(CNN) – Democrats are accusing Republicans of organizing "angry mobs" to disrupt town hall meetings across the country, but conservatives say the protests are a sign of the opposition to President Obama's health care plans.
The Democratic National Committee released a Web video Wednesday charging that Republican operatives "have no plan for moving our country forward, so they've called out the mob."
The video shows footage of angry constituents and protesters at recent events and then flashes pictures of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader John Boehner, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, and even conservative talk radio icon Rush Limbaugh on the screen.
The ad says "desperate Republicans and their well-funded allies" are trying to "destroy President Obama."
Obama had originally asked Congress to send him health care legislation before the August recess, but lawmakers were unable to reach an agreement on a plan. The House of Representatives recessed last week, and the Senate heads
home at the end of this week.
From CNN Politics
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organanized.........individual outrage,,,,,who cares?? if it helps to destroy Obama, it is a good thing
Everyone can tell they're staged events because they're not even debating healthcare. The "Just Say No" chant is appropriate coming from the constituency of the Party of NO.
Republicans will do anything and say anything to stop the President ....they want him to fail and so they keep up the only thing they know how to do and that is lying to the american people and scaring theheck out of everyone.........what losers
If the plan is soooo goood why are politicians exempt ?
Under this new plan, how well do I have to stay so my coverage isn't denied? Will I need to be "best friends" with plan "coordinators" to get coverage? How good of friends? Will I still have to pay as much as I can "afford" even after my coverage is denied?
When do I get to start paying more taxes?
Just when I thought the GOP could not stoop any lower they manage to prove me wrong.
Their lies, distortions and dishonorable, unAmerica tactics are a disgrace and once again, let the American people know they think
we do not have a brain in our head.
They have become our nations most dangerouse domestic terrorists. They are out to destroy our country and us.
With the help of the media.
lololololDNC
You guys are so silly. Am I too a right wing extremist because I don't believe the government has any business being in the private sector of ANY market? Am I an extremist because I read the CBO report and believe that this plan is not worth $1.6 trillion because it will still leave 17 million people uninsured? Or maybe it's because I DON'T believe that the government knows what's best for me and that not EVERYONE can be on welfare.
The CNN poll just a few posts under this on the ticker states that 45% of the country opposes the health care proposal and also shows that support for the bill is slipping. Gotta love American politics sometimes.
Why do the DNC get to lie? What's wrong with the truth?
This is so ridiculous. I have seen this on both sides. During the Bush years the Dems held protests. It is everyone's right to do this. We each have a voice and are free (for now) to use it. What we really need to do is expose the two-party system for the scam it is.
Please don't call these mobsters 'grass roots organizers'.....They are extremists who first came out of the closet thanks to Palin.....They are evil doers and they are catering to the fears of the elderly.......The GOP should be outlawed......Even Joe The Plumber had the good sense to drop out of the nuttiness....
Unfortunately, no will will demand a retraction from the DNC lies. Obama supporters have funded $53 million to promote the "reform" package.
Republicans are not organizing protests, they are simply telling citizens what is in the package and what the consequences are. Democrats apparently view opposing opinions as virtually treason.
Shouldn't matter though, democrat Senators and Representatives stopped listening to their voters long ago. Moveon.org and the far left fringe run the democratic party – and everyone in it reports to them.
and libs didn't organize to "disrupt" Bush?
Give me a break!! If anyone stages town hall meetings it is our campaigner in chief Obama. Is it so hard to believe we are outraged at the Democrats over spending and desire to destroy our healthcare, bankrupt the country and turn it into a socialist country? America is finally waking up and realizing this is NOT the change we voted for.
Are you kidding? Of course Americans are angry. Our representatives have not read this 1000 + bill and are claiming that they are able to answer questions posed by town hall attendees. Often, as we have seen (thank you FOX) attendees are well-informed and are asking thoughtful questions. The clip I just saw had a representative spewing the Dem line -which was a blatant lie-–& the crowd was calling him on it.
We are not stupid, & we are not going away. We expect & will demand our representatives READ the bills before them & that they understand that it is OUR money they are spending.
These actions are obviously the tactics of desparation, and the millions the insurance monopolies are spending to kill health care reform clearly demonstrates how important it is that it is passed and signed into law, PERIOD!
You want a real protest?! How about protesting the trillions of dollars DUMPED into Iraq for the War and then Rebuilding?? How about REBUILDING AMERICA FIRST?
Repubs opposed the Stimulus to help America but blessed the trillions going to rebuild Iraq. Oh wait...that's cause Cheney said you could.
I think, um, in a majority based democracy, you have to organize your allies to form the majority.... dumb dumbs... how else are you going to make the point?
This seems like another "put up or shut up" moment. As I recall from the Specter-Sebelius debacle (in a Democrat leaning state) the audience covered the political spectrum, per published reports. Hard to seee how Republicans can be accurately accused of inciting a mob, specially when the reaction seemed very one sided (on the mob side, that is). If the DNC has proof, produce it, otherwise this to me is another Nancy Pelosi "the CIA lied to us" moment. All accusation, no hard evidence, so I dismiss it as whining.
Because screaming always works when you don't have logic or facts to back you up. Have a nice day!
Of course the Republicans are staging the protests-for behind these elected officials are HealthCare Interests groups/Insurance Companies giving them fat checks to keep them in line-and do anything to defeat the much needed Health Care Reform.
Kind of reminds me of the scare tactists of Bush/Cheney-always mentioning terroists-and linking absolutely everything to 9/11.......and they were followed by McCain/Palin yelling domestic terroists and more garbage. So the proof is in their pudding. This is what they do-but it won't work this time. People Need Health Insurance and are fed up with these sneaky manuevers of what was the GOP.
How dare the ordinary citizen voice a concern by protesting. I guess the Dems are the only ones who have the right to protest. Organizing protest sounds like more of a job for ACORN and groups that agree with the DEMS but not for anyone who may disagree!!
"desperate Republicans and their well-funded allies".
I couldn't agree more.
Republicans were bitter, now they're turning violent.
We'll have the rest of them out of office by 2014.
Hmm sounds remarkably similar to the "grassroots" crowds that stormed into Florida to stop the vote count in 2000. Among the 'protesters' caught on camera were several Republican aides including future/former UN Ambassador John Bolton. But I'm sure this time it's solely made up of 'concerned citizens', right GOP?
What did the republicans do the last eight years regarding health care reform?...NOTHING!
Unfortunately, for the dems, this is a real grass-roots revolt. Over-inflated crisis with a proposed perscription that will make it a real crisis. The only winners under the obama plan are government bureacrats and the self-entitled welfare class that wants something for nothing. Obama doesn't understand economics, he doesn't understand how value is created (and it's not be government) and he has grossly mis-diagnosted the issue with health care – which is the need for more personal control and cost transparncy to the user. The big lies are unfathomable – adding more people and services, saves money – what? economic recovery depends on obamacare – what? pure drivel to divert attention to what is little more than a massive welfare giveaway to obama core constituency – the lazy and unproductive!
It's called the First Amendment. Get used to it Democrats. As one of the people who's taxes will get raised I certainly expaect a say as to whether the money goes to pay medical costs for illegal immigrants and welfare queens. If this plan is so wonderful, why is Congress exempt?
Speaker Pelosi and others criticized President Bush with some pretty outrageous language. Now that some are criticizing the administrations policies (not name calling or personally derogatory remarks), the thought police are crying "foul".
The DNC has figured out how to get the "stupid" vote.
Democratic congressional leaders know full well what the truth is, even though they want to present to the public something else. They are hearing like they've never heard before from their constituents, whether they be Republicans, Democrats, Independents or Libertarians. They are getting barraged with phone calls, emails and letters from people who do not want government involvement in our healthcare. These are NOT people sent by the insurance lobbies or a particular political party. They are normal, regular American citizens who have had enough of this dizzyingly fast push to socialism. The message is clear – we do not want any part of it. The liberal Democrats who are blindly pushing this against the will of the people are going to see what the will of the people can do come election time.
If insuranse companies are crooks ..... Why do we want Bigger crooks to take over ?
I just absolutely think this is a ridiculous claim. The reason these people are yelling is because no one is listening. I saw one video with a man who looked to be about 70 or 75 yelling at his representative. Yeah, he looked real extremist. (rolling eyes). The congressmen in Washington need to wake up and listen to their people. We told them over and over we didn't want any of the bailouts or stimulus packages or anything in between and yet they still did what they wanted. We are now at the point of yelling and maybe finally they will start to listen. (But then again maybe not.) We know what we want and it is not government run healthcare.
