Here is another racist charge being thrown at those protesting the socialism, this time being compared to the KKK:
And Charles Krauthammer says everyone should all just stand up quietly and ask questions:
The Democrats are pulling a rabbit out of a hat, and the Republicans (or conservatives) are handing the Democrats the rabbit. The Democrats have no argument. They have no facts. They don’t even really have a bill.
And if people were just to stand up and quietly and civilly raise questions — “the money doesn’t add up,” “the CBO has said that you say it is going to control costs, but it increases it by $1 trillion,” all of this stuff, it’s really out there — they would be winning this debate as they were before the town halls.
What’s happening is this is causing a backlash. It’s completely unnecessary. It is shooting yourself in the foot. If you want to demonstrate, you want to shout, you do it outside carrying signs. When you walk inside [the town hall meeting], you ask questions.
This is going to have two effects. Public opinion will make people, if anything, rather unsympathetic to those who oppose the bills.
And secondly, it’s going to give a great excuse for the Democrats, when Congress returns, to push a partisan bill with no Republican support and say it’s because the opposition is not — is simply oppositionist without any arguments and is acting in an irresponsible way.
Andy McCarthy disagrees, as do I:
With due mountains of respect to Dr. K, his suggested approach of “quietly and civilly raising questions,” politely pointing out that the numbers don’t add up, etc., is exactly how we have come to be stuck with the stimulus, the bailouts, and obscene trillions in budget deficits.
This is not a nice, ivory tower, Oxford debate. This is gut-check time about whether we are going to maintain the bedrock American relationship between the citizen and the state. We are in the battle against ruthless, radical ideologues who have the media and the daunting numbers on their side. On our side, we have the further burden of wavering moderates and in-Washington-too-long types who define success as making a deal — any deal — that they think they can sell as a bipartisan compromise that staved off something extreme (but what in reality would be a sell-out that is 3/4 extreme, with Obama simply coming back in 2010 or 2011 to get the remaining 1/4 … plus).If our side’s approach lacks passion: (a) the brass-knuckled Rahmbo/Pelosi/Reid leadership will easily succeed in showing the potential Democrat convincables (without whom we cannot win) that they better stay on the team if they know what’s good for them, and (b) the GOP moderates and old Washington hands will interpret civility as a greenlight to do the dealing they’re dying to do.
I am not, and would not, endorse criminal mob behavior. But exhibitions of anger and spirit when one is justifiably angry and spirited are entirely appropriate. Making clear to a pol who is trying to insult your intelligence that you don’t appreciate it is entirely appropriate.
I just don’t get the detachment from the real world here. We’re not talking trivia here. We’re talking about what kind of country we’re going to be from here on out. That’s something worth getting whipped up about. If we’re not whipped up, we lose. If we are whipped up and the Democrats try to use that fact as an excuse to ram this through, then they were going to ram it through anyway.
We are a heavy underdog. To prevail, the needle we have to thread is to convince enough Dems and RINOs that there will be electoral hell to pay if this monstrosity is enacted. That requires an authentic demonstration of fervor. It’s unfortunate that some people will go overboard — as happens in any human endeavor — but that’s no reason to treat this as if it were an academic exercise. If that’s the approach, the game — like the country as we know it — is lost.
If there ever was a time to tear a page out of the lefty handbook it’s now. They got in the faces of our elected leadership over everything during the last years…calling it “democracy in action”. Well, this is indeed democracy in action and if anything should get people mad it’s the socialism they are trying to pass.
And amidst all this indignation at being subjected to angry constituents they don’t argue on the merits of the bill…..their whole argument is “RACIST”
As this woman told Sen. Specter this morning….they have awakened a sleeping giant:
Dingell needs to go see Sen. Robert C, Byrd for further info on the Klan.
I agree with you. One of my chief complaints about the GOP – and I told them this the other night when I got a call from them – they have lost many battles BECAUSE they treat the other side like the dems are civil and rational folks. How many times do we have to be shown that they are not? How many times do we have to be told that their positions don’t have the facts to support them, and if we just have a real discussion, an honest debate without all the passion, we will win. That is just not true – at least not anymore. If we don’t register loud and clear our dissent – we will lose. And remember, we might still lose NO MATTER WHAT we say, because most dems have their mind made up (at least here in New Jersey), and that is to impose whatever the democratic party wants – they will ride that train until oblivion. They DO NOT represent the electorate that put them in office. They represent themselves, and their interests are in continued power.
At Human Events, there is a top ten questions list to ask of one’s legislators – but even that list is missing, what I consider, to be the top question. If this plan is so wonderful and good for all Americans, then why, oh why, doesn’t the Congress fall into this plan?
Another racebaiter trying to hide from his consitutents! How many does that make?
@ Old Trooper
The dems never see themselves in the mirror the way they truly are.
On another note, Obama is going to be in Bozeman on Friday the 14th for a townhall meeting. You gonna be there?
Dingell is a little confused God bless him,he was actually describing a BAR-B-QUE he attended at Sen. Byrd’s house over the fourth.
Aqua, you know that I would not miss it for the world. I will most likely use up a months worth of people skills but I can round up more than a few skeptical Patriots for that day.
If Congress cannot get Social Security and Medicare solvent WE cannot afford any new programs.
Folks that cannot balance a checkbook or honor promises made decades ago cannot be trusted with anything as critical as Health Care Reform or Management. I am quite frankly disgusted with all of these Un-Constitutional Mandates and runaway spending thinly disguised under the cover of the General Welfare clause.
I am a firm supporter of the 10th Amendment movement that places limits on the Power of the Federal Government. Government has no damn business running Health Care, the Auto Industry or Housing Finance. Congress folk that vote on bills without reading them betray the Public Trust. Placing Authority without accountability in the hands of appointed Czars without vetting by the Senate is Un-Constitutional.
The Kenyan could easily run into a hornets nest in Bozeman. I have questions that neither Obama or Baghdad Bob Gibbs can answer without lying outright. We know our Constitution up here and We can smell bull crap a mile off. Our State Legislature does not run year round because there is no need for it. I recommend the same for Congress and the Senate. It limits the harm done.
Read the Bill of Rights. I see no mention of the Right to Government Health Care. Visit an Indian Reservation and ask about the IHA. They say don’t get sick past April because there is no money for care. The IHA is Gummint Managed…You don’t want that!
I imagine if American colonist had quietly and calmly addressed King George and British Parliament about unfair taxation without representation the Union Jack might be flying over the White House today.History shows us that America has a long tradition of raucous town hall events when the electorate is aroused.Although I like Charles Krauthammer and agree with many of his view points,I think he is wrong on this one.
I won’t even go into what a racist he is. Let’s just say I’ve had enough of him and his name calling cronies.
Okay, serious question. I sent this to the white house healthcare site but they didn’t respond.
The house health care bill mentions “health disparities” many times. It specifically seeks to address disparities across racial and ethnic lines. Will my race be a factor in any decisions made about what scarce medical resources I may have access to?
@ redhat
If you are white, and you can figure that most of the people employed on the decision making panels in DC will be black, what do you think about the matter of race in terms of it affecting your healthcare? I’d put money on it. If you are an older white person (which I am), you are really in trouble with Obamacare; please just check in with the euthanasia department on the left.
This charge of racism for every little matter is really getting old. It shows a profound lack of creativity, for one thing. Can’t they think of anything else to accuse us of? How about if they say that we are just plain mean? Or that we are ugly? Or something equally rational as any of those?
Opposing socialized medicine makes you a racist. The cure is socialized medicine.
Welcome to Otopia. Line up according to skin color, please.