Teabaggers and Birthers Disrupt Lloyd Doggett's Town Hall on Health Insurance Reform

Much like tea bag parties ~ (3.00 / 1)

The novelty of this tactic will wear off, wear thin and prove to be, ultimately, just another stunningly childish response to an issue that's critical to all of us. It's astonishing that there's just no sense of shame in coming to a public meeting with no agenda other than to disrupt the proceedings. Good grief, these meetings are an opportunity for these people to express their views.

And they wonder why the GOP continues to lose ground. :-/

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by: SamBass @ Mon Aug 03, 2009 at 18:56:45 PM CDT

I don't think (0.00 / 0)

we have time to sit around and "let the novelty wear off."

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by: Blake63 @ Wed Aug 05, 2009 at 12:43:58 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hi Pot, nice to meet you. My name is Kettle. (0.00 / 0)

Wow.  As my brand-spanking new username depicts, I consider myself a moderate, so before anyone blasts me for being some neo-con robot I need to make it clear that I would take offence to such a comment.  Having said that, when I first read this article, I thought it was a joke ala the Onion sort of fare.  Ever since the 1960's, the Democrat Party has been widely recognized as the party of protest and I cannot count the number of events I've attended on campus or on the steps of the Capital (misspelling intentional) over the years (including presentations by Kay Bailey, Rick "the hair" Perry, and others) where liberal zealots attend an organized informational session and decide to forgo peaceful and meaningful discource, opting instead for name-calling, shouting, and often violence.

One of the few saving graces of the Republican Party over the past few decades has been (in my experience) that they typically express their disagreement by mailing, emailing, and calling their representatives directly.  Very seldom have I seen them and people of their ilk resort to shouting matches (or at least very seldom have I seen them start said shouting matches).

Generally, protests like those displayed towards Rep Doggett are intended to simply gain attention - not to exact any real change.  I do not agree with this tactic, nor do I participate in it.  I think it speaks poorly to the folks who oppose this Health Care Reform bill to engage in such activity, however hearing any liberal-leaning author bemoaning a Republican protest is absolutely laughable.

I have been in the healthcare industry for almost 15 years - having worked in the US, UK, Canada, and Germany.  While the US system is not without it's own flaws, I have seen "socialized" medicine and "single payer" systems in action and I have to say that our system is still light years ahead both in quality and availability of care. Instead of yelling at Rep Doggett, who I believe genuinely cares about his constituency, I intend to email and call my representatives.

I hope that the next time any liberal PAC, NGO, or group of pot-smoking hippie kooks decides to shout down opposing views that this author and this publication will have roughly the same response to them that they have had to the equally kooky people who disrupted Rep Doggett's town hall.  If not, I fear that the higher moral ground upon which this author bases his critique of these malcontents will be utterly lost.

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by: ModeratelyModerate @ Thu Aug 06, 2009 at 14:38:06 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

GOP burns boatloads of cash trying to kill healthcare (5.00 / 1)

reform. The healthcare industry owns the Republican Party.

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by: Libby Shaw @ Mon Aug 03, 2009 at 21:55:37 PM CDT

Strategies to avoid disruption (2.50 / 2)

1. Post a list of the disruption strategies and talking points memos right up front. Have handouts ready with answers to the talking points and info about who funds the negative lobbying efforts, and explain how these things prevent real constituents from having their say.

2. Say right at the start that people are being paid to disrupt meetings like these, and note the kinds of techniques they use.

3. Announce that anyone being disruptive will be removed. Follow through.

4. Require people in attendance to sign in with their name and address. Explain that this is to make sure that actual constituents get heard.

5. Have questions be submitted in writing and draw them at random, or require questioners to state their name and address before asking their question.

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by: laderrick @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 00:38:49 AM CDT

Very good (0.00 / 0)

I think this is very, very good advice.

Todd

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

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by: Todd Hill @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 09:04:44 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

One more... (0.00 / 0)

Don't allow signs.

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by: laderrick @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 11:10:45 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Nice (0.00 / 0)

We have to stand up to these thugs.

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by: Jeb @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 11:44:59 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

very good (0.00 / 0)

furthermore, nip it in the bud.

us a strong moderator to keep control.  don't put the MoC in the position of moderator. you need a real prick who will shut these folks down at the very start.

set the tone that outbursts and imbalanced behavior will not be condoned. allow dissent, but do not allow a highjacking to occur. have the owner/manager of the facility on ready to ask people to leave at the manager's request and have the manager prepared to issue criminal trespass warnings for those that do not do so quickly or quitely.

wait them out. don't try to talk over them or debate. when they shut up and calm down, proceed.