Those "stupid" Republicans took all their money out of the system and left us with no jobs. Next they'll take their "stupid" income overseas. Thos "stupid" Republicans are ruining everything for us freeloaders.
Don't confuse Health care Insurance refrom with lesser coverage from your already deficient GOP regulated policy. Excluding millions of sick people for pre-existing conditions who've already paid they're policies or lost their jobs has caused an overwhelming amount of bankruptcy, thereby effecting our economy. There's no doubt over the validity of this argument. And... the GOP is hoping people are too stupid to see this problem. The GOP will lose this health care battle fight in September. We will have a march of at least ONE MIILLION in Washington... so America can see how bad health care Insurance reform is needed.
Could it possibly be all the Democrats that are finally realizing we were LIED to as usual from politicians? It seems the only thing they are out for is self-interest, not public interest!
Republicans:
The cause of all problems and........
The problem in all solutions.
People have a right to protest. Nothing illegal has been done. First Amendment rights have been exercised. These are not mobs, but peaceful protests against policies that many people realize will not work. Simple democracy in action.
As for me, I was much more concerned about the angry mobs descending on African-Americans (eerie, really, and all-too reminiscent of a not-forgotten past) and sacred places of worship in California in the wake of Prop 8. And those folks were most likely not conservative Republicans.
these protests will go all the way to 2010 and 2012. MESSIAH, YOU SHOULD BE WORRIED.
The DNC is courting the "stupid" vote.
Interestingly, opinion is split by the generations. The younger, working people are for reform. It's the older, retired people who are ALREADY receiving medical care paid for by the younger working people who are fighting this tooth and nail. If the "all for me and nothing for thee" generation has a problem with medical reform, I say cancel their gov't sponsored plans and force them to go to the private market for coverage. A woman wrote a letter to President Obama bashing his initiative. She closed the letter with "and keep your hands off my medicare". Dropping the hateful greedhead from the program would serve her right!
If was not staged. It is slightly disingenuous to for Democrats to even bring it up. We have had years of ACORN, Code Pink and every other crazy luny lefty wing group protesting in businesses, churches and everywhere else. Get a grip.
Repugs just want to shut down debate and spread false information in order to achieve their goal of protecting the special interests that are lining their pockets. America has more wasted spending on health care than any other country...and we are not even close to being the most healthy country. We need to get the uninsured into the system where they are paying something towards their care, instead of the present system where they pay nothing then go to emergency room for everything.
Change is here to stay !!
The media will NEVER AGAIN sit idle and let an administration get by with doing nothing constructive for 8 years in a row.
That's CHANGE I BELIEVE IN. It has happened – you crooks and thugs had better run for cover.
You people are seriously not thinking. Do you really believe that the Republicans are working for you??? This whole thing is not about taking care of people and everything do to with money. If you were going to potentially lose billions of dollars, you would do everything in your power to buy congress members and to run commercials to prevent this from happening. But alot of you fools fall right into it, go ahead let Insurance Companies and Big money keep you under their heel a little longer. Maybe it will be you who is denied heathcare when you need it.
it is nice to know that any critics of the policies and plans of Obama, Pelosi, or the DNC are easily dismissed as nothing more than an unruly mob. i'm not a republican, i'm a strict libertarian, and feel that if Obama and the DNC don't believe that Texans, "the vast majority don't agree with Obama", don't deserve to be heard then let us out of the union with Oklahoma and govern as they see fit over the rest of the United States.
the union needs Texas more than Texas needs the union.
Yet another example of the democrat party knowing just how stupid their members are and defining any opposition as "staged". And the result is just what you see in the posts here on CNN. Empty-headed democrats posting about the "evil" republicans. Wake up, democrats....you're being used as tools once again.
I love my absolutely delusional, uninformed and radical right wing crazy brothers and sisters. It makes me proud when my retarded comembers get all hyped up about lies and propoganda!
With people like us, we don't NEED no taliban....we will destroy america, because it has always been our mission to destroy this country.
We are the republicans...the absolute rubbish of this nation and we intend to take it down!
As a Canadian I am very apset with your Congressmans and Senators spreading the lies about Canadian Health Insurance.
The fact is EVERY Canadian has Health Insurance coverage and has right to choose their Doctors.
It's a shame that millions of Americans are without health care.
Unfortunately yours Washington representatives are protecting powerfull interest groups not average American , as Lobbying Network is paying them to protect interests of Insurance companies.
Now that you have President who wants to make sure every American has its basic right to GOOD HEALTH, don't let liars to brainwash you ,open your hearts and minds ,this is an opportunity.
HEALTHY CITIZENS ,HEALTHY COUNTRY!
How are they protesting when they won't listen and just scream?
Rather the debate in a normal calm manner these PAID FOR BY LOBBYSIT AND REPUBLICANS MOBSTERS Rather shout scream and look like idiots so sad!
check me if I'm wrong but isn't just about every poll known to man showing that Americans as a whole are not in support of the Democrats' universal healthcare plan...
Democrats need to stop whining like little girls and start listening to the will of the people...
it is thoroughly amazing to me how a party that seemed so in tune with the people only months ago could have become so utterly tone deaf so quickly...
The few remaining in the GOP are comprised of 2% of the population that hold 98% of the nation's wealth, the morons that believe the lies of the top 2%, and racists.
I never get posted because I'm not as liberal as I was many years ago, but this isn't all staged. And these protests are nothing compared to the Viet Nam days. Those were against the democrats too. Quit spending, George, I mean Barrack.
We are being TOLD to support an imaginary healthcare system.
This is about the corporations against the people. The corporations are going to use the anger that the white republican party has over losing and use it against healthcare, Obama's citizenship and any other issue they can drum up. This has shown that the insurance companies have a lot to lose, they make million off of hard working people struggling to get by while our healthcare has deteriorated to the point I rarely use it though I am insured. The republican party has become low educated whites who thrive on war and hatred so they are perfect for the task of acting like children and disrupting because they are scared. They should be because there are millions of us out there willing to fight back with every resource available to us.
Of course the R's are staging these "protests". However, a real protest would voice some kind of intelligent concern. What we have here are ignorant people with false information. They know nothing about the real legislation. They only know what Rush tells them.
I'd just like to say that it's good to hear some opposing voices here on CNN. Perhaps more people are waking up to the debacle that is the Obama administration.
You don't see nearly as many liberal rabble-rousers on Fox News and Foxnation as you did even a couple months ago. I guess the reason for this is that they can't offer up any good arguments in defense of this admin's policies. The ones that still hang out on those sites are just the ones that resort to name-calling and ad hom attacks. You know, America's Great Unwashed.
Everyone has a right to protest, and voice their opinions. They can yell their opinions, they can chant, etc. at gatherings and demonstrations. But can someone explain to me why the RepubliKlans see the need for the display of Nazi symbolism at their "spontaneous" gatherings?
Why are these protesters shouting that "He's not a citizen", at these gatherings? Whya re they waving the Confedrate flags at these gatherings?
It really isn't about healthcare is it?
Hey guess what dummycrats...we are just practicing what you all do in washington. Reid, Princess pelosi, durbin, schumer, waxman..all of them ignore the republican side of the issue and think they can run over the american public. Well "the times they are a changing" and there's no hope in this change. We are mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore. We got stuck with an idiot for a president and in 2010, we will take back both sides of the house and throw these looney dummycrats out on their backsides. Then in 2012 the illegal immigrant will be tossed out on his can as well ....
There is no such thing as a true town hall meetings with an elected official or unelected bureaucrat, just orchestrated media events primarily designed to enhance the public image of that elected official. or bureaucrat. The risk begins when the audience refuse to function as shills, and, heaven forbid, try to get real answers for real questions. There is an old saying " if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen"
Supporting imaginary healthcare reform - now that's "acting stupidly!"
According to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, 17 representatives and senators are known to currently be under investigation for breaking ethical standards. Of those under investigation, 13 are Democratic members and four are Republican members.
Their spontaneity is as fabricated as the Tea Bag parties. I'm so embarrassed for them. Pathetic.
blame, blame, blame, whine, whine, whine, blah, blah, blah.
Last time I checked ,the dems has the white house and a filibuster proof majority in congress, so why are they blaming their failures on the GOP?
Give me a freakin break. These are upset Americans, like myself, that have had enough of government...... we've had enough from both parties!
Believing what any politician says is "acting stupidly."
All goes back to who is really responsible for 9/11 ?
I went to one of themeetings (or flash mobs almost) that was organised by some shill outfit who left a recorded message on my phone talking about a rally to take back control of health care from the Government.
