NEWS JUNKIE POST
Aug 12, 2009 at 7:51 amMobs, Intimidation, and Deceit at Town Halls
Before the spin starts to take hold on the consciousness of Americans, it is important to review what has happened recently at these town hall meetings to discuss potential health care reform in America.
Right wing groups that have previously been throwing Tea Parties received astroturfing instructions from FreedomWorks to disrupt town hall meetings hosted by Democratic congressmen. This leaked memo was exposed on Talking Points Memo, and included such excerpts as:
– Artificially Inflate Your Numbers: “Spread out in the hall and try to be in the front half. The objective is to put the Rep on the defensive with your questions and follow-up. The Rep should be made to feel that a majority, and if not, a significant portion of at least the audience, opposes the socialist agenda of Washington.”
– Be Disruptive Early And Often: “You need to rock-the-boat early in the Rep’s presentation, Watch for an opportunity to yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements early.”
– Try To “Rattle Him,” Not Have An Intelligent Debate: “The goal is to rattle him, get him off his prepared script and agenda. If he says something outrageous, stand up and shout out and sit right back down. Look for these opportunities before he even takes questions.”
There are many videos on YouTube and other websites displaying the results of these calls for disruption. The result of these unruly crowds of people shouting others down and causing a ruckus had another effect.
FreedomWorks likely figured if they could cause enough of a disturbance, it would stop everyday folks from showing up to these town hall meetings to have their say. This would not only silence dissenting views, but further increase the ratio of protesters to ordinary citizens at these discussions.
The counter reaction to this intimidation was of course, blue collar folks who work for a living showing up to stand up for their rights and ready to stand up to trouble if it came their way. It seems now that the Tea Baggers were ready for this step as well, as their quick pouncing on the scuffle in St. Louis demonstrated.
For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, right wing outlets and internet activists have been yelling out that a ‘bunch of union thugs viciously assaulted a black conservative’. The truth is that Kenneth Gladney was involved in an altercation, but only after he punched Reverend Elston McCowan, another black man in the video that gets up holding his shoulder.
Ironically, Mr. Gladney doesn’t have health insurance, and despite this being a short, minor scuffle, later decided or was convinced to go to the hospital. He came to a rally the next day in a wheel chair to ask for donations to cover his medical expenses, although it is suspicious that he was fine in the video and is in a wheel chair the next day.
Sort of reminds you of the Ashley Todd incident last fall, doesn’t it? She was the McCain worker who claimed to be mugged and physically assaulted by a 6’4 black Obama supporter after he saw a McCain bumper sticker on her car. She was the young woman who had the backwards B carved in her cheek. The same thing happened back then, media outlets and conservative internet users were all over this story before the facts actually came in.
As it turns out, she made up the whole story. Of course when this came to light, suddenly they claimed she was working on the Bob Barr campaign, and later the rumor mill claimed she was actually a plant by the Obama campaign.
This incident in St. Louis has caused the right wing propaganda machine to react in the same frenzied way. They are now constantly trying to shift the focus of conflict to ‘union thugs’, trying to paint a picture that these blue collar folks work for Al Capone, that they are brutes, that they are anything other than bus drivers, teachers, and nurses standing up for their rights.
Further, the astroturfers have given direct instructions to the Tea Baggers to bring their cameras to record these events to record the confrontations. It’s almost as if they are deliberately trying to provoke a violent reaction to use for propaganda, as this altercation in St. Louis demonstrated.
The ultimate goal of these astroturfed protests was likely to energize the ‘new new conservatives’ as represented by the Tea Party regulars, while taking the wind out of the sails of the progressive movement for change that was so instrumental in electing Obama last fall.
Fortunately for America, it appears as if their tactics are starting to backfire, as more and more mainstream media outlets and independents are recognizing these things for what they are: a distraction. The mobs, intimidation, and deceit at these town halls go to show one thing very clearly, they would rather change the subject than actually talk about real health care reform. These underhanded means only go so far.
Time for the MSM to shine the light on these parasites (Freedomworks and similar organizations) and hold them accountable. There is a related post at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?page_id=588
These people are also getting to these town halls earlier and earlier to make sure they pack the place and no other voices are heard. The rule of one party is called Fascism. So in the absence of real debate and a true town hall where reps get to know how *all* their constituents feel we have FASCISM…
So maybe the left should be worried more than the right…
Wow, that is just WAY too cool!
