‘You Are Terrifying Us’
We have entered uncharted territory in the fight over national health care. There’s a new tone in the debate, and it’s ugly. At the moment the Democrats are looking like something they haven’t looked like in years, and that is: desperate.
They must know at this point they should not have pushed a national health-care plan. A Democratic operative the other day called it “Hillary’s revenge.” When Mrs. Clinton started losing to Barack Obama in the primaries 18 months ago, she began to give new and sharper emphasis to her health-care plan. Mr. Obama responded by talking about his health-care vision. He won. Now he would push what he had been forced to highlight: Health care would be a priority initiative. The net result is falling support for his leadership on the issue, falling personal polls, and the angry town-hall meetings that have electrified YouTube.
In his first five months in office, Mr. Obama had racked up big wins—the stimulus, children’s health insurance, House approval of cap-and-trade. But he stayed too long at the hot table. All the Democrats in Washington did. They overinterpreted the meaning of the 2008 election, and didn’t fully take into account how the great recession changed the national mood and atmosphere.
And so the shock on the faces of Congressmen who’ve faced the grillings back home. And really, their shock is the first thing you see in the videos. They had no idea how people were feeling. Their 2008 win left them thinking an election that had been shaped by anti-Bush, anti-Republican, and pro-change feeling was really a mandate without context; they thought that in the middle of a historic recession featuring horrific deficits, they could assume support for the invention of a huge new entitlement carrying huge new costs.
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MaryT Says:
Hopefully the liberals will face the same problem if they think voters want an election over EI.
Posted on August 7th, 2009 at 10:07 am
Mac Says:
No question: vast right-wing conspiracy to smear Obama backed by the GOP. It has all the hallmarks… well dressed citizens criticizing The One…
Posted on August 7th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Cynapse Says:
No no Mac, the GOP would never run a negative campaign. These are just good Americans who heard the flutes and drums, donned their fake white wigs and decided to rough up a few government officials for … say it with me now … frrrrrrrreeeeeedom!
Posted on August 7th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Mac Says:
I’m sure you’re mistaken, Cynapse. It must be a right-wing conspiracy… and the GOP has to be at fault. After all, ordinary citizens would never criticize The One and His Agenda of Change unless they were tricked or provoked by the GOP!!
Posted on August 7th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Cynapse Says:
To that level of organization and flash mob violence? I’m pretty sure most Americans work for a living.
Posted on August 7th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
jt Says:
The ones doing the “roughing up” appeared to be wearing SEIU t-shirts in the video I viewed. They appeared quite “organized” in their efforts.
If you’re right Cynapse, then they must have been GOP “organized”, eh? Sneaky!
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Cynapse Says:
The Tea Party 2.0 started the violence. Why would the Union or ACORN attack government officials since, according to you, they are carrying out a left-wing agenda?
Funny how GOP members and FOX News personalities spoke at all the Tea Party 1.0 events, BTW. It seems the trend is continuing [from article]:
The event was sponsored by sponsored by state Rep. Betty Reed and the Service Employees International Union, but many protesters said they were prompted to attend by the Tampa 912 activist group promoted by conservative television personality Glenn Beck, the St. Petersburg Times reported
But this is just a citizen protest, right? No political gamesmanship at all …. naaaah.
Do you really think people are that stupid, JT/Mac/MaryT/etc?
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
jt Says:
The video I viewed was of a black gentleman who was kicked around by purple t-shirt wearing individuals wich were clearly marked “SEIU”. I don’t care if theystarted the meeting, if so then they sure looked like they wanted to “finish” it.
I don’t see where you have to call us collectively ”stupid” here, Cynapse. None of the previous posts called you “stupid” or anything else for expressing your POV. So save that kind of rhetoric for somone else. You are sounding like Scott Reid, he’s your mentor, right?
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Cynapse Says:
Hold on, I did not call you stupid. I implied that you think everyone else is stupid enough to believe this is a natural citizens revolt. No rag-tag group of random citizens is going to co-ordinate that well and that quickly across the entire nation with a consistent message and attack government officials. This is not some crap inspirational movie – this is a concerted effort by the right to discredit the Dems while they figure out which mascot to annoint next for the chair. That they are capitalizing on general American selfishness and will find willing collaborators is beside the point.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
jt Says:
That’s humourous, as none of us said so. We are the kinds of people who would put words like that to our thoughts. How dare you put words to our thoughts. You don’t have that license.
“No rag-tag group of random citizens is going to co-ordinate that well and that quickly across the entire nation with a consistent message and attack government officials. This is not some crap inspirational movie – this is a concerted effort by the right to discredit the Dems while they figure out which mascot to annoint next for the chair.
ACORN is somewhat different? The SEIU as well? They are “rag-tag”? Interesting concept.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
nomdeblog Says:
“No rag-tag group of random citizens is going to co-ordinate that …”
Rag Tag dressed in Brooks Brothers…LOL
Actually even very busy people will do that if they “care” . I wish Torontonians cared enough to do that to Miller.
But what I find incredible is “The” community organizer whining about community organizing.
Have a look at his “organizing’ blog.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hqblog
Dedicated to “Organizing for Health Care,”
Supporters are asked to flood town halls
My Gawd! This is from the POTUS!
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
jt Says:
Jump to the latest on ACORN, NDB at the top of Jack’s posts today. The video IS the one I was posting about, above. Putting words to what others implied were our thoughts: it appears that Cynapse believes that what these guys are doing (as I posted “finishing” a meeting), is entirely legitimate, but “unorganized”. I can’t put emoticons, but mine would be laughing. I know that I am. LOL.