One of North Carolinas most crazy Congresspeople was there – the most dishonorable Rep. Viginia Foxx, along with about 100 right wing nuts.
All they could do was spew hate, I can't even type what was on some the placards they where carrying.
So sad, yet so funny the party of Lincoln has become the party of Rush Limpbaugh and Bozo the clown.
Why don't the Democrats simply answer the questions then? Are they not going to answer simply because the question was shouted? Or are they using that as an excuse to not respond to a question that they can't answer?
Staging protests is out of the Axelrod playbook, it's not a conservative move. The people at these townhall meetings are concerned citizens who know that Obama"care" will destroy America's healthcare system and give bureaucrats in Washington life and death power over the average American's family.
Hoping you finally post one of my comments,
Nestor in Austin
The beautiful sound of the death wail of the GOP.
Simple, really... since these people are behaving like either children or inhabitants of a third world country, if they disrupt, EJECT them, send them to "detention", invite them to take their arguments outside... whatever it takes to maintain civil discourse in these meetings.
I don't really care which side of the argument these people are for, we need to restore some manners and decency in our society.
The GOP isn't creating this mess !! It's the Lousy , Expensive ,Health Care Busting Federal Insurance Plans that are causing people to finally open their eyes and see what Mr. Obama and his cronies from Chicago and in Congress are REALLY all about !!!! If the Mortgage and Bank Bail-Outs weren't enough . Or the UN-STIMULUS Stimulus Package wasn't enough . Or the Carbon Tax BS . Or the take-over of the Amercan Auto Industry . Or the 10% Un-Employment . Or the Cash for Clunker deal !!! What more inncentive do the American people need ???
These people are just a bunch of angry people. They protest just in hate and do not present any facts. For instance what the hell is Obamacare? It's a clever name they came up with, but they have no facts to support it. Most of these idiots will call this socialized medicine, but they have no idea what socialism is.
Just a thought, has anybody actually read the bill except for the authors? The fact is that there are people in this country that desparately need organized and managed health coverage and can't afford a COBRA plan. People that already have health coverage are not being forced or encouraged to change and not all, have plans that would be considered very high-end and costly.
Health care for our citizens is too important to be reduced to political ideology and radicalism.
How many Democrats in Congress and Senate have read the health bill?
Back when the GOP was in the majority, dems behaving this way would have been attacked and beaten by the thugs in the audience, then arrested for inciting violence. In fact, those things happened to dems for just quietly holding protest signs.
I've seen the instructions being sent out on "How to Disrupt" these meetings. It's all over the place.
The Republicans sent a copy to my sister's friend and she got the copy from him and forwarded it to me. It's disgusting.
The new imaginary healthcare system will be great for imaginary people.
The GOP have nothing left to run on, so they prey on the ignorance of some of their base - the "birthers"; those who oppose "socialism" (and yet they don't realize Medicare, Medicaid, the VA, the GI Bill, big agribusiness subsidies, auto and bank bailouts, and the federal employee health insurance plan that includes all members of Congress is all "socialism"); those who think he is a muslim; those who think he was sworn in as POTUS on the Quran; those who think he is going to let the elderly die without treatment or force them to die through euthanasia. These people are crazy with fear, and the GOP are counting on them to disrupt town hall meetings and the Obama presidency as much as possible without regard for the well-being of our country and society. It's all politics to the GOP, even when it involves our very survival.
You know, I used to merely disagree with Republican principles. Now I'm beginning to loathe Republicans themselves.
Imaginary healthcare for imaginary people!
These people have got to be the dumbest of the dumb. they either don't have a job so they have the time to go protest which they'll get paid for by the rethugs, insurance, medical and pham companies but they need the reform to get the insurance coverage they need, or they've been duped into believing that they make over 250,000 a year in which they'll be taxed and additional 2% to pay for the changes in health care that will benefit 96% of Americans. The facts are that the industry makes billions a year ripping off hard working middle class Americans and they don't want that to change. Who are they? their the ones making over 250,000 a year. their the ones buying air time against the change. Their the ones paying bribes to congress to stop this bill from getting passes. WAKE UP and read the different bills and then write to your congressmen with a version you want to see. Stop being part of the problem and start being part of the solution.
Why to dems resort to making unfounded claims against republicans instead of DEFENDING their healthcare plan and ANSWERING questions? The reason is that they know they don't have most of America's support and quite frankly, can't "honestly" answer many of the questions, especially if a TV camera is in front of them.
If Healthcare is the issue, the I encourage the Dems to stop blaming and changing the subject and instead put out an ad the defends their healthcare proposal. Can they even do it with an ounce of honesty? Doubt it....
Oh, yeah. Please PROVE that the republicans are inciting mob mentality. Anyone can throw together an add making it look like a mob. Why don't you attend the town halls and stop cancelling them!!!! You're AFRAID, aren't you? The American people know the truth.
We all have the Right to protest, to Speak Freely. However, what really angers me is that the SAME people who condemned the Left, calling us,
Anti-American and Un-Patriotic......... are the SAME people who are now wanting...... Obama destroyed, Obama to fail......... and spewing LIES.
Hypocrites.
I guess they could act like Liberals and trash peoples property and yell racial slurs at the Police.
Bluebonnet, perhaps if the disruptors would respect the elected officials enough to stop shouting over them, you would hear their answers. They answer, problem is you and a small minority don't like the anwsers.
People :
It's not Government run !!
Its government funded
very huge differance. The govenment will be eliminating the high cost to use your insurance ie: co pays, prem. prescip meds. It will reduce the outragious bills for doctor visits. Some of the plans will have free check up for preventative care. Why is eveyone against this without reading the facts. It's NOT Government RUN. Its medicare and medicade but better. You'll still have your same doctors but at a lower rate. Its taking the hugh profit out of the medical filed and make adgusments so its affordable to ALL.
I just heard on Fox news how the healthcare plan is going to force old people to commit suicide. Then ACORN and the narcissistic obamabots are going to process their bodies into meatloaf to serve in the school lunch program! Have a nice day!
It is wrong to allow this very rude and obnoxious bunch of hooligans to drown out all other conversation. There should be either some time alloted for them to do their hollaring, or else a separate area set aside for protesting, out of earshot of those who actually want to have some quality discussion time with their elected reps and senators. Everyone has rights here, not just the lunatic right.
Why is it that if someone disagrees with the President (of any party), the reason is because someone else is "inciting" them? Do you not think that the majority of voters actually have a brain, and can use it to form opinions? Or, do you think we have to be lead around by the nose in order to get through life? I feel very sorry for anyone that has to live in DC. Obviously, that place sucks the brain and common sense out of everyone that steps foot there. Of course, it could be that it is only the politicians that lose their brains. They are so used to being lead around by their handlers, and being told what to say, that they think the rest of us are brainless also. Sad way to live!
The only thing Conservatives haven't done is call outright for Obama's assassination, but there have been thinly veiled hints in that direction, most notably Glenn Beck's telling O'Reilly yesterday that Obama "is a threat to the Republic." Bottom line is the party of astroturf Tea Parties, secession (read: treason), loony Birthers, Palin, Coulter, Limbaugh, Rove, Delay, Gingrich, and Cheney lost an election and they don't like it. Just imagine how they'd feel if Obama had won the way Bush did in 2000, having lost the popular vote. Their response then? "Sore Loserman." They better get used to it. The Republicans have won the popular vote only once since 1988, and if they keep it up it could stay that way for a good while longer.
It isn't that hard to see that conservative groups are protesting various things at these town hall meetings like the proposed reforms of health care and insurance. At least could they be civil about it? I don't mind people speaking their mind, but they must respect other people to say their peace as well as being respectful of the member of Congress speaking and answering the questions asked.
These disruptive activities only show that people are like Limbaugh – questionable in civility and understanding of the issues and how complex they are. If these people act like Limbaugh would at a town hall meeting, then they need to grow up just a bit and be civil!
Deflection play right out of the Emmanuel/Obama playbook. So free speech is not allowed anymore? The right to assemble? Pretty soon this government is going to tell us how and when to take a crap and how much toilet paper to use afterwards. Our founders are rolling over in their graves.
If the dems control just about everything in Washington DC, why can't they get this and the rest of their socialist agenda passed at the lightning speed the president is demanding?
Grass roots with a Rovian twist and corporate sponsorship....That's why it's called an "Astroturf".
I've listend to the media reports and seen video tape of these meetings. Of course you have focus on the extremist point of view. However, most are just saying slow down, READ the details of what is being proposed and have time for debate on the most effective way to reform healthcare. Personally, I don't see a problem with that. Those in Congress are supposed to represent us. It is their duty to listen to us. So.....listen!
