The White House wants YOU to report on other Americans. Big Brother?
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wrote today in an Op/Ed for the USA Today that the people who show up to the town hall meetings to protest the liberal healthcare bill are “un-American.” That is just as outrageous as Sarah Palin’s claims that the liberal bill would create “death panels” and the bill is “evil.” Those individuals who show up to these events and are against the healthcare bill are practicing a fundamental American right to participate in the political process. They have the right to say what they want, to question the legislators who are elected by these people, and to be for or against whatever this government does. To call average citizens, who are vehemently against a government policy and are asking tough questions, “un-American” is a disturbing comment that may reflect where many liberals are mentally. In the past the liberal movements have been the ones who are vocal, who protest, who obstruct, and who speak their mind, and no one says anything about it. Conservatives, libertarians, and independents are speaking out against this healthcare plan and are being insulted by the very people who pioneered the peaceful protest movement.
Just as alarming as Nancy Pelosi’s ridiculous claim that the people against the healthcare “reform” bill are “un-American” is what the White House is doing. They are creating a website where people can find information about the healthcare bill and to debunk myths about it. That’s fine, more power to them for doing that. My problem is that the website also wants people to send them information and names of people who are speaking out against the bill or who believe in the information that they get against the healthcare bill. That is a huge concern, especially for people concerned about “Big Brother.” Since when does the government want the names of those who are against a piece of legislation and want other Americans to turn them in?!? Like it or not, there is information for and against the healthcare bill out there and the opponents are going to have to worry about being turned into the government for exercising their first amendment right to free speech.
I wrote yesterday condemning the comments of Sarah Palin and today I am condemning the comments of Nancy Pelosi and the actions by the White House. When are people going to realize that Americans are not happy and do not want to be fed bull. The liberals can say that the protesters are organized and do not represent America to they are blue in the face, but it doesn’t make it so. Read the poll data and regular articles on where public opinion lies. Mark my words, if Democrats continue to be in denial and insult the protesters and anyone against their policies, they will regret it. Voters will turn them out of office in record numbers. It is time for the liberals to respect the right that these people have to speak out and participate in the public debate. A peaceful revolution is brewing among many Americans and they are paying attention to what Washington is doing. Believing in the false delusion that these people are just right wing nuts will result in a rude awakening soon enough.
Here is some poll data from Rasmussen Reports:
51% of the country fears the government making their healthcare decisions, while 41% fear insurance companies.
41% view the town hall protesters favorable, while 35% do not
57% oppose a single payer healthcare system, 32% favor such a system
49% approve of President Obama's job performance, 51% disapprove of his performance
Below is a video clip of the father of a handicapped man confronting a Democratic congressman about the health "reform" plan. Like it or not, it is happening all across the United States.
Comments
Here is the reason I am voting for an independent like Trevor Drown in Arkansas US Senate. The republicans have given up. They have not put forth a candidate in any congressional race in the last two elections. No one running against the Governor and they have lost their conservative base. When they close the books on this chapter in history, Senator Blanche Lincoln, will be remembered as the Mother of Modern Day McCarthyism. She started calling concerned citizens that were exercising their 1st Amendment right of free speech and assembly Un-Americans. At the same time, the President created a department designed to keep track of those that voiced opposition to his plans. In the white house the Minister of Propaganda put out talking points for all the goose-stepping democrats as they headed off to their community meetings, What is next? Acorn and AmeriCorps form their own security apparatus, which now becomes a modern day version of the brown shirts. All I can say is: Thanks MOM
"Conservatives, libertarians, and independents are speaking out against this healthcare plan and are being insulted by the very people who pioneered the peaceful protest movement." You call these riots peaceful? Take your blinders off, Mr. McMahon. In most instances, these 'protesters' are protesting because they heard from their neighbor who heard from their cousin who heard from their grocery clerk who heard from FOX news that this plan will tax everyone, will be a bureaucratic nightmare, will be etc etc etc. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL THEY ARE DOING! Why would you protest something that would BENEFIT you?
It is even more disturbing that you show a video of a man along with your peaceful protests nonsense. That's peaceful? And please, don't patronize me by saying he had the right, he was doing nothing wrong, etc. That man is blaming the wrong person for his son's ailment, and is confusing the ailment with this bill.
Freedom of speech is a Constitutional right. Suppression of free speech and the organized disruption of public access to information and respectful public discussion and debate is un-American and flaunts the Constitution. I believe it is also disrespectful and un-American to refer to the US President as a Nazi, a Fascist, Mafia, etc.
That is what the Coalition of Conservative activist groups, Conservative and health industry lobbyist groups organized in the Recess Rally program and other initiatives designed to incite their member base, precondition their thinking with propaganda-based insults about the elected Government and encourage an angry mob mood with antagonistic fighting words:
It will be“…a large scale, widely promoted and unified stance against this dangerous healthcare legislation (describing the Recess Rally). Michelle Malkin has joined the coalition along with Smart Girl Politics, American Liberty Alliance, American Majority, the Sam Adams Alliance, Americans for Limited Government, Freedom Works, and RedState.com…Now is the time for all good tea party activists to get out on the streets and tell Washington to keep its grubby hands off health care…These Government thugs think they can slip socialism into America. We think it’s time to prove them wrong.” American Liberty Alliance
“CALLING ALL AMERICANS: JOIN THE AUGUST RECESS RALLY. PROTEST!
