone. What it does do is fuel the fire!!!! That is my point. This President is showing up to a bonfire with 100 drums of gasoline. I'm sorry, but that worries me. Words matter, they really do man. Study history. They matter!
Rhetoric by itself is meaningless. The rhetoric of a dictator backed by a toothless legislature is something that is entirely different. As bad as it's gotten here in America, it is not that bad yet. Obama is not a dictator and the government is not unified behind him. Fuhrer's Principe does not apply. Forget Obama's rhetoric, the most dangerous thing he has done is take upon himself the power to assassinate an American citizen without due process. If you really want to focus on something scary and dangerous, that's all you need.
'Terrorist' is a label our government uses to dehumanize an individual. It may or may not actually be fitting. One day that label could be placed on someone who simply criticizes the government. What then? Remember, Awlaki wasn't even charged with a crime. No evidence was presented to a judge. Nothing. That is a very dangerous precedent.
I think that most of the citizens of the US know that rhetoric leads to shtf scenarios.. that's why they bought up all the ammo they could possibly get their hands on when Obama got elected... I'm still trying to find out what the exit plan is for the war on poverty.... It's been going on since the mid '60's and poverty is much more widespread, maybe it's time to think about beating a retreat and letting God take care of the distribution of goods, no?