The people stating these are grass root protests must only watch FOX (course CNN is getting as bad) and listen to Limbaugh etc.
There are copies of memos, letters out there that are being issued by right wing support groups, lobbyist related groups, extremists, advising your so called grass root radicals how to destroy meetings, gatherings.
How anyone can say a medical system run by big business is better is beyond me. Look at the diasters they have created over the years.
Their bottom line is greed and power.
Wake up people. There will be many revisions to health care reform before the final version. We desperate need health care reform and public option, disallowing big business to make crucial decisions for us.
It's true. Of course, back when Dubya was in office... anything that was said that wasn't in agreement with the President back then was TREASON and un-patriotic.
Now that Republicans got the boot from office and control, now it IS patriotic to disagree with the President. Republicans have become a hypocritical joke and cater to their lunatic fringe.
To have a blogger on here say, "who cares?? if it helps destroy Obama, it is a good thing" and NOT say that to Dubya when he was destroying our country and irresponsibly spending American tax-dollars on people on the other side of the planet is just complete hypocrisy.
Wake up, America!!! Make sure you don't vote Republican next election!!! Republicans = Hypocrisy First!!!
Anything that speeds up the end of this socialist administration is ok with the majority of the American people. I, a Democrat, will support any oppositon to the Obama/Pelosi dictatorship. America's future is at stake. This is no longer a Democratic or a Republican issue. It is an American issue and one we must all stand against. This is socialism and let there be no doubt about it. Just say "No" America!!!
You guy are crazy. It has been proven that those so called "law makers" who opposite health care reform are on the take. Before most of you open your mouth, do some research. These individuals have a reason, I mean a couple million reason why they are taking their stance. I want to know why do a disruptive group get to stop others who want some honest answer about the health care policy? I am thinking that the true answers will surface. Anyone who makes erroneous statements never wants the true to come out, so why not make loud noises so that the answers cannot be heard. I mean, the policy will kill the old people, or the policy encourge sex change; give me a break. I mean, if you believe those lies then you really need to seek higher education because if you believe everything, you will fall for anything.
LOL. and the antics of Code Pink, for instance, are somehow OK but people who are genuinely concerned about healthcare are not?
They are paid actors,that are bused in.The Corporate Fascists use them on commercials too pretending to be doctors and nurses.Desperation is in the air and it smells great.I like to see the rightwing jihadists in this much pain.hahaha
It doesn't matter whether the people carrying on like this are dems or reps or how righteous their cause is. It is bully behavior to shout the speakers down. That is not democracy in action. The people doing this are not there to learn about the program – all they want to do is disrupt the proceedings. There is absolutely no way to justify this sort of behavior.
There are so many derogatory words that I could use to describe these people and their actions, but I say ignore them. They aren't interested in acting like adults so treat them like unruly children. I do wonder why none of these people have been arrested for disorderly conduct. Their behavior sure seems to meet the criteria.
Anyone who deals with government agencies even occasionally knows what a total nightmare government run healthcare will be. Think about that. Government employees arranging your health care. How can anyone seriously think this will be an experience you want to be subjected to?
Repugs gone Wild! These people are the worst. They don't really want to live in a democracy. They would fit better in Nazi Germany circa 1938. FASCISTS!
Just another desperate attempt from the far right Republicans....they bus in people from other districts to distrupt these meetings. Iif they would shut up for a minute and let the Congressmen speak, they would get their questions answered. But that is not their goal, they don't want any answers because they are closed-minded freaks.
The thing that cracks me up is that these simple white folks benefit with a democratic President, as they are middle to low income. Why support the party of old, rich ,white men? They don't care about anyone but themselves. The Republicans just can't stand the fact that our country has a African-American President. Get over it....the American voters chose the best person for the job, regardless of race so grow up Republicans and get into the 21st century along with the rest of us intellegent Amerncans.
That's what you do when you do not have a case, you thow a tantrum!
Celebrate the fact that even with a Democratic president, a filibuster-proof Congress, and the lure of “free” ice cream in the form of socialized medicine, the left’s somehow managed to turn ObamaCare into a clusterfark of such epic proportions that their health-care message has now actually been reduced to “Don’t listen to the Republicans — they’re crazy.”
Unfortunately, this kind of cheap theater is a staple of the GOP. Americans will never be able to solve anything as long as both political parties entertain such a hateful competitive mentality. Nobody seems to care if America survives or crumbles, just so long as their party wins. I think the real threat to America is it's own political parties and their inability to work together.
I'm not a right wing extremist! I'm not even a conservative on most issues.
I'm an over taxed worker. I earn my money by working my butt off, and to this day over half of what I earn I pay back to the Governemnt in some form of tax.
All I want is a reduced tax burden, not an increase.
What is happening is unconstitutional. Progressive Government and the "New World Order" has nothing to do about the freedom and liberty our founding fathers designed for this great nation.
I have a solution to the whole health care reform debate. If someone does not want to participate in the program the legislators pass, then they can opt out and not have to pay, if this occurs, taxes to support the program. The IRS can have an itemized form for this. So if you do not want to be a part of what I think will be better, lower cost health care then don't be. Unite to counter out of control insurance corporation giants, lobbyists, and elite wealthy oligarchs or go it alone brother...it's YOUR CHOICE. Socialist you say? Well then let's get social I say if that's what you want to call it.
No one is saying that they should not protest, but this mob mentallity. They are refusing to let anyone speak. If anyone opose them they are telling them to sit down and shut up. What about their right to be heard. This is not right. You can oppose Obama and his policies, but you do not have the right to step on others in the process. This is what's so appalling. What is wrong with making sure everyone has health insurance. My father had health insurance, but died because the insurance company refused a medical procedure that could have saved him. So you can't tell me that I would be better off with what we have now. Please convince me that the Republicans have my best interest with the lies they are spreading about the health plan, such as there are provisions to kill the elderly.
Too funny! Didn't anyone tell the Dems that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? It's ok for their rabble rousers to create disruption but free speech for others is not so ok? Hypocrits.
Democrats say Republicans staging town hall protests. Republicans say Democrats staging town hall disinfomercials and photo ops.
Of course Democrats could borrow the concept of Nuremburg rallies from Bush and have the police detain anyone from outside their district who is not also cleared for political loyalty.
Let's call them what they are, domestic terrorists, trying to intimidate anyone who is not "one of them" because, of course, if not, you are not a REAL American. They should be allowed a period of time or a certain place to yell their heads off, but then they should be made to either shut up or get out and let the adults have an intelligent conversation. I can tell formt he comments just ehre on this blog, that the rage has nothing to do with taxes or health care. It is a refusal to accept that they lost the election, and the black guy won.
It sad how some of these Republicans treat there on fellow American people...I hope all Republicans get voted out the office 2012
Why does anyone want to pour trillions of dollars into an imaginary healthcare system? Perhaps because it isn't their money...
How come people can't ask questions about "what health care reform" will mean to them without being "out shouted" by someone angry with "big government" spending blah blah blah.
I just don't get all this "moral outrage". It was the liberals/democrats that were accused of being unamerican by not supporting the, deaths of soldiers, destruction, cost and expenses for the war in Iraq. Now the Republicans are complaining about spending money on american citizens. Really? Yet...they are the party of patriotism(?). Doesn't make sense...does it?
Not staged. Truth hurts don't it democrats?
If these are staged events, I want the journalists and especially the DNC to show me proof. Show me the Buses, show me the names and faces of these people and the groups they belong to. Telling people to get out there and tell them how you feel is not staging and event.
Yippee! Lets spend other people's money!
Let's face it democrats. Your candidate plain sucks and that's why people are saying NO!
Too much! Tax paying citizens sick of their elitist government ELECTED officials not representing their interests. This is not just Republicans protesting DNC, this is people fed up with the incompetence evidenced on both sides of the aisle. This is typical of the Democratic smear machine though, I must say we are all not surprised. It is awful funny how the ethnic blogger's associate the Republican party with the klan. Keep it coming, I need a good laugh to break up my boring non-work day. Keep spending money we don't have El Presidente Obama, it is a shoe in for anyone but a Democrat in 2012!
They've done it before....please do your homework....and they are doing it again. Unfortunately, the American people are so easily brainwashed that they (GOP) use our ignorance and stupidity to get what they want. SIMPLE as that.
First of all, republicans don't have time to organize protests.
We work for a living.