It’s time to grab a sign and raise your voice against this monstrosity that Barack Obama and his liberal allies want to shove down America’s collective throat….Tell Congress to keep its dirty paws off our healthcare system, and tell President Obama that you don’t want a future with socialized healthcare.
continued.
And as far as Big Brother...Have you not heard of the PATRIOT act, perhaps the single biggest 'Big Brother' policy ever enacted? You Republicans are scared that something may actually happen in Washington, something that has not happened before. I have yet to see anything from the Republicans besides 'No' 'No' and 'No'. You f**ks are so worried about reelection and don't even care about what is right.
Also, try to be a bit fairer in your reports Patrick.
Gallup poll today: 55% Approve, 38& Disapprove.
CNN poll today: "Town-hall protests over health care are: Being orchestrated by lobbyists ----------------56%
Ordinary citizens expressing their opinions ----44%
"AMERICA RISE UP! LET'S TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK..The current administration and congress has intensified the attacks on the foundation of America...if this legislation is passed, the private industry and small businesses of America will face certain death in the very near future...mass rallies will represent a strong statement that we’ve been pushed to the edge and simply cannot be pushed any further." Wisconsin Recess Rally website
"Pack the hall... spread out" to make the numbers seem more significant, "rock-the-boat early in the Rep's presentation...yell out and challenge the Rep's statements early.... to rattle him, get him off his prepared script and agenda...stand up and shout and sit right back down."
Robert McGuffe, of the RightPrinciples, giving instructions on how to disrupt a town hall meeting and derail the Democrat speaker.
I can’t afford everyone else’s health care.
Don’t ration my care.
Free Health Care Will Cost You Your Freedom
Socialized Medicine – The cure for death from old age
Government Run Health Hare – like asking the Mafia to fight crime
Government Run Health Care – letting the lunatics run the asylum
Government health care = Fascism in a white smock.
Government – Get your hands off my health care.
You Think You Feel Sick Now, Just Wait Until You Get the Bill..
Slogans for signs to be used by protesters - provided by the Conservative Asheville Recess Rally group.
“These proposals would change everything about health care as we know it. Instead of patients and doctors making decisions, it would be government bureaucrats,” said Woodhouse. “We’ve got to let lawmakers know that the American people simply don’t want a government takeover of their health care.” Americans for Prosperity. Tim Phillips, its president, is a well-known paid lobbyist.
AMC/NYC.
Go back to the funny farm you came from.
I reading in the news Pelosi sent thugs out in the middle of the night to a family home to threaten a boy confined in a wheelchair for his protesting and his family protesting this Obama health care package at a town hall meeting.
Obama and Pelosi thugs in the middle of the night threatening American families at their homes.
Reads to me Pelosi is not only un-American, she is also a tyrant.
Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation
Puma Politics
A new low Pat. What a heap of crap. What a short memory conservatives have. If anybody in government was the "Big Brother" it was the Bush administration and their murderous thugs spying on innocent American citizens. So what if they want names of people who are against the legislation? Could it be maybe that they want to call them and dispel Conservative lies and myths so people make a more informed decision based on facts and not Republican\Insurance company lies? Most of these people at these town halls that are protesting are GROSSLY UNINFORMED and are there saying outrageous things bases on Republican propaganda (like this article) and scare tactics.
Proof
1. Most of these "Real Americans" believe this is nationalized healthcare. It is only a PUBLIC OPTION. Key word=OPTION.
2. Some of them are saying things like "Keep your government hands of my medicare". Idiots.
3. They believe that so called "Death Panels" will decide the fate of the elderly. These are all not true.
Sergio,
Nothing in this article is propaganda. Yesterday I criticized Sarah Palin for distorting facts about euthanasia and "death panels." Many people are uninformed, but that does not allow for the White House to play Big Brother. You can throw all the "Bush did that" at me but Bush is not in office anymore, so please let it go. Finally, I urge everyone to go read the proposals out there. They can see it with their own eyes and know the truth. Its sad that you automatically assume that everything I say is a conservative based lie. Go to CNN, FOX, USA TODAY, POLITICO, and whatever other site you want to. The facts are out there, take off your blinders.
Cont
Why don't Republicans stop spreading lies to a disgruntled and ill-informed group of people and inciting them to protest against there own interests? Why didn't Republicans incite these people to protest some real injustice like 1. The war in Iraq 2. Torture of prisoners 3. Tax cuts for the rich that created massive deficits 4. Deregulation of the financial industry that helped create this economic mess 5. Veterans of this evil Iraq war and their families who cannot get affordable healthcare?