That is said TIC, Cynapse, so don’t take offence. I appreciate your efforts to clear the air for us on all our posts.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
jt Says:
Update:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/08/st-louis-holds-protest-against-democrat.html
Apparently a good turnout and even the cops were gracious to let them do their thing, as they didn’t have a permit. happy to see that the gentleman who chose to express his freedom of speech attended as well. The comments are a good read as well.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
jt Says:
Let’s just see how “organized” the GOP is:
http://www.lookingattheleft.com/2009/08/pelosi-astroturf-healthcare/
Nice printed signs vs hand drawn, bullhorns, buses. Yeah, who’s “organized”?
The Dems are losing this one, badly.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Jack Says:
Re: #14 — Watched the video. Was that George Bush (the fat version in need of a haircut)?
Don’t know and don’t care. By the looks of things a lot of Democrats are going to be fired in 2010.
I wonder who will they will be?
Also, people may wonder why a Canadian is so enthralled by this situation.
I’ll tell you.
It’s because we can’t find “Iggy” and therefore all the fun is south of the “49th”.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Cynapse Says:
No one said Obama’s group wasn’t organized. They’d have to be to fight a Goliath of HMO’s and the Americans who would gladly let 50 million die in the streets so they can continue to jump to the front of the line. No rag-tag group of citizens could make a not against that.
Making something LOOK grassroots is not that hard. You’re going to have to do better than showing a homeliness that could be easily fabricated – especially when the other side is essentially arguing for the “right” to drive themselves into bankruptcy via medical bills in the name of “freedom”.
I’m not claiming ESP, just removing the sugar-coating – on both sides. This war is about power. If 50 million more people get coverage and we know they can’t pay for the Rolls Royce coverage in the USA then obviously someone is going to have to pay for it. Moreover, those resources on call to clip rich people’s toenails are going to have to be re-deployed to do serious work for people who don’t have bazillions of dollars. They’re going to have work more and earn less. The rich will have to wait in line longer. System performance will almost certainly degrade. Research will suffer because there is less money to be made.
The only place we are in agreement is in that Obama will probably lose this round.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Jack Says:
Re: #16 — “They’d have to be to fight a Goliath of HMO’s and the Americans who would gladly let 50 million die in the streets so they can continue to jump to the front of the line.”
That’s not true, Cynapse and you know it. Many of these “downtrodden people” have served in the armed forces with “whities” and in fact one of them made it to the top of the list (Powell).
One of them is now Commander in Chief.
Who do you suppose voted for Obama…just blacks?
Obama is not in trouble because he’s black. He’s in trouble because he lied and there is a world of difference.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Cynapse Says:
There was absolutely no racial component to my argument. There aren’t even 50 million blacks in the USA, there are 13 million and over 1/3 are in the “middle class”. Furthermore, as discussed before, Obama’s voting base was generally white, 20-35 and (non-industrial) working class – exactly the kind of people who don’t have a platinum insurance plan.
The spectrum of “poor” is vast and varied in the USA. Ever been to rural Georgia? Quite white, and quite uninsured.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
MaryT Says:
I think the media has to share a lot of the blame for these outbursts. They ignored or made fun of the tea parties. They also ignored and refused to cover any of the warnings re O during the campaign. Any person who has attended any rally etc on their own dime, no orders from on high, and is called part of an organized mob, will be very upset. I don’t think O has realized he is POTUS, just that he won. Did all those protestors driving by AIG homes do it without being ordered to. Saw lots of buses during those protests. There was no violence until O ordered his goons out. Now he has ordered his union thugs out, and this will end in someones death. Ever seen a strike where there hasn’t been violence and destruction via the strikers, and then they must get immunity in the final contract.
And why hasn’t the truth been told re our health care system, we have 10 provincial plans, with some money coming from the feds. I have not heard anything about each of the 50 states being in charge of their states coverage.
Just wonder if Tommy Douglas ever dreamed that same sex operations would be covered by his plan.
I think O will lose this fight and democrats will pay big time next Nov 2010.
Once O lost his TOTUS and had to adlib, he started to lose. Has the teleprompter been replaced yet.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
Jack Says:
I think Mary is right (extreme as she appears) and I think “The One” is in deep kak.
I also think he needs to fire Emanuel very quickly if he doesn’t want to bury Democrats forever. Chicago politics is NOT where the nation at large is and somebody is going to get killed if he doesn’t change the picture.
Perhaps the FBI as they find out what is going on within ACORN?
That’s their job after all.
We’ll see how it goes in the days ahead.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Cynapse Says:
Obama will be torn apart if he fires Emmanuel (unless he replaces him with James Carville). Democrats may be the masters of appearing nice but they still have to play dirty when faced with the kind of fanatical lobbies they’re up against (gun owners, Evangelicals, etc) and the demagogues who command them (Limbaugh, Beck, etc). Obama can’t be a shark himself because then he risks being ostracized a la Richard Nixon. He needs to be more like Reagan/Clinton and project a kind, fatherly exterior while letting some shark in the background dirty his hands with the details.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Jack Says:
I don’t disagree but I remember what the left did to Bush and I’m not very forgiving at the moment. What goes around comes around and there is a “reckoning” on the horizon.
People are waking up.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Mac Says:
The Dems is full of folks who are every bit as fanatical, Cynapse and they’ve always played dirty.
Posted on August 8th, 2009 at 9:53 pm