RT
http://www.anon-web-tools.net.tc
Strike.
Lets see if the companies that are underwriting this astroturf would like their bottom lines if a nationwide wildcat strike took effect. I’m not in a union shop but I’d even join in and I think many others would as well.
Strike.
Lets shut the country down and let the bankers know what democracy looks like when it’s impeded by corporate interference.
Strike.
Stop moving all goods and services and pound the sales estimates into the ground. Stop hauling gas, cars, and all goods. Obviously they can afford a war – but they can’t afford healthcare is the message. Lets show them where the money comes from and how it can stop.
Strike.
popurls.com // popular today…
story has entered the popular today section on popurls.com…
Fascism is the rule of one party or group. Would this not be the left wing liberal socailst party? liberal president, house and senate? Is it so hard to believe that most Americans may not simply want to hand their lives and money over to a government who can’t even take care of theirself and a president who has spent billions to effect an economy which has already been designed to self heal without intervention?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism – Read it and understand how ignorant you sound.
This is stupid. Left wingers protest, its freedom of speech. Right wingers and centrists protest, it’s called organized disruption and mobbing. Just another double standard.
No, Kay – there is a difference between protesting and dragging an angry, interruptive mob into a forum that should be a civil debate. These people have a chance to speak at the town hall meetings and instead of saying anything about healthcare they try to shout down the opposition. When left wingers protest, they speak their minds and let the opposition do so as well. This time around its the right wingers and they have nothing to say except “shut up, I’m scared”
Sorry to disappoint you but left wing protests have gotten a hell of a lot more heated than any of these town hall debates. Luckily we haven’t seen anybody getting tear gassed, shouting death threats, looting, destroying public and private private property, or swat teams mobilized. Because that would much worse than people yelling. It’s not the people’s fault the health care bills before Congress are terrible examples of Government overspending and deepening of the national debt. It”s sad when our elected officials ignore their constituents and follow their parties so much that the people have to come to a town hall meeting, that they get maybe 3 to 5 times a year, to speak to their representative, and they still won’t listen, so they have to shout. God forbid somebody shouts in a crowded room. It’s awful that this has happened, but the people didn’t bring it on the Congressmen and woman, they brought it on themselves.
You have to remember, it’s only OK when the left does it. Forget that they libs are bussed in wearing identical shirts and professionally printed signs, they’re NOT astro-turf.
Exactly Matt. Never a truer word spoken.
Fascism is Government control of private assets (Corporatism)… under the public plan people would be required to get insurance. that means your premiums will be paid to the largest of the health insurance companies even if you are young healthy and don’t need anything. This means that only the largest insurance companies will dominate the market and they no longer have to compete for your business and lower premiums or raise services. This is why the largest insurance companies and Pharma companies want this plan to pass. who cares if they have to insure the sick when the get 1000 healthy people that don’t need insurance that are MADE to sign up. I work in sales and I could only wish I had Senators and the Lazy Ignorant Citizens to fall into my trap as you have fallen into theirs. Ironic isn’t it you have unwittingly Guaranteed unlimited profits to the corporations you claim to hate. It can get better then this.
That’s what insurance IS in the first place! Lots of states require some level of Auto Insurance (for a parallel), so you pay and pay and pay, usually NOT needing it.
Some states do not require a minimum level of insurance. So, cheap people (like yourself, I’d imagine) don’t get a policy on their vehicle, and then are SOL if they get in an accident.
Fascism is Corporate control of Government (Corporatism) .. e.g. by various means of government manipulation by corporations, government puts corporate interests in front of the interests of society.
Keep your eyes open for the extent to which the Pharmaceutical and Insurance corporations manipulate the final shape of healthcare to their benefit at the cost of universal public health – this is the extent to which the US is fascist.
I just have to laugh at an article like this, it’s so ignorant it doesn’t even rate a reply. Ha ha.
Have you read the “heath reform plan, Ole Ole Olson?”
I didn’t think so.
how are these tactics any different than CODE PINK?
No one gave a sh*t when Code Pink did this to Bush for 8 years
Many people on BOTH sides of this issue are simply wrong, selfish, rude and even crazed.