I love it when the American people speak up and the Democrats respond by telling them to shut their pie hole...There couldn't possibly be real protest to something Obama wants.....That's unheard of!
I heard there were organized groups there. Some group called ACORN, one group supporting unions, Moveon.org was there....
The thing about being an opponent in this country is doing it within the system, and with civility.
Vote your conscience; if your candidate loses, understand that "those are the breaks." In a democracy nobody gets everything they want. It's called compromise. If your candidate lost, it might behoove you to look at why he/she was not in sync with the will of the voter.
This is the United States of America... this is not free-for-all mob rule, or a Latin American dictatorship where mobilizing mobs on command is de-facto politics. Here we're expected to conduct fair elections and respect the results of an election whether we voted for the guy or not.
Chavez Calls Attack on Opposition TV Station 'Anarchist'. Sound familiar? Obama and Chavez, Dems 2012 ticket....
So what did the Democrats do the last 8yrs???? Talk about HYPOCRISY. On top of that America is sincerely upset with the AGENDA the democrats are trying to implement especially the Socialized Medicine. Sorry Democrats all of the Public if they are true with themselves see's the HYPOCRISY with this. I just watched 8 yrs of your Code Pink protests and your spewing hatered towards George W and if you can dish it out you should be able to take it. Democrats really are Small pathetic ignorant souls.....
I don't think so. The truth is the American people don't want the government in the health insurance business.
Look what they have done with Medicare, Medicade, and just ask the Veterans how much they enjoy waitng an average of 100 days just to see a Dr. at a Vet Hospital.
It's not about Republicans....
Trust me, we're sick of them too! It's about Liberty. We're tired of seeing our freedoms eroded.
Oh, and Democrats. Please note that the Democrat controlled Congress has one of the lowest approval ratings. And if it was Republican controlled, it'd be no different.
Both the Republicans and Democrats are cut from the same cloth. Join the Tea Party instead!
The insurance companies and certain other groups are busing in right-wing lunatics to stir up anger and flat out lie to the American people about the presidents healthcare bill. It's a pathetic attempt by Republicans in this country to distort the truth and stop any progress to have affordable healthcare for everyone.Why are the Republicans against ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING that could make life good for us? Why? Because they are tied to the pharm companies, certain lobbiests and special interests that are so afraid of losing their gazillion dollar profits that they will say or do anything to prevent the bill from passing! People, wake up! The president is not lying to you......the Republican party of NO is who is lying to you!
How disingenuous of this administration to play this game. They have used the same tactics for years. Now they are aghast! Russ Carnahan (D Rep-MO) was on a local talk show yesterday in Missouri
and refused to take questions from listeners. He also avoided answering EVERY question put to him by the neutral host. The dems don't want to debate. They want to pretend they want to debate. Conservatives in this country have tried to be heard for the last six months, but have been shut out of all national debate since January.
If shouting gets attention, more power to them.
It does not surprise me the least that people are going to Town Hall meeting to disrupt because Conservative Patients' Right (run by Richard Scott -forced out as CEO because of false medical billing practices), RNC and their allies such as Limbaugh, Hannitiy are encouraging them to do so because of their falsehood advertising and spreading fear.
By checking Factcheck.org, I learned that CPR and insurance industry allies has created elaborate false ads that borders on silliness by twisting every comments and studies in order to kill the reform.
And you wonder why health care has gone from $914B in 1994 to $2.5T?. It is their interest to maintain status quo and Congress should part of the health plan as it is only fair that they live under the same rules that it applied to all of us.
I see a lot of white angry people protesting they want their country back, well lets paint them black, and see if they can get away with all the disruption they do, just look what happend to professor Gates! Makes you go HMMMMMMMMMMMM.
They are staged, no denying it.
I'm a republican, and active in my community. The lobbyists have been courting us extensively, and offering to assist in getting as many of the "less then desirable' members of our group to go to these events. They have no desire to see actual debate at the meetings. They encourage diatribe tantrums rather then thoughtful discussion.
I'm not changing my party, I believe what I believe. But the people that are DISRUPTING (no morons, it's not speaking out...they aren't SAYING anything other then hateful kindergarden crap) meetings of debate and thought are a blemish not only to us educated republicans, but to America and the human species as a whole.
Anyone who believes that these people are from the insurance conpanies or Republican plants are suckers.
How about putting together real reform that the people can get behind? Is that to much to ask?
Isn't it sad that those who oppose Obama's election would rather the whole country suffer than say he may be headed in the right direction. We do need health care reform and we need it now. But those who oppose Obama believe that if they use there fear mongering tactics once again they will be able to defeat HIM, they could care less if it hurts the rest of the country as long as they defeat him. When was the last time a rich Corporation had concern for the rest of us? As dim wit Demint said he thinks the way to change health care is to give Corporations tax cuts. How does that help someone without insurance get health care benefits? Wake up and smell the roses people.
Why don't Democrats take personal responsibility for themselves. It isn't up to the rest of us to pay for you...............earn your own living. What is with working people paying for everything for people who don't WANT to work and be responsible. Democrats reward the losers.
These people were most certainly bused in from outside the district/town. If they were serious, they would promote a healthy exchange of ideas. We should be finding out where these people come from, where they reside. We should find out if they are actual constituents. That is what we want the press to find out. Namely you CNN, the most trusted source in news.
Hey! Let's funnel another trillion dollars to our fat, greedy, rich friends using our newer than new imaginary healthcare plan. We can borrow the money from China and repay it with the servitude of our descendants. Now that's change you can believe in.
The Republican Party does not care about the average citizen. Period.
What a complete train wreck this admin. is. Complete. Wait til friday when the new unemployment numbers come out. They are expecting to be 10%. Then what will BoBo's press corps say, "Well we stopped the economy from falling off a cliff" again? I wonder if this admin. will acknowledge the 400,000 newly unemployed!!! I guess Bobo will just have to take another trip overseas and do another speech on how evil and arrogant we are to hide the fact of these dismal numbers. Not to mention his own plunging numbers!!
There is no "truth" in these town hall meetings that will end up hurting me, a dem. If truth and facts win out at these town hall meetings, over the mis-information and downright lies perpetrated by the rightwing underbelly of this nation, that's nothing but a WIN for the good guys...you know, us REAL Americans...as opposed to you Palin-loving Amerikans.
Wow. It seems the "Community Organizer in Chief" turns into a pouting little girl when OTHER communities organize. From the time it became apparent that Socialized Medicine wasn't going to be an easy win, the administration and its allies in congress have been looking for villains. It's been republicans, talk radio, lobbyists, pharmaceutical companies ("Big Pharma" – I love that), and insurance companies. None of it stuck. Now the enemy is... the American people. The taxpayers. Amazing.
This is for Obama Victim - you are a CERTIFIABLE IDIOT!!!!!!!! If the GOP manages to "destroy Obama," then the whole country is going with him. That would NOT be a good thing. IDIOT!!!!!!
Where are the right wing evangelicals on this issue? They should want to cover everyone instead of rationing health care based on wealth. Strange I can't hear them ....
With all of your polling, how about some polls on the "satisfaction" of the republicans in Congress??
A LIBERAL DEFINITION: : Conservatives protests are loud, boisterous, rioters. Lliberals protests are grass-roots and legitimate. That takes care of it!, I had the occasion to tune in to "That tingle up my leg" Matthews "Hardball" last night. That jerk-off called them Brooks Brothers" protesters. Then Barbara "Botox" Boxer piled on. Liberals, listen very carefully....you will not shut us up!!!
Frankly, I could care less what the Democratic kooks call Americans who raise their voices against destructive nationalistic policy. If anything, the DNC and its circus should be thanked for helping "organize" the opposition with its humorous labels and deranged accusations. It's the best wake-up call Americans could ever hope to receive as the "mob" rallies to keep from getting robbed by the clown prince in the White House and his Congressional lackeys.
Sensible people are only raising voice against the borrowing from China to support every socialistic agenda? Someone has to pay for all these; there aren’t enough rich to be soaked though.
Increasing tax to the middle class is out of question; that’s breaking the campaign promise. What then? Redefine middle class, that’s a possibility.
How intelligent – the Democrats can't put together a coherent bill or a plausible story as to why nationalized health care is smart. So, mmm, how to keep the Annointed One's myth going... I know, call the people who disagree with him a 'mob'. So much for the will of the people.
these right-wingers should be happy that they're allowed in to town hall meetings and listening session at all. would they be perfectly fine with the democratic party pre-screening the people allowed into rallies and town hall meetings? or is that just something that only the gop and bush administration can do?