Furthermore, these people are UN-AMERICAN. American is going to the Town Hall and respectively listening to the rep and waiting for Q and A and then criticizing the bill. UN-AMERICAN is yelling, screaming, and not allowing anybody to be heard. This is exactly what these "Real American" conservatives are doing. Also, i seemed to remember a time when conservatives called people who criticized this criminal war where called "un-American" or "un-Patriotic". Good luck maintaining status quo
Pat
I appreciate the reply and still must point out that we have a pretty volatile situation on our hands with this health care issue and these town halls. These towns halls are borderline civil disorder, not public democratic debate and i think you know which side of the aisle is the disruptive one here. Also, if anyone has blinders on, it is these "Real Americans" who are going into these things without any idea what they are talking about and you seem to be supporting them. You are not helping to dispel rumors, myths, lies, and ever more outrageous lies (With the exception of the Palin comment). This kind of thing only pours gasoline on flames that are burning and are getting hotter. A public option is good for everybody because it will force private companies to compete and, at least, consumers will be able to leverage this against prices from private companies that have their boots on consumers necks for years. Since you write these you should be helping dispel this madness.
And No, i will not let Bush go because Obama is not doing anything related to big brother. Bush was and you cannot just falsely criticize a president who is not in your political party for doing this, especially when you know it was Bush that did it and when he was doing it, you and other republicans where hush, hush. You did not seem to have a problem with it then.
I think it is reprehensible that the White House is requesting people who are opposed to this bill. There is no reason for them to need a list of people who oppose their nightmare. Sounds like something we've seem before; something that a regime of crazy propaganda loving politicos would request...
I'm taking my money and moving to Monte Carlo. At least there we get free cable.
You liberals are nuts! The 60's hippy, rioters, manson lovers, antiamerican radical freaks! You keep working your death squad mentality and blog all over the net your pros for health insurance reform and don't bother reading th 1017 pages of HR3200 AND RELATED BILLS... The REAL AMERICANS are NOT as stupid nor as blind as you the sheeple trying to pedel this @)$! WE ARE NOT MOBS... WE ARE AMERICAN'S!!! Go crawl back in your hole now.
baaa baaaa baaaaaa
P.S.: Thank you, Patrick, for having the #@(($ to actually REPORT THE G*D* NEWS!!! Where the hell is everybody reporting on this? Help spread the word - not the wealth!
The house and senate deserve everything they have coming to them. I can't think of anything more un-American then trying to force a bill that amounts to 1/5th the US economy in 3 weeks, never giving the opportunity for their constituents to comment. Has the legislative branch forgotten they represent others, not themselves? Nancy Pelosi's comments are just garbage - a perfect example of someone that just "doesn't get it."
People are visibly upset and they should be. Something this big, that can't be easily un-done, needs to be reviewed and studied in depth. I think everyone agrees that something needs to be done. But this looks more like tyranny then democracy.
Who really payes for this? Consider this scenario: I love buying 99 cent hamburgers for lunch. The price is right, service is great, and the food is good. Currently, the employees that work for this company are not insured. Under this new plan, either 1) the company insures them, or 2) Uncle Sam adds an additional tax to their payroll of roughly 8% so they can participate in the public option. Either way, that 99 cent hamburger is a lot more expensive. I now pay MORE to eat that hamburger. And the rich are NOT eating 99 cent hamburgers, the middle class is.
That scenario applies to EVERY business in this country. The middle class WILL PAY FOR THIS!!! And Obama will live up to his word that he will not raise taxes.
Anderson Baldwin Carter Choate Clemente Gonzalez Gravel Kaptur Kucinich McKinney Nader Paul Perot Sheehan Ventura
Future of a Nation that can not trust the Government & Propaganda Media?
DNC & RNC have sold out the country in order to enrich themselves
Chronic lying as career path, intellectual prostitution for paycheck
Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me
Does the Government & Propaganda Media lie to you?
Wall Street Bailout Bill: Bush McCain Obama et al.
AIPAC 9/11 Bankers Extortion Blackmail Bribery
Independents agree on more than we disagree
Elite Ruling Class Greed or public servants?
Speak no evil, hear no evil, see no evil
Honesty compassion conscience guts
Both parties are corrupt to the core
Beware the divide and conquer
Whistle-Blower leaks multiply
A very RawStory on PressTV
InfoWars on a PrisonPlanet
Israel-first dual-nationals
Gung-ho Chickenhawks
JFK RFK MLK Malcolm
Anthrax Intimidation
GGreenwald
Left and rights of passage
Black
Left and rights of passage
Black and whites of youth
Who can face the knowledge
That the truth is not the truth?
Obsolete
Absolute
Single payer?
Medicare for all?
Off the table?
Just like Impeachment was...
You libs should check out todays Pew and Gallup polls . Seems Obama now has dropped to a 47 percent approval rating (53 % disapproval), while support for his health care has dropped . It seems Independents and 17 % of dems are sympathetic with the protesters . Plain words - THE PROTESTERS are WINNING .
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