While I am absolutely opposed to the current health care proposals (affordability, federal involvement), I am also opposed to the rudeness and ad hominem attacks by both the left and the right on each other. Nothing new, of course. Yet I find it ironic that the Left, which has always been so good at astroturfing the past 8 years, would now feel so much self-righteous indignation if a play is pulled from their playbook. I suspect both sides are packing the rooms, and both sides have people who are not there because of Freedom Works or SEIU. Both sides point at this in order to spin the debate.
All of us can benefit by learning to distinguish what we WANT to believe from what the truth IS.
I propose that money and power are at the root of whatever Congress does or does not do.. Both parties have been bought and paid for by big business, drug companies, banking, oil, etc. Both parties generate public policy based on goals of grasping at or retaining power, not rational policy choices. They want to divide, conquer, and control us, the sheep. The People have been asleep at the wheel, presented with false choices, taking selfish, short-term advantage of ‘free’ things at the expense of future economic vitality, while the Congress elite junket around the world on taxpayer dimes, become Friends of Angelo and get cheap loans, or bribe their constituents with pork to get re-elected.
It is a sad, sad game with we as the dupes–the ones who keep putting them back in, letting them get rich while we get poorer, letting them spend our money, and when that ran out, borrowing more, so that they can avoid serious ethics reform, take more control of the economy with a bloated, self-perpetuating bureaucracy that can’t be efficiently manage ANYTHING.
So, don’t let yourselves think that you are the smartest people in the room, or let yourselves get upset that someone else is motivated to do *something*, or label them the Enemy or pat yourselves on the back for being politically correct or doing God’s work; or make yourselves feel better for reading only what you agree with .
Our government has been stolen from us by two wretched parties that have failed over and over again and remain in power only because we have let them artificially divide us into the Left and the Right. Neither party meets the needs of the People.
*I* for one, want to get rid of these self-appointed so-called ‘servants’ of the people, who ignore us, who feed us crap, tell us what we want to hear, who divide us, who seek only to benefit themselves with perpetual fifedoms. Get rid of these whores.
Hey, guess what? There’s a large portion of the US population (not just Republicans) that thinks government run health care is going to destroy what is esentially the best health care system IN THE WORLD. It’s a system that millions of people in the country depend on for the health of themselves and their loved ones. And that large portion of the population isn’t going to sit quietly with their hand raised saying “Please call on me, please?” while the democrats and Obama use this country as a lab rat for progressivism and socialism.
To those that think our healthcare system is the best in the world:
Try not having health insurance when you need to go to the Dr. and then see just how great it is.
Sounds like Darci should be spending money on health insurance instead of internet plans and cigarettes/beer/booze/non-essentials. Usually the people who cry-foul about “try being uninsured” are most-often well-insured middle-class, internet-arm-chair politicians or they ‘know someone’ that doesn’t have insurance. Then again, I’m just a 28 yr old, college graduate, who pays about $150/mo for insurance that I barely get to use.
Uh, I used to not have insurance for quite some time because I couldn’t afford to pay for it. Hospitals around here have the right to refuse you care if you don’t have insurance. I pay less than you do for my insurance through work, but that is only because it is company subsidized. If i had to pay for my insurance, it would be $500+ a month, just for my wife and I. I have been without and it totally sucks.
Darci – try being in Mexico with or without insurance (and NOT be american with DOLLARS) and see just how great it is.. In fact, try going to the UK and see how *wonderful their hospitals and clinics are. Since our Kommander in Chief doesn’t see the need for the proletariat (you and me) to have free-use of air travel (we pay for his ass to fly around the world), save your money and just google the UK healthcare system.
keep working – millions on welfare depend on it
Too bad that Kenneth Gladney does have health insurance. Kind of makes you sound like you aren’t telling the whole truth when you repeat things others have said that aren’t true. Next time, maybe research what you are saying before you spread lies. Let’s have a civil, informed discussion on this, not this bull of each side spreading lies about the other. Lets discuss the actual issue, ok? Stop with the stupid attacks on the people, and address their issues and concerns. And no more using ‘there is no complete bill, so we can’t know the details’ when Obama himself said the time for discussion was over. Obviously, he felt the details were done. So what were the details that HE wanted so badly?