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by: colin @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 14:42:38 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Get serious (0.00 / 0)

If we were as serious about this as the right, we would have already staged Bush-style townhalls with screened audiences.

-Hold rallies on friendly ground full of HCR supporters, and get them there early, before the location opens to the general public. Control the location, control the crowd. Get the cheering masses on Youtube to counter the RW noise machine.

-Invite the press, but make the public an afterthought. Make the Tea Baggers chase the news vans to find the rally.

-Have the rally at an ethnic church, see how many wingers feel like coming in. Keep the cameras rolling if they do.

-Have the hosting body request a police presence. Or just hire security guards.

Sneaky? Yes, but not cheating on the scale of shouting down your opponents and sitting congressmen.

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by: Canpro @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 22:31:11 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

no no no no no no no no no (3.00 / 2)

the problem with the prior administration is that they shut down dissent. they wouldn't listen to adverse opinions. they didn't care about common ground.

we are better than that.

our ideas are better.

we can win folks over with our ideas without using gestapo tactics.

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by: colin @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 23:37:49 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Seriously, Gestapo? (0.00 / 0)

Structuring a rally doesn't mean Hitler at Nuremburg. Holding the rally at a union hall or liberal church and daring the righties to disrupt it is perfectly democratic.

The gestapo is already loose, harassing not just our representatives, but sympathetic or just curious attendees. Forcibly shutting down dissent has become the tactic of choice of Republicans. Our message can't get out without guile and aggressiveness.

Don't bring a knife to a gun fight, Colin. These aren't your father's Republicans. As long as you assume you can play by the old rules and just have the candidate show up without a game plan, you will get your butt handed to you on the 5:00 news.

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by: Canpro @ Wed Aug 05, 2009 at 00:15:35 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Agreed (0.00 / 0)

Those are good suggestions for structuring the events to be successful and to minimize the opportunities for disruption.

We have got to be assertive in getting our message out.

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by: Jeb @ Wed Aug 05, 2009 at 13:17:46 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

lost (0.00 / 0)

i have no idea what you are talking about.

are you sure you were responding to my post?

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by: colin @ Wed Aug 05, 2009 at 18:46:16 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

PERFECT!! (1.00 / 1)

In the posted disruption strategies would it say, "anyone disagreeing with the Representative will be escorted out and shot"?

How about we enact similar rules when we show up to vote. I bet there are similar rules for freedom of speech in China, Iran, N. Korea.  

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by: sdhook @ Wed Aug 05, 2009 at 07:12:37 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

A classy response (0.00 / 0)

I didn't know how quickly Doggett adapted before his later event at Bastrop. My first post was poor copy of his playbook.

I like that he was escorted in by policemen, with an assistant chief in attendance. Conservative cop-worship won't hold them off for long though, once G. Gordon Liddy gives them some refresher lessons in penetrating body armor.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyo...

Props to Loblolly at DKos. Bastrop Dems rock!

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by: Canpro @ Thu Aug 06, 2009 at 01:06:29 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Question? (1.00 / 4)

So it's okay for President Obama's campaign office to still be running and organizing campaign supporters of his to go door-to-door to push for his legislative agenda (via Organize for America), but wrong for American's for Prosperity or whomever else to promote and organize a protest against a town hall lip service publicity stunt? Which one is more bothersome to most people, I'd say door-to-door solicitations.

In fact Organize for America is completely inappropriate considering Obama is a paid public servant who is using supporters (basically to campaign for him until 2012) to influence a given agenda. Lobbyists/Operatives/Organizations are specifically meant to do such organization and to find like-minded people to press certain congressmen and women.

Listen, it's all become a cult of personality, with Reagan, with Clinton, with Bush, and now with Obama. Very few if anyone that voted for Obama is open to seeing anything he does as other than pure good. And just the opposite is true. Just as it was for 8 years with Bush. I'm sad to say that this will continue to go on for eternity.  

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by: nowayjose @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 12:19:10 PM CDT

Fact Check Time (0.00 / 0)

No Way Jose:

LOL - Even your name gives you away as a part of the Party of "No."

Factcheck:  All major Republican and Democratic Politicians use PAC's and other legal means to run a fulltime campaign-like operations.  President Obama is merely doing what everyone else is doing -- only more effectively.  Please ask Karl Rove about the limits of running a partisan operation out of the White House.

