Happy Hour Roundup
Updated below: CNN says they’re nixing the anti-Dobbs ad.
* Does the House GOP leadership approve of the loud and angry mob hecklings of House Dems over health care we’re starting to see?
* John Boehner cuts a lighthearted Web video saying Obama “isn’t a doctor, but he plays one on TV.”
* Which prompts DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan to retort that “Boehner isn’t an insurance company executive, but he sure plays one in the U.S. House of Representatives.”
* Markos Moulitsas has a succinct response to Bill Clinton’s email calling for donations to the DCCC to fight GOP obstructionism on health care: It’s the Democrats, stupid.
* Is the White House reaping what it sowed on health care?
* Steve Benen points out that GOP Rep. Pete King’s claim that Americans don’t care much about health care reform is a departure from the GOP Frank Luntz playbook, which holds that Republicans have to stress that they favor reform, not the status quo.
* Sam Stein reports that the ad attacking Lou Dobbs for playing footsie with birthers won’t run on CNN — though it’s unclear why — even as the ad will run on MSNBC and Fox.
* Michael Goldfarb finds comfort in that internal Dem poll I reported on below finding that GOP attacks on health care have some resonance.
* With Joe Sestak primed to officially announce his challenge to Arlen Specter tomorrow, top-shelf prognosticator Larry Sabato says we should “ignore early polls” because this race will be a “barnburner.” Coming from the likes of Sabato, this should shake up the Dem establishment a bit…
* And did Nancy Pelosi really laugh at House progressives?
Update: A CNN spokesperson emails that the network is nixing Media Matters’ anti-Dobbs ad: “CNN retains the right to object to any ad run by the cable operator on our network whose purpose is to attack CNN or our employees.”
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“Does the House GOP leadership approve of the loud and angry mob hecklings of House Dems over health care we’re starting to see?”
Um, yes?
I think the GOP needs to be real careful with advocating these types of disruptions, or they may lead to more images like the McCain/Palin rallies of last year, where the vitriol got out of control.
When mob mentality kicks in bad things happen. They should not forget the lesson of the civil rights movement. Mob mentality led to white people spitting on young black children trying to go to integrated schools, and led to government santioned water hose and dog attacks against peaceful protest. Those are images people never forget.
Not always, but more often than not, when you incite anger where they is no real release, that anger can lead to violence. Hopefully this doesn’t happen, but if so, I’m sure the Dems will have the cameras rolling.
Chris Matthews had a discussion on the townhall disruptions tonight (I caught most but not all of it) and there was no mention of the relevant “Rock the Townhalls” memo nor of the FreedomWorks organizers nor of Pete Sessions recent comment re “the end of civil townhall meetings.” I frankly could not believe this ineptitude, if that’s what it is. We’ve known about all of this for nearly a week.
Tweety does indeed have a huge “flake” component.
Democrats who support Health Care Reform have a GREAT opportunity with those dip****s who are belligerently ruining town halls.
You use them as an example:
“While a lot of you might scoff at those bent on disrupting our town hall meeting, remember one thing. I’ll bet you that every single one of them has called their representative to oppose reform. I’ll bet they’ve called every relative they have in OTHER states to get them to call their representative. Right now, those are the voices speaking to Congress, for you. They are speaking for you as long as you’re not calling and speaking up for yourself. So if you want real health care reform. If you really want to fight the insurance giants who are spending over a million dollars every single day to lobby Congress. If you really want your voice heard – then you need to be making calls and telling your friends and family. You need to be debunking the lies and sharing your stories with others. It’s the only way you are going to have a voice – decisions are made by those that show up. Show up and don’t take no for an answer!”
That’s how you build a grassroots movement. Use a handful of total jack***es to inspire a room of a hundred.
Heaven forfend anyone should interrupt the great Arlen Specter (remember when you people thought he was an expletive? At least I’ve been consistent in my disdain for the a-hole). And what was he about to tell everyone? I think he was explaining why it is best not to read bills just hurry up and pass them. Good luck with that message freeloaders.
A long interview, but this is must see.
When they say “CNN retains the right . . . ” is that actually a statement about a standard clause in their contract, or did they just make it up today?
perhaps I’m one of those jackasses… but I do not want the government in the healthcare business – they can’t run a free lunch program right.
These idiots up there are touting the VA as a great healthcare provider… yea ok, ever been to the VA? Two months to see a Dr. Need a copy of your records? 3-6months – and on and on and on.