Ayn Rand and Ronald Reagan On State Controlled Medicine
Ayn Rand is considered by many to be one of the great philosophic minds of the 20th century.
Ronald Reagan is regarded by millions as one of the greatest Presidents America ever had.
So what do these two have in common when it comes to universal health care?
Quite a bit as it turns out:
http://freedomedium.com/2009/08/ayn-rand-and-ronal
d-reagan-on-state-controlled-medicine/
“Freedom, freedom, freedom”, cries the right. Like some oppressed race of humans, the right screams out. You know when “The Torture Club” was in power, all I ever heard was “if you don’t like this country, then get the hell out.” Well the Torture Club is out of business now and the shoe is on the other foot. Sorry it sucks so bad for the right, but they begged to be replaced.
Now it’s time for the crybabies to grow up and act like grown up citizens. This country is not going to follow a bunch of right wing loony tunes rebelling against our government.
So wingnuts follow your own advice. If you don’t like where this country is headed, then by all means pack your bags and find that Eden you have in mind. I hear there are openings in Alaska. It doesn’t matter where you go, just get the hell out.
The NHS in the UK is a complete disaster. My mother-in-law has been on a waiting list for a hip replacement for 4 years. Another 2 years, an operation would not be in the best interest because of cost according to our government health panel. My sister-in-law went to the hospital to have a baby. Only 2 nurses to cover a floor of 50 patients. Very sick people lying in their own vomit and excrement were in beds only 3-4 feet from women giving birth. My sister-in-law was double drugged by the overworked nurses and she and the baby nearly died. NHS statistics show that 1000 people a month die from MRSA infections in our hospitals a month. Is the United States worse than that? Oh, since we can’t sue the government, good luck with botched operations and mistakes. If I were you, I would not stop yelling at your “townhall” meetings or else you will get the same rubbish.
To those that think our healthcare system is the best in the world:
Try not having health insurance when you need to go to the Dr. and then see just how great it is…
Politics is a dirty business and right now the left is the more successful at getting down and nasty. Just look through these posts. People who espouse rightist positions are passionate, yes but those on the left always resort to name-calling. This is an obvious sign of not having a well thought out, cogent argument backing their position.
We wouldn’t have to protest if Obama’s healthcare plan wasn’t so screwed up. Liberals make me laugh. You people keep backing someone who has done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. You still keep thinking this guy is going to walk on water or part the red sea but realistically he is a failure. I don’t need you liberals to agree with me either, because you know who does? The US Chamber of Commerce. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.
A government big enough to give you everything is big enough to take it away.
Only one thing to do… Stop having the town hall meetings and giving these people an excuse to act out.
What is the purpose anyway if you can’t actually have an intelligent conversation?
Perhaps one should look at MOVEON.ORG or Acorn or SEIU, the Black Panthers, AARP… Just to name a few “grassroots” movements. ONE Freedom Works does not equal ASTROTURF! please remember that freedom works, like abstinence, works every time.
P.Publius
Dear Ole Ole Olson:
Before you pick up your pen and write another poorly construed OPINION piece, check your facts. Propaganda, from any side, is harmful to the public.
I would hope people are smart enough to recognize that the HOUSE legislation on healthcare reform (which still needs to be reconciled with whatever comes out of the Senate) is over one thousand pages long, full of political and legal crap (yes, I said crap) and is padded with clauses to make special interest groups “happy”. (Those are some of the main ingredients required these days to make a bill law. ) The general public is usually blissfully ignorant of EVERY item that is in a bill.
So, yes, we citizens have a responsibility to defend not just our own health freedoms but those of future generations. We need to make sure that any reform that is “pushed” through the system is the best possible solution for the matters that plague our current health care system. Reform for the sake of reform is never a good thing.
American citizens must put the politicians’ toes to the fire, so to speak; they are supposed to be working for us after all. Would you rather no arguments or demonstrations take place so that politicians can just pass any legislation that tickles their fancy and adds to their pocket? If so, you are just plain lazy and deserve to have your freedoms stripped away….
Thank goodness we live in a country that allows you to publish a stupid article as well as recognizes the right of astroturf “mobs” to voice their concerns at town hall meetings. Otherwise, we would be living in a socialist or facist state.
Regards,
L.R.