Let me see if I have this correct. When people get together to vent frustrations about having massive spending bills shoved down our throats it must be an organized conspiracy. But yet when SEIU bussed their members to the homes of the AIG employees in order to threaten their families so they would give up their bonus that was grass roots?? What are you "kool aid" drinkers so afraid of???
why is it that any time a group gathers to voice their concerns over what the government is doing, it is declared a radical mob put on by the GOP? Tea party's, town halls.... Cant Democrats actually realize that just maybe, there are many people who feel strongly that we are headed in the wrong direction? Read the polls. Are those people supposed to stay home and not say a word... thats what the Obama admin would like to happen. Wake up and listen to ALL the people.
By the way... ALL Americans "can" have health insurance. They choose not to. Maybe because it is expensive... well then the administration should focus there, not on "insuring" those uninsured.
How could your opinion be taken seriously? You voted for Bush....creating the problem health care now faces with Health Insurance GOP regulated policies. So your vote was for a candidate who sucked !!!!!!!
Funny. Let the GOP do what they do best, protest with no alternative plan, and always saying NO.
Let healthcare reform pass and then they'll be saying "YES, and Thank you." Republicans are a joke, always have been.
didn't obama say to get in the face of your neighbours and argue with them, dueing the 2008 campaign. we are just doing the same.
the people protesting at the townhalls are there on their own. they aren't accorn paid like stooges that the community organizer has been using for years.
the healthcare plan stinks and the democrats have lost control of the messaging. good luck in 2010.
Under Bush, dissent was the highest form of patriotism. Now, opponents of the Great and Noble Obama are "angry mobs" who are involved in some great conspiracy against the government and the by having the temerity to complain and challenge this White House.
This is what happens when fascists are elected to office.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Maybe they should call out Code Pink or Move On or ACORN to show Republicans and concerned tax paying citizens how to really use intimidation tactics properly!
If Dick Armey is financing it, along with the other GOP bigwigs, and the people are getting off of buses paid for by them with pointers from them and no one gets to talk and they shout and harass people, that's what it sounds like to me.
Ironic that the people who are so opposed to fascism are using Hitler style tactics to gain an upper hand. This has nothing to do with their exercise of 1st Amenement Rights. This is about them impinging upon the 1st Amendment rights of others by refusing to allow civil, peaceful, public civil discourse. Of course, the Constitution only exist to support their side, as usual.
This is why I am worried about their side buying all of those guns. These people aren't reasonable anymore.
LOL!!!!!
Look at all the Republican SCREAMING their fool heads off!
Oh, it's the same few over and over...... Not surprising. Loudmouthes with no job and no ambition. Typical Republicans.
I was invited by the Democrats not the Republicans..............
They sent out an email.
Can you say Desperation
If those pesky Republicans would just go away, we could all live happily ever after in La La Land.
You mean like ACORN? Or MOVE-ON? Face it dumbacrats, you and your fool uhbama are clueless.
If I had worn my ACORN shirt I would have been an "activist" but since I wore may work clothes, because I went straight from my cube to the meeting, I'm part of an "angry mob".
Well, at least they got the angry part right. I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!
Common, DNC you are the one who creates community agitation but when it helps you fund ACORN $$$ when it hit your back you cry foul! Grow up and face the dance to the music. Don't be cry babies...
You know they should require I.Q. test before people are allowed to use or buy a computer, a telephone, or any communiticative device. Some of you are just too dumb to be anywhere close to any form of communication.
All me to self-correct. That's communicative.
Do you really want a government healthcare for working people? Take a good look at what the government already runs and see if you think that is a good idea... VA, US postal service, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security. Every single one is or will shortly go bankrupt. That alone should tell the story.
"desperate Republicans and their well-funded allies" are trying to "destroy President Obama."
..Great storyline for a Hollywood movie, ...is Chuck Norris about to pop out too and save the Prez from these fools.?..
Well, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck......
My suggestion is start asking for ID at the door. Anyone not from the district should be turned away. That will put an end to it. And, anyone who gets through and starts disrupting, should be shouted down by the crowd by asking them to prove they live in the district. "If you can't prove you live here, then get out." These so-called protesters are being bussed in, folks. Check them at the door and that's the end of it. Their instructions are to stop any intelligent discussion, be disruptive, and not allow others the right of free speech. I say, don't let them in! What a bunch of babies and liars. Your position is so weak that you can't allow for intelligent discussion, that you have to get up and tell lies just to try to get people to agree with you? Any position that can't stand up to the scrutiny of discussion isn't worth much. But, the lemmings they're sending to these events don't get that. Wow, I'm glad I'm a Democrat.
Prove it...
The chief community organizer has a problem when the opposition uses his own tactics? Hypocrit... even though there is absolutely no proof that these are staged. Many of the complaints are from democrats and independents.
Can you believe it? The president and no. 1 community organizer complains that conservatives and (evil) insurance companies are organizing "angry mobs" against his programs. I suppose only liberals are allowed to organize.
It is the right wing nuts that are destroying this country.....we had 8 years of them and since they have been out of office, they are creating these crazy protests. It is great we have free speech in this country, but take it for what it is worth.....they are nuts.
An overwhelming majority of AMERICANS voted Obama into office because WE AMERICANS understand the we need to CHANGE the healthcare indudsty if we plan to make America prosporous once again. Like in the 90's when we had another GREAT AMERICAN PRESIDENT in office.
I would have thought the Democrats would be happy that people decided to take a bus to the meetings. Afterall, it will help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and reverse the effects of global warming!
And who exactly does moveon.org and code pink represent? The dems need to understand that the American people don't want this. All they want to do is stick their head in the sand, say the protests aren't really happening, and shove socialism down our throat.
No, these protests were staged by the Ways and Means Committee...and the Energy and Commerce Committee...and the Education and Labor Committee. People are just responding to the junk that is trying to be shoved down our throats by those committees.
Or maaaaaybe it's just a bunch of ticked off citizens who hear what Obama's promising but are reading the EXACT OPPOSITE in the bill!!!
You will EVENTUALLY lose your private insurance...it's in the bill.
I just don't understand the nature of this criticism. I mean, it doesn't seem to amount to more than "Republicans are organizing citizens to oppose legislation they think should be defeated–how dare they!" Even if you like the health care legislation and think Republicans are wrong on policy, this is hardly a class of activity that you can oppose. I mean, I'll grant the Democrats that "desperate Republicans and their well-funded allies are trying to destroy President Obama." Isn't that just what politics is? Mobilizing resources to accomplish your political goals?
The hecklers needs the healthcare reforms most! next time they shout just check on their rotten teeth!. How far can special interest groups and lobbyist go? They can tear the Nation down to keep their loot. Talk about burning the house to cook an egg. Wake-up America and ask yourself if our healthcare is so great as the Republicans claim then why is it ranked # 37 by WHO?. The answer is simple here! the healthcare is great for those few with money like the lobbyists. You Dean, Jean, Pedro, and others are being used by the corporate America. Next time they pay you to go heckle, first heckle them down to bring back home those jobs they have offshored. Please remember you have time to attend tea parties because those same companies using you now offshored or outsourced your jobs in Asia!!!
Yes they are staging it,and some of them have told my reporters they were paid.It will come out soon.In the meantime keep up the great work crushers,Rushs blood pressure will soon cause him to blow a fuse and we can laugh at him.
Republican's have no clue, nor do they have the collective mental capacity to get one any time soon! Nuff said................NEXT!
i am so sick of that bunch in washington did not obama make a living as a community organizer why is it that the left is always so angry about ordinary people saying their mind. i appluad the people who are confronting the lying elitest of washington i went to the tea party in augusta ga it was very well attended and we criticized both sides for lying about and mismanaging our tax money wake up a govt that is big enough to promise you everything can also take away everything we demand our freedoms from a oppressive govt
Listed below are some of the elected officials in Washington taking money from the health care industry:
Sen. Thune of South Dakota – $1,206,176
Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite – $369,000,255 over the years
Rep. Bart Gordon of Tennessee – $1,173,000
Sen. Max Baucus of Montana – $414,000 in donations from Hospitals. About $667,000 from the insurance companies and just over a million from Big Pharma. There was a $1,300,000 from other health professional and $237,000 from Nursing Homes.
Congressman, John Tanner of Tennessee – $215,000 from hospitals
Sen. Hagan of North Dakota – $628.000
Congressman Pomeroy of North Dakota – $628,000
For all you people that are whining about the "evil" Republicans for sending these "right wing crazies" out to these town hall meetings…
Where were you when Left-Wing groups like Code Pink, EMILY's LIST, and the like heckeled Bush and his admin officials at town halls, speeches, and congressional hearings? Where was your disdain for these tatics when Karl Rove and Alberto Gonzales were physcially attacked on stage by these left-wing wackos? Did I hear anything about "stifiling dissent"? What about giving people a chance to express opposing views?