Its surprising how people brand me as a jackass for voicing my opinion. Last I checked it was a free country, all I ask is my government to be representative – but – they are passing laws left and right down their in DC without ever reading them. How is that representative government?
@BabyHugo: The problem is not that they interupted Specter (a snake, who I hope loses in the Dem primary). The PROBLEM is that they aren’t trying to ask questions or promote an idea…they’re goal is simply to intimidate and create chaos. And they doing it with the backing of the insurance lobby – grassroots my ***. These people are dip**** pawns to corporate interests, it’s pathetic.
@glenda: No one is claiming anyone is a jack*** for expressing their opinion. But some people ARE jack***es for the methods they are trying to employ, and for their ignorant views.
Government can’t run anything? Seriously? I must have missed the private enterprise that built our highway system. And the start-up space program that landed on the moon. And the corporation that created the power grid. Gosh, I must have been living under a rock to not notice the non-government groups that made those (and many many more) things possible.
Oh my, and it’s a good thing that Government didn’t try to oversee a military – I’m sure we’d have been taken over by Mexico by now!
Lastly, Congress makes laws. It’s their job. You ARE represented by the person who wins an election in your state/district. That is EXACTLY representative government. Just because you may not like the laws they make doesn’t mean you’re not represented. To claim otherwise proves you’re either disingenuous (ie jack***) or in need of a gradeschool level Government class.
perhaps I’m one of those jackasses… but I do not want the government in the healthcare business – they can’t run a free lunch program right.
Except that’s an irrelevant comparison. The government also runs Medicare, one of the most popular healthcare plans in the country, and Medicare provides far more actual medical service per dollar spent on it than do private health insurance plans.
Go watch the link I provided. It’s long, but it’s highly worthwhile.
Frankly, at this point it’s pretty clear the health insurance companies are behaving no differently than the tobacco companies did (until about 15-20 years ago). They’re lying and spending many millions of dollars to make sure the system stays as it is, despite the fact that the present system hurts us and we are the only major industrialized country that operates under such a bad system.
“Does the House GOP leadership approve of the loud and angry mob hecklings of House Dems over health care we’re starting to see?”
It has nothing to do with House GOP leadership – they aren’t doing it. This movement is truly We The People. If you paid closer attention you would see that many GOP Reps are getting boo’d off the stage when they try to hijack the movement. And it is a movement, you know its real. These are people that take time off of jobs to attend, these are people that have never attended a protest rally – ever. All the snickering at the amateur signs, the jokes calling them sexually explicit names, attempting to label them as racist, dismissing or ignoring them are just working to grow their numbers and increase their determination. I know, I am one of them.
btw – we learned the playbook and rules from the leftists – straight out of Saul Alinsky. ACORN, SEIU, MoveOn, etc have been using these tactics for a couple of decades now. Why is it only when We The People use them that it is suddently a problem? Didn’t Hillary Clinton say that dissent is patriotic? Or is that just for the Progressives?
To those that don’t believe that there is a clear message – look closer. We want elected representatives to read the bills and advocate for their constituents. Regardless of political party. It has become increasingly clear in the past year (yes, that includes Bush) that there is a political ruling aristocracy at work here. They are more interested in protecting their own power and sucking up to their party than advocating for the people that sent them there to do a job. That includes reading and understanding a bill before voting on it. The message is: We don’t trust you, we don’t believe you, we are paying attention, we are educated, and the old bumper sticker platitudes aren’t going to cut it anymore. You are destroying everything that made America great. Trashing and/or avoiding us will not change that, nor will it improve the situation.
Why do Republicans have to “approve” of dissent? Did the Democrats approve of protests over the last 10 years with pictures of Bush in a noose or shooting himself in the head? Or dressed up as hitler?
I love how the underlying assumption of the left is that everyone is supposed to STFU and not utter a word in disagreement of what the Democrats are doing to this country. 52% of the electorate voted for Obama. Doesn’t mean that the other 48% need to be silent if they don’t want to. Hell, anybody can say whatever they want? This is still a free country right?
Try again…
This movement is truly We The People.
Except that it isn’t and there’s already documentation in the public record demonstrating that.
You are a pawn and getting played.
These are people that take time off of jobs to attend
These are people that take time off of jobs and get transported to other states where they appear in such numbers they shut down the meetings altogether.
That’s the plan.
