What right do ordinary citizens have to protest the Federal takeover of the Healthcare industry? For that matter, why would anyone show up at town hall meetings with their elected representatives to protest the policies of the Obama-Pelosi-Reid government? Answer: They have every right.
The simple truth is that a majority of Americans don’t want the Federal government taking over the Healthcare industry. They have been watching a one-party government attempting to rush passage of all their radical policies as quickly as possible, with as little debate or scrutiny as possible. The end result of which will be a fundamentally different America than the one they grew up in and believe in.
Concession: They won the election. They have the power.
Even though they have the power they do not have the support of a majority of voters. I think this is why there is now a deceitful, concerted and organized attempt to smear anyone who dissents with their policies.
Interviewer: Do you think there’s legitimate grassroot opposition going on here?
Pelosi: “I think they’re Astroturf… You be the judge. “They’re carrying swastikas and symbols like that to a town meeting on healthcare.” ~wizbangblog.com
And yet there is no evidence of ‘astroturfing’. Quite the opposite:
ABC’s Steven Portnoy reports:
There were no lobbyist-funded buses in the parking lot of Mardela Middle and High School on Tuesday evening, and the hundreds of Eastern Maryland residents who packed the school’s auditorium loudly refuted the notion that their anger over the Democrats’ health care reform plans is “manufactured.”
“I went to school in this school,” a man named Bob told me. “I don’t see anyone in this room that isn’t from Mardela Springs right now.”
“We’ve been quiet too long,” said a woman named Joan.
They came to yell at their congressman, freshman Democratic Rep. Frank Kratovil, and they were surprised to hear that the “Congress in Your Corner” event to which they had been invited — by a robocall from Kratovil himself — was not to be a public airing of grievances, but instead an opportunity for private, one-on-one sessions with the freshman Democrat.
As the crowd grew, and began venting frustration over the fact they would only be meeting with the congressman behind closed doors, Kratovil’s aides suggested he switch to a town hall format. ~blogs.abcnews.com
The truth is that Democrats have a majority in congress partially because they won elections in conservative districts. Conservative voters in these districts are now wondering why they voted to put ultra-liberal Nancy Pelosi in power.
Kratovil is a Blue Dog Democrat who signed onto a letter last month urging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to delay a vote on a health care reform bill until after the August recess. His officially “undecided” stance on health care reform makes him a prime target for frustrated constituents already miffed that he voted for the House Democratic leaders’ energy bill last month, after initially telling voters he was “undecided” on Cap and Trade.
The former county prosecutor won his seat – formerly held by a Republican — last November by just 2,852 votes.
Boos and cries of “You don’t get it!” were hurled at Kratovil, as he suggested that the current health care system needed to be fixed.
“You’re deceiving us! You’re trying to shove this stuff through,” one woman yelled.
“I’m not! But I hear you,” Kratovil pleaded.
“This bill is un-American,” said another voter, who asked whether Kratovil has read it.
“I am reading it right now,” he said.
In an interview before the session, Kratovil admitted he’s under heavy pressure from both the constituents in his conservative-leaning district and his party’s leadership, but, alluding to his vote on Cap and Trade, he said he’s already cast unpopular votes. ~blogs.abcnews.com
Is there any reason to smear these people as white supremicists? People who ostensibly helped to give Nancy Pelosi her position of power? Only if you cannot bear to be disagreed with. Only if you cannot stand dissent.
Those in power are miffed that these people are speaking up and have claimed that it’s all an evil GOP orchestrated conspiracy campaign with no real support whatsoever. An organized protest is an illegitimate protest. Which is apparently why the White House is calling on their supporters to report dissenters and Democrats are calling on Labor Unions to send in the counter protesters. But does that mean they will only use union thugs members from the districts these town halls are in or will they be busing them in from all over to show a massive response? *Sigh*
Is there any appreciation of the fact that a community organizer is accusing protesters of being illegitimate because they are ‘organized’?
Concession 2: What will be will be; you have to let everything play out.
Treating Americans as the enemy will ultimately come back to haunt the left and the Obama-Pelosi-Reid government. Obama’s approval ratings continue to slide as he tries to implement his agenda, which is different from what he wanted many to believe during the election when he was promising tax cuts for 95% of all Americans. It might have been profitable to play coy about how liberal his true agenda was during the campaign but eventually if he wants to implement that agenda the truth becomes apparent. What you do when people start noticing this contradiction is what is happening now, deny it and blame those who recognize it and have the temerity to point it out.
Poll Shows Perils for Obama’s Health Overhaul
In the Quinnipiac survey, 55% (including 54% of the key independent voter bloc) said they were more concerned that the overhaul would increase the deficit than that Congress would not pass some kind of overhaul. That same 57% (and 59% of independents) disagreed with the following statement: “Overhauling the nation’s health care system is so important that it should be enacted even if it means substantially increasing the federal budget deficit.”
The poll also contains another piece of the public opinion puzzle that Mr. Obama and the Democratic congressional leadership may find problematic: Voters by a large margin don’t want a health care overhaul if it can only garner Democratic votes. In other words, even though Democrats control both houses of Congress, voters are suspicious of a bill that only has Democratic support.
The poll found 59% of the public disagreed (and only 36% agreed) with the following statement: Congress should approve a health care overhaul even if only Democrats support it.” ~blogs.wsj.com
They have the power but they don’t have the full support of the American people. Contrary to what the left seems to feel these days Conservatives are still a part of America. The question is, with all the fervor the left is expressing will they choose to be moderate, as they always claimed they were, or will they choose to eliminate the opposition? This latest attack on protesters is not a good sign.