There is a big difference between politely and legally using the laws that allow for communication (door-to-door, e-mail or otherwise) and what the GOP is doing now -- impolitely and rudely preventing political discourse by thug-like tactics or spreading bald face lies.  Current GOP fostered or repeated falsehoods include: (1) comparing the current options to Canada; (2) asserting a public option will kill commercial health Insurance;(3) asserting Healthcare reform will push senior suicide; or, (4) asserting that healthcare reform will increase costs 95%.  

Each of these has been debunked by FactCheck.org stating as to each assertion: (1) "a straw man," (2) "misleads" and "overstates;" (3) "nonsense," and (4) based on "bad facts" that are "misleading."  See (1) http://factcheck.org/2009/07/c... (2) http://www.factcheck.org/polit... (3) http://factcheck.org/2009/07/f... and(4) http://www.factcheck.org/2009/...

Unfortunately, rudeness and falsehoods are about all the Party of "No" seems to has in the ideas area these days.  It is a shame, since there are many ways in which a loyal, thoughtful and honest opposition could actually help the majority party craft better solutions.  

The fact is one detailed non-partisan study shows that every family in America that has healthcare pays a hidden "pass-through" tax of over $1,000 in order to subsidize people who are not currently insured through increased hospital costs. http://www.familiesusa.org/ass...  

It is no wonder that the data from the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development shows Americans pay an additional $2,500 more for healthcare a year per person than the average industrialized nation.  

However, instead of working with facts, the GOP would rather be the party that kills reform with lies and rudeness than the party that makes it more effective with hard work or innovative solutions.  

Americans want and deserve Joe Friday and "Just the Facts."  Instead the GOP gives us Joe the Plumber and "Just the Rhetoric."

As such the GOP will remain a party in the minority, wasting time looking for birth certificates that are not missing and defending the indefensible portions of our otherwise excellent health care system.

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by: Eric Roberson @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 14:07:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

clarifications (0.00 / 0)

>Please do yourself a favor of intellect and understand that:
A) a good portion of people there protesting Doggett were not rude or disrespectful, this might be the only time they have access to our Representative, especially amidst a time of political debate of this proportion. As for the majority there, what's wrong with chanting, or holding up signs?
B) a good portion of people there weren't "sent" by political organizers or lobbyists. People can share the same ideological or policy choices as interest groups without association. That's like saying anyone pushing a national transportation system is in the pocket of Big Railroad.
C) and finally, a good portion of people there aren't necessarily Republicans. They are Libertarians, moderate D's, disenchanted non-voters...and yes Republicans too. There were plenty of these same exact people at Iraq War protests 6 years ago. Then they were labeled all Democrats

>On the national front, yes, Republicans have to be obstructionist, they hold no power in any house of Congress or the Executive Branch. It's called a two party system, there's no 3rd party to call a spade a spade. That's ultimately what I hope can come out of the recent wave of low-tax, low-government, pro-freedom movement that has been sprouting up in recent months, but unfortunately the Republican party is taking credit for it, and the Democrats are taking the bait in agreement.

>Finally, on a less severe note, please stop calling Tea Party protests or protesters Tea Baggers! That has never been an official moniker, the only one that has promulgated that name are those who disagree with the protests. Neither the Austin Tea Party, Texas Tea Party or National Tea Party's website mentions anything about being known as a Tea Bagger. Sure some one in a Tea Party might have used it once but it's tantamount to calling a GLBT protest a Queer/Fag/Homo March.

Quit the hate and innuendo.

peace.

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by: nowayjose @ Wed Aug 05, 2009 at 10:42:50 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Do you think people are that stupid? (0.00 / 0)

Good portion were not rude and disrespectful? Take a look at your own manufactured video. The only people I see that aren't screaming their heads off and running down the parking lot after Doggett are people I personally know are supporters of insurance reform!

I don't know, call me crazy but the folks carrying tombstones with Doggett's name on it or depicting him as Satan with horns probably need to cool it with the hate and innuendo.  

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by: mrcarter1 @ Wed Aug 05, 2009 at 20:51:33 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

ingow (0.00 / 0)

read former bush Press Secretary Scott McClellan's book "What Happened".

he spells out in very explicit terms how the bush white house employed the permanent campaign strategy.

bush spent 10s of millions of tax dollars flying around the country holding rallies and "town hall" meetings with pre-screened attendees and planted questions.  dissenters were barred from entry.

you illustrate exactly the point i made in my recent diary: you didn't have a problem until THIS president did it.

the pure definition of a stunt is doing something to provoke a reaction without intending any benefit for anyone. spectacle for spectacle's sake. these wackos rioting at OPEN town hall meetings is a pure stunt.

it is a shame and an embarassment.

