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Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Next Stop: The Race to Define Townhall Attendees

It appears that raucus townhall debates will become very common occurrence over the break and they will wind up on You Tube at least. Here's another one from Ohio.




The press is starting to take notice. Politico did a story on it this morning. The New York Times also did full coverage of the rowdy townhall meetings. You'll also see full coverage on Fox News. A narrative is emerging from the left. Bill Press was on Fox News this morning proclaiming that all these protestors are sent in by shadowy groups to disrupt the proceedings. That appears to be what the left will attempt to do. They will try and define these folks as "astro turf". That means these protestors were organized by well organized and funded groups that sent them in with a specific mission. In other words, what you are watching is actually not a spontaneous event but a well orchestrated and staged event. Furthermore, these protestors will be characterized as out of control folks that want to shout down and debate. That's exactly how Press characterized them, and here's how Rep. Doggett characterized his confrontation with a similar set of protestors.



In Austin, Texas, Rep. Lloyd Doggett was drowned out by a group of noisy, sign waving demonstrators who shouted, “Just say no” as he tried to talk about health care reform. In an e-mail to POLITICO Monday, Doggett called the group a “mob, sent by the local Republican and Libertarian parties” that “came not just to be heard but to deny others the right to be heard.”




The New York Times article was more subtle in their characterization.




The effort to flood events held by Democratic lawmakers appears to be part of a concerted strategy that began earlier in the spring at the behest of conservative, libertarian and antitax groups.

One group, called Right Principles, which sent protesters to an event in May held by Representative Jim Himes, a freshman Democrat from Connecticut, has distributed a memorandum laying out strategies to “pack the hall” and pummel lawmakers with questions.

In Virginia, Bill Wilson, the president of Americans for Limited Government, a conservative group, issued a clarion call on Monday for protests against Representative Tom Periello, another freshman Democrat. Mr. Wilson urged residents of Mr. Periello’s district to “hold rallies, demonstrations, tea parties and protests in opposition to Barack Obama’s insidious efforts to take over the health system.”


This is much the same strategy that Democrats and liberals used to try and define the tea parties themselves. As I said yesterday, I believe that these protests are all natural extensions of the tea party movements. Those protests were also characterized by some astro turfers that simply hated the president. That largely didn't work. Most polling found support for the tea parties and the movement.

Interaction with our elected leaders is a vital part of a vibrant Democracy. It's terribly dangerous to try and characterize those that exercise that right as having some sort of devious intentions. It's even more dangerous when the opinions they state are confirmed by most major polling. It would be one thing if we saw a lot of protestors at townhalls but every other sign pointed to overwhelming support for the health care plan. That's not what's happening here. No one doubts that the public at large doesn't like the president's plan. That's what these protestors are vocalizing. If opponents want to characterize citizens that volunteer to engage in the political process as having devious intentions they do it at their own peril.

7 comments:

Gail said...

You are seeing projection from the left. They are the ones who engage in those exact tactics.

On the right, we have conservatives of all strips begging for instruction so that we can operate in a coordinated and conservative way. They are looking for a consensus because they do not want to be disruptive. They want to be effective.

And they want the Health Care bill defeated, they want the Cap and Trade bill defeated and they want the Stimulus and Omnibus spending bills repealed...they want America to be America.

The more the media and Capitol hill ignore us, the louder we will speak and the more aggressive we will become, despite calls from fellow conservatives to please be nice to the people who villified us for the past decade.

We didn't care what they said, but now they are destroying our economy and our republic and we will not allow it.

Best regards,
Gail S
http://backyardfence.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

I'm almost afraid to ask, Gail, but if you don't get what you want, then what?

You've already made it clear you think this is more than just about health care reform, that this is about some wild-eyed crusade against Communism.

So let's say 2010 rolls around and the Democrats expand their majorities? What happens in 2012 and Obama wins re-election?

In short, when you can run out of excuses about why the rest of America *doesn't agree with you*, are you still going to think your opinion is the only one that matters because you're a "real" American and the Democrats are not?

mike volpe said...

I don't want to speak for Gail but let me speak for myself and answer that.

first, Democrats everywhere apologized to the rest of the world when Bush was re elected in 2004. Some proclaimed they would leave the country. So, the idea that only Conservatives have sour grapes when they lose is nonsense.

Second, let's slow down on predictions. As a friend of mine once said, "if if was a fifth we'd all be drunk". Right now, things aren't necessarily looking that good for 2010 for Dems.

Most of us are active in politics and I for one will continue to be active. I don't oppose Obama per se. I oppose big government policies, liberal tax and spend policies. Right now the polls agreee with me.

Given what's occurred since his inauguration, I'd like to know what evidence you have that big government tax and spend liberalism is something that voters approve of. Obama wasn't elected based on policy but personality. His policies are roundly being rejected and most voters are recoiling on the future he wants for the country. So, your comment isn't rooted in any current reality.

Anonymous said...

But the Republicans are not popular at all Mike.

Checked the poll numbers for them and not just Obama?

Who is their leader?

Anonymous said...

That's correct Gail . The have no one to blame but themselves for trying to RAM through all this crap on their big government "wish list".
The more they minimize it and act all above it like we should not be debating this the more they will hear from us.
It sounds more like it's the democrats who better get what they want or else.
They have no regards for people's concerns and the media trying to portray us as idiots who are stupid. Gee I wonder where that comes from. "Rules for Radicals" Maybe
Amazing how the "one" who was the orchestrator of big protests is now the getting "Acorned".
The media all using the same talking points definitely sounds like the marching orders are coming straight from the White House. I guess they all video conference at the end of the day to go over the talking points for the following day.
lISA

Seeking The Truth said...

this democrat hated what bush and the republicans did to our country for 8 years. now, i'm hating what the fraudulent barf and his henchmen dems are doing. at least bush loved the USA and showed pride and respect for it. neither of the two puppets were elected. fraud and chicanery put them in the WH.

as for anonymous... just a weak kneed obot troll.... eat some wheaties instead of drinking the kool aid.

Anonymous said...

I, for one, advocate being radically moderate. Nobody seems to be saying the obvious: the far right AND the far left have both performed miserably. Instead of allowing our nation to go back and forth on what essentially amounts to two fat kids on a teeter-totter trying to out-glut one another, dividing and destroying the USA in the process, we ought to look at the Libertarian movement. It takes the best of both ideologies, tosses out the junk, and (IMHO) is the best way to go. Discuss?