Store-Bought Indignant Protests

[drone]

It's all a vast, right-wing conspiracy...

[ICantSpellDawg]

It's all a vast, right-wing conspiracy...

Yes it is, but almost half of the country is in on it.

[a completely inoffensive name]

The Democrats are right, this isn't a grass roots movement just like the Tea Parties earlier. Like always instead of actually coming up with a better solution to the problem that fits their ideology they dive deeper into emotional calls, slander and loud means right tactics.

Don't get me wrong, I think having a public option is unnecessary and I personally believe the problem is a misunderstanding that what we have now is not a free market, but more along the lines of corporatism and so people lash out wrongly at the free market and turn to government instead.

But what do the Republicans do, admit that the people need to be given more power in the health care market and that insurance companies need some major reform so they can't deny those without money or are sick? No, they prop up a fake grassroots movement and proudly carry out their ignorance and corruption and completely ignore the fact that 70% of Americans actually want reform and insist that the status quo is just fine.

The Republicans are reaping what they sow, they have no intellect within their ranks anymore, just talking points and loudness and if they can't defend their ideals with facts or come up with solutions to major problems then they force upon the American people to either continue to set back their status among the world or engage a massive backlash from the American public or a retaliation from Democrats and Liberals and pass the public option with super speed.

If you want to stop public health care, don't infiltrate town meetings overriding the majority screaming Republican slogans and ignorant sayings, ("Keep government out of my Medicare!") and instead rally around a guy who actually agrees with the majority of Americans that reform is needed but instead wants to go in the other direction, like Peter Schiff.

I tried to find a good video of Peter Schiff on health care but so far the only real interview was on the 6th with a host who kept cutting him off mid sentence to yell at him some more during the entire interview but nevertheless you still get the gist of what he is saying. Here it is anyway:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRJ1oyhTZAQ

tl;dr Republicans need to stop fake grassroots efforts, stop defending the status quo, stop yelling and stop playing us (good) vs them (evil) and instead rally around a guy who is in touch with what Americans want and has an actual solution to the problem that Republicans can propose.

[a completely inoffensive name]

I do not, however, condone the mob behaviour the right is exhibiting here. The Right has historically been the more civil of the two political wings of this country.

Not since the 80's.

[Marshal Murat]

I have to say after thinking about it, most of these protests seem to be the "real deals" for me, if only because I can empathize with those protesting. These protesters sometimes seem those who would most benefit from any healthcare reform, yet they're acting up against this bill? The Democrats say "corporate bought-mobs" who are ravaging the American Town-Hall.

I say it's people who feel under- or mis-represented by their government, people who are frustrated with a political process that hasn't replied to their needs or when the government has replied it has been inept and ineffective. Taking a list of polls from Real Clear Politics, a majority of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing. Another RCP Poll list identifies how a slight majority disapproves of where this country is going.

Combining a mistrust of the Legislative Branch who hasn't really helped this process at all by leaving many Americans in the dark (unless you hear something fishy) with a sense that this country is headed on the wrong track; you get opposition to almost any widespread reform of the system. While the Republicans can no doubt elucidate their opposition better with another plan, it's far easier and expends less political capital when the Democrats explode with paranoid "well-dressed protesters", "swastika carrying", "astro-turf" accusations that sound ridiculous and haven't been confirmed yet. If the Democrats can catch an astro-turfer, then the Republicans will die very quickly.

Until then, this stuff is real anger and frustration at a political system that many Americans don't trust and one that seems to be heading down the wrong course.

Edit- The Republicans also have very little incentive to come up with an "alternate plan", simply because the Democrats will destroy the Bill in birth and ridicule the attempt and deflect attention away from their bill, and not contribute to the real attempt at healthcare reform which is so difficult right now.

[a completely inoffensive name]

If the Democrats can catch an astro-turfer, then the Republicans will die very quickly.

They did: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2...al.php?ref=fpa

Edit- The Republicans also have very little incentive to come up with an "alternate plan", simply because the Democrats will destroy the Bill in birth and ridicule the attempt and deflect attention away from their bill, and not contribute to the real attempt at healthcare reform which is so difficult right now.

They have little incentive for their current constituents who are crazy birthers.

It would actually be great for them politically in the big picture. They introduce a comprehensive plan to fix health care, they can now claim they are no longer defending the status quo and wish to make health care affordable to 47 million Americans. The Democrats shoot it down quickly, the Republicans if they play their cards right can now accuse the Democrats of playing politics instead of actually trying to solve the current crisis. There have been much, much greater comebacks then that, all they really need is to rally around a guy with such a plan then get working with a good PR man.

[Lemur]

I do not, however, condone the mob behaviour the right is exhibiting here.

In fairness, it's not as though everyone in the nation who considers themselves "right" is involved with these town hall protests. It's more of a vocal and outraged minority.

But you make a good point; if the "right" allows itself to be painted as yelling instead of talking there could be bad consequences for the Republicans as a whole. This is all strangely reminiscent of where the "left" and the Dems went in the 1970s. Convinced of their moral and ideological superiority, the left allowed some pretty extreme people to do as they liked without much pushback from the party (Black Panthers, campus protesters, everything-protesters, etc.) and as a result the Dems were tarred for decades as the party that tolerated and encourage extremist ideologues.

A similar dynamic could play out here. Not saying it will, and not saying the two situations are exact analogies, but some of the parallels are striking.

[ICantSpellDawg]

In fairness, it's not as though everyone in the nation who considers themselves "right" is involved with these town hall protests. It's more of a vocal and outraged minority.

But you make a good point; if the "right" allows itself to be painted as yelling instead of talking there could be bad consequences for the Republicans as a whole. This is all strangely reminiscent of where the "left" and the Dems went in the 1970s. Convinced of their moral and ideological superiority, the left allowed some pretty extreme people to do as they liked without much pushback from the party (Black Panthers, campus protesters, everything-protesters, etc.) and as a result the Dems were tarred for decades as the party that tolerated and encourage extremist ideologues.

A similar dynamic could play out here. Not saying it will, and not saying the two situations are exact analogies, but some of the parallels are striking.

To be honest, though, the only things that Republicans could do to not move further down the hole in your estimation is to become Democrats, right? It a tough call. Your prescription is suicide.

[Xiahou]

Whether you call them grassroots or astroturf, Gallup polling suggests that the Democrat effort to paint them as un-American nazis isn't working.

The raucous protests at congressional town hall meetings have succeeded in fueling opposition to proposed health care bills among some Americans, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds — particularly the independents who tend to be at the center of political debates.

In a survey of 1,000 adults taken Tuesday, 34% say the sometimes heated protests at sessions held by members of Congress have made them more sympathetic to the protesters' views; 21% say they are less sympathetic.

Independents by 2-1, 35%-16%, say they are more sympathetic to the protesters now.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Well that's good disinformation at work for ya.