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by: colin @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 14:34:44 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

You don't like what we are doing in OFA? (0.00 / 0)

tough.

We will not be silenced, and we will make a difference

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by: v2aggie2 @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 22:44:19 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Eyewitness account (0.00 / 0)

I had this note from Bradcpa, a constituent who was at this past weekends Town Hall:

I was at the Lloyd Doggett event last Saturday and it was a mob situation. This was not really townhalls in a hall with a PA, but a meet and great outside a local supermarket. The purpose is to meet with Constituents one on one about issues rather an open forum. Doggett does these events and in the course of an hour he meets with 10-20 people one on one often times dealing with personal issues (such as an IRS or social security issue). A national program supported by FreedomWorks, RedState, Michelle Malkin and various other conservative groups organized for this event and gave us a little political theater. I identified in the cast of characters hard core members from the Libertarian Party and Texans for Tort Reform. Dogget got blindsided by political theater that was right out of Abby Hoffman's play book from the 1960s except this came from the right instead of the left. Actually it almost seems like Hitler's Brown Shirts who shouted down those who do not agree with them and prevent civil discourse. If you watch the video you can see Nazi Germany in the 1930s. I really want to know how many Americans want our politics governed by the political fringe who are not only uncivil but dangerous. I asked one of the group if he would run against Doggett in the next election and he responded that he just wanted to "kick his a**." Is this the way we do politics in America?

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

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by: Todd Hill @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 14:30:04 PM CDT

FYI, now they are after Chet Edwards (0.00 / 0)

They plan to confront Edwards at a fundraiser (!) tomorrow for the Brazos Valley Food Bank in Bryan. Some folks have told the food bank staff they won't donate unless they get to ask Edwards about health care reform. Edwards will not be speaking - he is part of a lineup of local celebrities serving food to the assembled donors at the "Feast of Caring."

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by: pzaudke @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 15:56:51 PM CDT

Tea-Baggers are at it, again... (0.00 / 0)

They're also organizing to disrupt an Obama For America rally at the Capitol steps on Sunday.

http://www.meetup.com/tax-day-...

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by: Blake63 @ Wed Aug 05, 2009 at 13:08:59 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

If you're able... (0.00 / 0)

Try to get video of this, or pictures.  

The fact that these wingnuts are willing to disrupt a fundraiser whose motivation is to raise money and awareness about hunger shows just how shallow and extreme these people really are.

Todd  

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

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by: Todd Hill @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 18:09:38 PM CDT

Health care issue... (0.00 / 0)

Health care issue has been so controversial for the past days.  And everybody is aiming to get right system on health care.Thats why lots of people dream of moving to the Big City, or something to that effect.  What they don't tell you is that living in the Big City is one thing above all others, every time, which is that it's really expensive.  (And has a higher crime rate!) Well, CNN Money is poised to disabuse you of any ideas you had to the contrary, as there is a CNN calculator for costs.  You enter your current income into their cost of living calculator, where you want to move, and it will tell you what will cost more.  A lot of people need to get a personal loan to make rent on a lousy one bedroom in the Big City.

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by: AlanJ @ Thu Aug 06, 2009 at 04:55:11 AM CDT

Give me a break!! (1.00 / 3)

 Everything is an EMERGENCY!! Lol!! Where was the urgency by the Democrats when George Bush welcomed any and all ideas about Healthcare and Social Security Reform?ALL THE DEMOCRATS DO IS LIE,LIE,LIE about what is actually going on. More than 50% of Americans have listened to Obama and don't like what they're hearing. They  don't want single payer government run healthcare in this country. PERIOD!!  Figure it out. It's not just Republicans either.   We don't want 500 billion in cuts to the care of the elderly in the Medicare. The majority of people around the country at the meetings have been middle aged to elderly.  Calling old people at these rallys Teabaggers and Birthers is dispicable. And saying the old people and families out there are extremists is plain dumb. It's the typical disrespect of the Liberal crowd. Most of us would just a soon stay home and be left alone to live our lives but the fact is we can't do that because our freedoms are on the verge of being erroded before our eyes.  And it's happening quick!!  YOU PEOPLE ARE DELUSIONAL IDIOTS IF YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS TRUE ABOUT THE TYPES OF PEOPLE AT THESE RALLYS!!