You people are all hypocrites. It's alright when YOUR people do stuff like that; you just quietly sit back in silence, or at best you'll just say "well, it's just a few people" doing it. But when the shoe's on the other foot, you dismiss the ENTIRE party as full of hate-mongers and nutjobs. Your hypocrisy makes me want to vomit.
Of course its a handfull of right wing nut cases stired into a frenzy by people like Rush Linbaugh, Hannity, Glen Beck etc. who have told them they will kill off all the old people. Have you seen the footage of the meetings they must have gone around to nursing homes to recruit them.
Yeah just like MoveOn.org and all the other thugs that were for Obama! The last time I checked this country had what is called freedom of speech! If you can't take it democrats then don't dish it out! Oh and by the way, I'm a Christian but I'm not perfect!
Considering that most of these "angry mob-bers" are either old or overweight or both, one would caution them to less screaming and shouting. All their antics only increases their own health risks - you know, high blood pressure and such . . .
Will this hurt President Obama? No more than it did during the primaries or presidential campaigning last year.
Watching these GOP fools is rather amusing though. One would think these paid protestors would rather spend their time debating the issues. Perhaps because they have no health care solutions to debate, they have no recourse but to do the next best thing - act out, stomp their feet, and throw tantrums. Nothing new there.
Get job Boehner. You picked a fine group of people to represent your lobbying initiatives.
If buses were being used don't you people think they would be showing it all over the news? It wouldn't be hard to find out if these are local people? I guess when you have no proof it just makes you feel better to make things up. NO! Government Death Care
I find it deeply ironical that these people who are shutting down the debate are always voting against their best economical interests. Meanwhile the billionnaires whom they support laugh all the way to the bank, along with the profit-driven insurance companies which spend 1.4 million A DAY to keep the status quo on health care and make sure that health care reform never succeeds.
A protester yesterday actually called on Dodd to commit suicide as a way of "curing" his cancer.
This is absolutely disgusting. I don't even agree with Dodd and yet would never ever say anything like that to anyone. How evil are you to say something like that?
How does anyone support protests like that?
I think that both parties should put healthcare reform over politics for the good of American people and the country. We don't need division, we need unity. President Obama is working to unite the country towards the solution of American problems and the enhancement of our collective and individual quality of life.
Democraps just LOVE the First Amendment – unless they disagree with the speech!
Sorry, morons. Non-violent protest of government policies is fully protected speech. Read a book once in a while instead of read off the MoveOn.org talking points.
what? no one is inciting me to protest? teh democrat strongarming and forcing this down my throat is what incites me...
Oh...you mean like the news media giving CODE PINK press passes during the Republican Convention so they could stage disruptions??? The Democrats can't answer our questions. If they had answers they wouldn't be blaming the Republicans. It's the PEOPLE who are mad. We're tired of our tax dollars going out the window for Obama's pet projects for his far-left friends. At least George Bush had class and gave a nod to the freedoms of individuals who want to protest...whether he agreed with them or not he at least acknowledged their right to protest. Obama and his goons don't think we have that right and dismiss the taxpayer's concerns outright. That's pathetic.
One word liberal drones...................PROOF!!
Quite an allegation you libs throw out, where is your proof? I guess little things like "facts" don't matter in your fantasy world, do they libs?
i would'nt be surprised.... i just hate the fact GOP doesnt want us to have better life.. All Americans should vote this idiots out of the office
Thats because thats exactly what they're doing. Republicans sew dissent. They'd rather have war than peace.
I completely underestimated the fear and ignorance of the right wing stooges under the control of the Republican Party when I celebrated Barack's win back in November. The interesting thing is that only about a quarter of the "Republican base" stands to suffer anything from the new health care program (almost whatever it becomes). The Republican base is about 1/4 rich people (who will see their taxes go up) and 3/4 low to moderate income working folks in the South and West (who will benefit greatly from the cheaper, better healthcare they will no doubt get). I can perfectly well understand why a bunch of insurance execs and lawyers might want to protest (but, of course, they never do, they hire people to do that), but I cannot understand why the average Wal-Mart employee would be against this.
Just goes to show how Naive the Democrats are, they can't possibly believe people don't want to pay more taxes to support their out of control spending. Democrats think they know how to spend our hard earned money better than we do. Middle class tax payers are not for this, people who pay little or no taxes are on the freebie band wagon. Those who want the Republicans to go away better watch what you wish for, since we are the ones supporting you!
Conservobots, like zombies rising from the grave summoned by their master, "spontaneously" appear with pre-printed signs, all speaking in the same phrases, chanting "just say no to socialism," etc. No compassion, no concern for their fellow citizens, no sympathy, no empathy, no gratitude for how easy they have it.
They do not realize that they are being exploited by con-men in two-thousand dollar suits who, when elected, will do everything possible to cut the wages and benefits of those very "protestors." They will outsource jobs, reduce governmental benefits (like police protection, fire protection, environmental protection, workplace safety, schools, etc.), and decrease the quality of those who do their bidding.
Tom DeLay created this technique during the Florida recount in 2000.
I'd like to meet Obama so that I could shake his hand, pull him in close, and punch him in the nose.
This transfer of wealth thing is un-American.
Here is your proof how the GOP is staging these events, go to huffingtonpost.com and search 'conservatives for patients rights'. Only those interested in the truth will look it up.
The Democrats are trying to take the news off message. Concentrate on the people protesting instead of focusing on what they're saying. This president and congress are spending this country into debt that has never EVER happened. Our country is bankrupt. Obama is reducing our economy day to day. Do you people want to live in public housing on government assistance??? This is what we're talking about. WE can't sustain this spending out of Washington. PERIOD. Healthcare and Cap and Trade will doom this country. THAT is why people are angry. I am no Republican extremist. I'm an American...who pays attention.
It dont matter who stage what if HealthCare Reform goingh to pass its going to and no one can stop it Only God can So if god is for it, it will pass point blank.
Just another DNC attempt to put the health care issue in the background. Protests, gathering or mob (pick a word); how about listening to their questions and answering them.
A Blue Dog from Arkansas wins the delay that Republicans were asking for. A perfectly reasonable request. Why not take some time to properly vet this with the American people? How do they thank Rep. Ross? By targeting him in ads saying he wants to kill old people. By disrupting meetings. We had a chance for an open and honest discussion, instead we get distracted by rage, birthers, and God knows what. The Republicans don't want to talk about health care reform. They want to kill health care reform. And that alone makes me support health care reform.
I figured something like this must be happening when I heard about what's been happening to Rep. Steve Kagen up in northeastern Wisconsin. Disagreement and debate are one thing; shouting down the speaker is quite another. Typical GOP tactics.
By the way, I challenge the folks who claim that the Democrats do it too to cite a single verifiable incident of a town meeting held by a Republican congressman being shut down by people who were more interested in screaming than in the topic at hand. Remember that the GOP loves to stage-manage its "public" events - tickets distributed to the politically safe, people turned away (or arrested) because they're wearing the wrong t-shirt. Funny that commentators who have nothing to say about propaganda rallies masquerading as public service are so ready to slam the Democrats for opening their meetings to all comers and all points of view. Or maybe not.
Want to be heard, Health Care Plan opponents? First act like you deserve to be heard.
What the Democrats don't want Republicans to disrupt their staged town hall meetings. You would think they would want to hear how people really feel about the baloney they are force feeding us, instead of living in their little dream world thinking everyone supports the bankrupting of America!
WHY are we not surprised? Republicans do NOTHING but cause CHAOS and DIVISION. This is WHAT they've been doing for decades. They NEVER offer any solutions or roll up their sleeves. Republicans are nothing but COWARDS in plotting and planning MOB groups to cause havoc on Town Hall Meeting held by Democrats.
Is THIS WHO Americans want in Control a bunch of "sleazy bullies" who do nothing but cause MOB incited hatred and divisiveness in our country?
I'm SICK of Republicans trying to DESTROY HEALTHCARE REFORM and BIRTHER MOB GROUPS, etc.
They sure are. When the can't win fairly, they cheat lie and steal. No wonder the country hates the republicans. They are making their own filthy bed, and soon will have to sleep in it.