You are a pawn and you are getting played for a chump and a sucker.
I’m surprised that it’s your Republican pal that has to make this point: The precedent on the anti-health care protests isn’t Bush’s Social Security town hall meetings. The real precedent is the “Brooks Brothers riot” during the 2000 recount. The point is to create disorder, but get the media to cast blame on the underlying issue and NOT the protesters.
oddjob said…
Except that it isn’t and there’s already documentation in the public record demonstrating that.
These are people that take time off of jobs and get transported to other states where they appear in such numbers they shut down the meetings altogether.
That’s the plan.
You are a pawn and you are getting played for a chump and a sucker.
Wow – you got it, you were able to do some sort of over-the-web mindlink with me and just KNOW that I am not taking off of work to attend that that I am really just a paid and tranported rube.
You are an idiot.
btw – love to see your “public record” cited…
But PLEASE – continue to dismiss us.
The goal isn’t debate or discussion; the goal is shutting down both via harrassment.
But do please stay in your cocoon. It makes Rush so happy when you do that!
Did you READ the memo you linked to? First – it wasn’t put out from the GOP. Second, it told the people to be informed, get the Rep’s voting record and be knowledgable so that you could raise the BS flag when they try to give you the run-around. It also instructs to use the Saul Alinsky tactics that the leftist have been using so effectively for years to try to make all of the rest of us shut up and go away.
Sucks when we throw it back at you doesn’t it.
Progressives – they can dish it out but they can’t take it.
The email from CPR to tea baggers suggests that, though conservatives portray the tea bagger disruptions as symptoms of a populist rebellion roiling unprompted through key districts around the country, they have to a great extent been orchestrated by anti-health care reform groups financed by industry. (CPR did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)
Did you watch the link I provided before you ever showed up? You are a pawn and getting played for a chump and a sucker.
And history will dismiss you as it should. This political moderate has been watching neoconservatives wackjobs destroy that which is best about the USA for almost thirty years now. The next generation doesn’t have the time of day for your worthless ideals, and that’s because they watched them all during their adolescence and found them disgusting.
Shouting The Debate Down
“Note that in this video, posters of the congressman literally with devil’s horns are waved about. Chris Good has more. This is the debate the GOP wants us to have and the tone they wish to have it in.”
Why would I watch a link you provided before I would go to a local gathering? The only link I read was the notice indicating the time and place of the meeting. You really think you are important don’t you.
Ah – we are back to the sexual innuendo dismissals as well.
I will ask again, why is it OK for Alinsky tactics when ACORN is protesting a bank, or Code Pink is waving signs with pictures of a former President with devil horns if it isn’t OK for a concerned citizen to (horrors) challenge their elected official to account for their votes?
Progressives – you can dish it out but you can’t take it. But you should get used to it, because we aren’t going away this time. We will be silenced no more. And we learned the methods from you.
Because you might learn something.
we aren’t going away this time
Um, yes, you are. Your children repudiate your views. You have no future.
Nobody will have much of a future if we allow the economic stagnation of Europe with their perpetual 10+% unemployment rates. That is just one of the things I am trying to stop. For my young children and even for the likes of you.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Game On.
And if things remain as they are our healthcare industry will destroy the rest of our economy. Consequently you actually are fighting to create that which you say you don’t want.
If that’s “game on”, you are too stupid or blinded by your ideology to notice your are fighting for that which you don’t want.
I’m not surprised. It reminds me of nothing so much as all the rabid fearmongering about bureaucrats dictating healthcare while simultaneously not noticing that the present paradigm, the one you all are fighting so hard to preserve, already does that (it’s just that those bureaucrats work for insurance companies)!
Oh, and long term? There is no “Game On”.
The trends are already such that the present system that you are fighting to preserve will unavoidably destroy itself. It’s already broken and only going to become worse. The only ones it benefits are the haves. As more & more people face the dead end of paying higher & higher premiums while simultaneously facing such high deductibles that they realize their policies are “coverage” in name only, they will not accept what you want to preserve.
This game is already lost. It’s only a matter of time before your loss manifests itself.
Who said anything about “preserving” the system. Is it perfect? No. Can improvements be made? Absolutely. Does that mean that we should destroy everything – including the best parts about care and innovation like HR3200 wants to do? NO!!! Here is a link to some of the good things we should strive to keep (from the oh-so-conservative Stanford University).
http://www.hoover.org/publications/digest/49525427.html