Republicans DO have ideas for improving the healthcare system.  Unfortunately the other side doesn't want to listen. Additionally the side out of power doesn't usually come up with a comprehensive plan but since we are being so totally excluded and it's such an importnt issue there are several Republican plans being floated. What we don't want is to scrap a pretty valuable car when only a tune up is needed. Democrats won't listen because like usual they are narrow minded and only want the government to run things. And you guys love to spend money we don't have. Obama is going to break this country. Just wait until the Chinese totally lose faith in us and inflation skyrockets!! The day is coming.  Democrats and Republicans should compromise to have reform everyone can live with but that won't happen because the Far Left radicals have taken over your party and they don't compromise on their vision of the country we ALL SHARE.

OBAMA WILL BE A ONE TERM PRESIDENT!! Who will he alienate next? He's already pissed off law enforcement, doctors, the insurance industry and now half of the country by calling us nothing but a MOB for being upset with his policies. Bush never once lashed out at people who differed from his opinion.  And Lord knows everyone gave him HELL for most of his 8 years and still do!! Blame, blame, blame. I can't wait until we have a President again that appreciates the greatness of our country and will see America's cup half full instead of always half empty.  When the opinions of 20% of the country is representing 100% of the people it will end. Just like in 1994 the Democrats will be reigned in by the majority. YOU GUYS HAVE OVER REACHED!!  

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by: TonyFree @ Thu Aug 06, 2009 at 05:46:21 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I Beg to differ... (3.00 / 1)

"Bush never once lashed out at people who differed from his opinion" because he never allowed any of them in his gatherings. He never heard any differing opinions.  Was that pre-emptive lashing out?

As for spending money that we don't have...Republican administrations added more to the debt than Democratic administrations.  That's factual.  

Is your comment one of those "create your own reality" exercises?

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by: MsInformed @ Thu Aug 06, 2009 at 09:16:00 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Oh goody then (0.00 / 0)

"Republican administrations added more to the debt than Democratic administrations. "

So, Obama, the "change" president, continues to do the same thing Republican presidents did, fantastic. It's wrong when Repubs do it, but the left's response is to say, since the right did it, we're going to do it too. The more things change, the more they remain the same. One more corrupt DC politician working to ruin our financial futures. Oh...but Republican's did more, so Obama's policies are acceptable then.

I also find it remarkable that a person who championed himself as a "community organizer" and the media that praised him for that are attacking and trying to destroy the credibility of those who are organizing in their communities and petitioning their government (it's a right, read the 1st amendment) against health care "reform(destruction)."

Oh and sorry, there aren't big corporate interests behind most of these folks, name some of those people being paid by the insurance companies.  It's American citizens not wanting their health care to become an expanded version of Medicare or looking like the state run program, that many parts of the Democrats' plan will resemble, like Massachusetts' system.

Try reading this Todd, to see how wrong you are about the "leaked memo." http://www.weeklystandard.com/...
But why research it and learn the facts, when you can just demagogue those who oppose this plan and then claim you guys are any different from the Bush/Rove political machine.

There's a reason Obama's poll numbers are TANKING and he's trying to force this awful plan down our throats without members of Congress even reading it(see John Conyers to name one). And it's not because he's on solid ground on this issue. But go ahead blame Bush more, say Bush did this or Bush did that. What a great strategy.

I couldn't stop laughing when in his health care presser, Obama said he inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit and blamed it on Bush. Let's see, what you were talking about Obama. The deficit in Bush's last year was just over $460 billion, then the Democrat run Congress passed the Bank bailout bill and added basically another $900 billion to the Federal deficit for that year, totaling around $1.3 trillion. What Obama chose not to tell America was that HE VOTED FOR THE BAILOUT. So he was just as responsible as Bush for that $1.3 trillion deficit. But, he's banking on American's being stupid and not remembering these little details.  

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by: FreedomLover @ Thu Aug 06, 2009 at 13:26:28 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

You must have forgotten this. (1.00 / 1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Also, I guess you guys on the left forgot about this little comment by our fair president. So, it's alright for Obama to tell his supporters to argue with those who oppose him and to get in their face. But when American citizens do this to their government representatives over health care, they're "extremists" and "teabaggers" and "birthers" and it is not acceptable. Again, Obama and his supporters' hypocrisy knows no bounds.  