This is total propaganda by the DNC. I was at a town hall with my democratic congressman in my 99 percent democratic district in NEW YORK CITY. The sparks flew when the topic of health care reform was brought up. There were no buses of right wing extremists. No representatives from the GOP or insurance or pharma. Just democrats yelling at the top of their lungs at their congressman how inept this health care legislation really is. Many stated that they would vote for the republican challenger in 2010 if he votes to pass this health care reform bill.
I wish the Republican party was this organized. This is just the begining I think Americans are starting to realize that all of these "stimulus" and "programs" come at a price. And now with the administration officials even saying a middle class tax increase is possible. Protests and angry voters is just begining.
I have a friend who works in the Senate. He says that the office he works in gets countless letters, emails, calls, etc from Obama voters who are asking the senator to vote against any health care, stimulus, cap and tax, etc... proposal that is introduced. He says they just want to respond with you voted for him, stupid!
Americans are split 50/50 on health care reform. Labeling those opposed as a paid Republican mob is an insult to the 50% of mainstream Americans that are angry and opposed to Obamacare. As the Dems love to point out, the Republican party is almost extint. Not where near 50% of Americans are Republicans. Yet 50% of Americans are opposed to Obamacare. Dems will only harm themselves by insulting 50% of Americans who are angry about a government take over of their health care. The Dems should be listening to the concerns of those opposed instead of demonizing them.
Hey i've gone to my congressmen town hall meeting to ask questions. No one paid me to do it at all. I have elected these people I have the right to ask questions on bills that effect my life. If I feel the new health care bill isn't in my families best intrest then I have a right to protest at my congressmen office.
This is TYPICAL REPUBLICAN MOB THEATRICS.
This is NOT about HEALTHCARE REFORM. This is Republican GUTTER tactics PLANNED by the Republican Leadership. Bottom line. This proves the GOP is NOT about Healthcare Reform, they are ALL about PROMOTING RUDE AND OBNOXIOUS MOBS!
It's ALL about how LOW and SLEAZY the Republican Party will stoop by busing people from other states to promote RUDE and MOB OBSTRUCTIONIST behavior.
The GOP knows this is nothing but GUTTER TACTICS at its best. Republicans are SO SCARED that they have stooped to an all time low. They have resorted to the BULLY TACTIC. BULLY themselves into Town Hall Meetings to cause CHAOS. They don't care that their own stupidity is going to BACKFIRE in their faces big time.
NO ONE LIKES RUDE and OBNOXIOUS ADULTS SCREAMING LIKE A BUNCH OF TODDLERS!!! LOL Bottom line.
Poor Democrats can't stand it when the Republicans use the Community Organizer-in Chief's own organizing tactics against him! Cry me a river! And wasn't it Obama who told his "fans" to get out there and "argue" and "get in their faces" when debating the election last year? Your thug tactics are coming back to haunt you Obama & DNC!
The Republicans Party is an EMBARRASSMENT to "WE THE PEOPLE".
They did it before in 2000 and they will do it again....I wonder what its like being turned into what they said they hated in the 60's? I thought they were the party of moral values and upholding the Republic? What happened? All those Dixiecrats are poisoning the Republican party just like they poisioned the Democratic party....I wonder if there will be factional riots at the 2012 Republican Convention?
Well, here is BIG news flash for cnn and all the far left loonies – I am a democrat, I am not paid to blog, I do not belong to any organization but the democrat party WHICH by the way used acorn during and since the election and black panthers who got away with threatening voters and I still think government rationed health care STINKS!! AND so does CRAP AND TAX!! Now big brother otherwise know as the chicago crooks and croonies wants a police state against anyone who opposes them. Has freedom of speech been stricken from the constitution? Or does it only apply to the current administrations points of few? These are honest hard working AMERICAN CITIZENS voicing their concerns and questions and the senators and rep. cannot answer them because they haven't even read the bill. obama hasn't even read.
Don't these screamers have anything constructive to offer? If not, they should quiet down for a few minutes and let people who know what they are talking about explain things to them. If they have questions, they might learn something. But just shouting people down, regardless of what side you are on, just shows you are a loser and won't allow the other side to offer any rational answers to our obstructionism.
We need a civil war. We really do.
I have a solution to this disagreement. I am bringing a baseball bat to the next town hall, and I suggest everyone else do the same. At the end of it, there will be some form of concensus, I guarantee it.
No, Republicans are not staging anything. These are people who are informed. Why do you think Pelosi and Obama wanted to ram this through so quickly? So this exact thing would not happen. They knew that if people had a chance to read this they'd see it for what this really is.
For a president who promised greater transparency, and to not sign anything before it was read and fully understood, he sure is doing the opposite.
Hey libs, you used to accuse Bush of witholding information. Why is Obama not releasing economic figures, or details about crash for clunkers?
Dumb-animal Republicans can scream and wet their pants all they want, but they lost both the White House and Congress. It's time to re-build America now. Funny that these people should get worked up over something that will benefit their next-door neighbor, while they are not bothered at all by multi-billion dollar grabs of our tax money by Wall Street. Screaming down reasoned discourse is about what you would expect from right wing-nuts. Don't even bother trying to discuss this with a Republican – you might as well try to teach your dog or cat how to talk. And Obama was born in Hawaii!
I would rather have the guy I elected, Obama, provide insurance to everyone, than to have a $20,000,000 per year Insurance CEO cancel the insurance of a cancer patient because she didn't mention that she had a mole removed from her arm 20 years before.
anyone in their right mind would be outraged at the proposed health scare bill........WAKE UP PEOPLE !!! THIS IS EVIL !!!! Hitler and Stalin would like to have the kind of power this plan would give the government !! READ IT FOR YOURSELVES !!! Do you really want the gov running every facet of your life?????? This is no joke !!! Read it!!!
Reminds me of 1930's Austria. No different than the Nazi's.
So anyone who dare protest any thing from the Democrats are labeled an extremist and a threat. Don't you see the danger here people? It appears that the democrats are becoming paranoid of the people they're suppose to represent and now freedom of speech by Americans is a problem for them?
Democrats protest WAR.
Republicans protest HEALTHCARE.
No wonder people are leaving the GOP.
The most dangerous group directed against the welfare of America is the Republican Party, and it's members. Most of which are racist. Wait I take the "racist" statement back because if you are white and poor, they don't like you either!
Forget the financial aspect for just one moment !!! This bill is a POWER GRAB for the GOVERNMENT !!! PLAIN AND SIMPLE !!!
There are enough overviews of it on the internet now. Check it out. This thing is SCARY!!!
Besides, the last CNN poll I read said that about 88% of Americans had health care. The Prez has exaggerated the numbers a bit...
The current system might not be perfect...but it's still the BEST in the WORLD.
I guess you could go to the representatives house and protest and trash talk their neighbors like ACORN. The left don't believe in anything so there can't be a moral or ethical conflict if they are ones doing it. Its all relative.
If the opposition were to show up to an event to debate the details of the plan I don't think ANYONE would have a problem with it. People are complaining about the tatics that these people are using. Nothing is accomplished when there is a group of people shouting and chanting in the back of the room. It just makes them look like an "angry-mob".
Of course, no one could possibly have a legitimate objection to anything the government wants to do so it must be a conspiracy fueled by the radicals and their agitators in the media.
Are we talking about the US or Iran? The political powers in both are trying to demonize their opposition to justify their own political agenda's. It's a good thing the Blue Dogs caved in or the DNC and friends would have to attack them too.
The democrats simply cannot believe that the American people (or the peasants as they like to think of them) are actually smart enough to disagree and oppose them on their own. They think everyone who has not been to Harvard, Yale, or Columbia and are not devout socialist are just mindless, stupid, little children who have to be led because they are not smart enough to think on their own.
I hope that most of those "teabaggers" are senior citizens. They will quickly find out that Medicare is government run (LOL)! Racism and the intent to defeat Obama is going to leave THEM with high premiums (LOL)!
How dare they!!! God forbid we take to the streets and town halls and let them know what we think. They said the same thing about the Teaparties. They didn't want to acknowledge them either. No news crews like CNN were out there covering them. Now again we can't be "real" And B. Boxer has the nerve to say we are "too well dressed"
to be real. She needs to get real along with all the others who don't get it.!
So what it if is an angry mob??? Somebody has to stand up and say NO to all this irresponsible spending. As a taxpayer, I am furious about the money being spent on Obama's socialist vision for this country. Enough already - bring on the angry mobs!!
Do they realize they are just fueling the fires by saying this?? They want us to disappear. They will use any tactic to make us go away.
I am disgusted by the DNC and there constant blame game. If they aren't blaming BUSH they are blaming someone. Just like bullies in the schoolyard.