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by: FreedomLover @ Thu Aug 06, 2009 at 13:36:44 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

yes FreedomLover! (0.00 / 0)

it's quite simple. It's not a Democrat or Republican thing. It's about more freedom or less freedom. And I'm referring to the freedom from or of government influences (i.e. forbearance rights). Not the phony made-up rights like everyone has the freedom to make no less than $100,000 a year. And no, it's not freedom to shackle free enterprise just because they influence people to their benefit or detriment.

All decisions are made out of respect of autonomy and free choice. On the same hand, it's permissible to regulate an enterprise that is deceptive, and I wish they would and hope they do tackle healthcare reform from that angle. But creating markets off people's tax dollars and forcing everyone to enroll in some sort of plan is obviously coercive.  

Speaking of phony, the phony left vs. right theatre will continue to lead the American people down the path of less freedom. What we need is upfront politicians who will say "yes we are going to limit your freedom but it's for a projected better outcome" or "no your freedom is too important to gamble on a given policy, as practical as it may be". At least then we will understand what we are getting.  

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by: nowayjose @ Thu Aug 06, 2009 at 13:53:47 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

welcome to BOR (0.00 / 0)

please get back on your meds.

these people are the epitome of "doesn't want to listen". furthermore, they don't want anyone else to be able to listen.

you talk a lot about the republicans, what about their attacks on your "freedoms"??????

why weren't you on this site 4 years ago raising cain about the so-called patriot act?? where was your "legitimate concern" regarding illegal wiretapping?????

you are a bonafide wacko if you think that healthcare, cap and trade or any collection of Democratic issues this congress hurt your "freedoms" more than bush/cheney inc. did.

if you can't admit that simple fact, you are either delusional or a liar.

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by: colin @ Fri Aug 07, 2009 at 12:04:24 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Truth is my medicine. (1.00 / 1)

I didn't know about this site 4 years ago.

Again here is the leftist's argument. Bush was bad, he hurt our freedoms a lot, so Obama can do it and it seems to be ok. Maybe he's not doing it to the degree Bush did, but that still makes it horrible.

Let's talk about warrantless wiretaps. Obama campaigned against them and now his justice department is DEFENDING THEM!!! http://online.wsj.com/article/...

It's the same damn thing as Bush!!! Then the guy sets up a White House email address so people can report "fishy" "disinformation" about his health care plan.  And you people still defend this man? Can you imagine the public outcry from the left if the Bush White House had set up an email address to have Americans report those who were saying suspect things about why we went to war in Iraq. How can you be so blinded? Wake up! You're still Americans, I hope, and not just Obamaicans. This guy is no different than Bush, whom you on the left hated more than anything, and yet you guys are still trying to defend him.

We're still in Iraq. We're still in Afghanistan and it's getting worse. And even if he doesn't directly raise taxes on the 95% he promised not to, although his tax evading Treasury Secretary isn't so sure, his radical spending is inflationary and is going to further erode the buying power of the dollar, that Bush worked hard at eroding too, and will function as a hidden tax.

I don't even want to get started about how stupid the idea is that further expanding government involvement in health care is going to lower the costs. Government spending and involvement in health care has basically doubled since the 60s and the Great Society and yet, I'm pretty sure the costs haven't been going down. Oh, but Obama will do it smarter and better, just like he would oppose warrantless wiretaps.

The country is as divided as ever and what does Obama's White House and you guys on the left do, point fingers, blame others and want to silence the opposition. That is not leadership or a new tone in Washington.  This guy is as much a uniter as Bush ever was.

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by: FreedomLover @ Fri Aug 07, 2009 at 14:19:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Only one way to play this game (0.00 / 0)

Accept what the protesters are doing as a new reality.  Learn to deal with it.

As long as there are open events in public places, like the State Capitol, there is precious little that can be done to avoid disruption.  The left did it for so long that the right learned the lesson well.

In smaller, enclosed, indoor events, much can be done.  The Republicans have done it for years.  They put burly young guys at the front door and eject anyone who causes a disruption.  No cops needed.  Just have sergeants at arms, and enforce the peace yourself.

Have trouble with this one?  Then you deserve what you get.  Go home and whine and cry about the big, bad protesters.  But for a good example of how it could work, go ahead and hold an open, outdoor rally at a union hall.  I expect the union membership will show you what to do with these disrupters.  

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by: Dale Napier @ Thu Aug 06, 2009 at 13:43:32 PM CDT