AP reported on town hall disruptions, ignored conservative strategy
The Associated Press cited an Arkansas town hall meeting hosted by two Democratic congressmen that was disrupted by protestors as an example of how "[l]awmakers across the country are encountering growing public doubts" about health care reform. But the AP did not note that conservative organizations opposed to the Democrats' proposals are conducting a campaign to pack those events with their supporters.
Organized effort by conservative groups seeks to pack town halls
From the August 5 AP article:
An unruly Little Rock crowd heckled and shouted at two Arkansas Democratic congressmen Wednesday, accusing them of supporting a government-backed health plan that would take away Americans' personal choice and freedom.
At one point, U.S. Rep. Mike Ross sat with his head in his hands while the crowd shouted. He and fellow Democratic Rep. Vic Snyder told audience members at a forum at Arkansas Children's Hospital that they wouldn't support a completely government-run, single-payer health insurance plan.
"But that's what Obama wants!" an audience member shouted, leading to more heckling.
[...]
Lawmakers across the country are encountering growing public doubts about President Barack Obama's push to remake the system for providing medical care, evident in polls that find confidence in Obama's handling of the issue has fallen since January.
Several conservative groups are engaged in efforts to encourage their members to attend town halls. Conservative organizations opposed to health care reform -- including FreedomWorks, Americans for Prosperity, and Conservatives for Patients' Rights -- are conducting a campaign to turn out their supporters to attend those events. CPR has reportedly "confirmed that it has undertaken a concerted effort to get people out to the town hall meetings to protest reform," while FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity have reportedly "organized" the town hall protestors and are "harnessing social networking Web sites to organize their supporters in much the same way Mr. Obama did during his election campaign." [Greg Sargent, The Plum Line, 8/4/09; The New York Times, 8/3/09]
America's Health Insurance Plans reportedly deploying employees to "track[] where local lawmakers hold town-hall meetings," "rebut" Democrats. On July 30, The Wall Street Journal reported: "[I]nsurers continue to wage an aggressive campaign against Democrats' proposals to create a public health-insurance plan. America's Health Insurance Plans has stationed employees in 30 states who are tracking where local lawmakers hold town-hall meetings." And on August 5, the paper reported: "The health-insurance industry said Tuesday it is launching an effort to send insurance-company employees to public meetings nationwide this month to rebut increasing criticism of the industry from the White House and top Democrats." [The Wall Street Journal; 7/30/09, 8/5/09]
Fox News follows up "tea party" promotion with promotion of town hall disruptions. Just as it promoted the April 15 "tea party" protests, Fox News is now promoting the disruptions of Democratic town hall events by protesters opposed to health care reform, protests that are being touted by Republican leaders and supported by conservative groups. Following the August 2 disruption of a town hall event hosted by Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Fox News personalities -- including Sean Hannity, Peter Johnson, Gretchen Carlson, Steve Doocy, and Neil Cavuto -- have lauded such protesters or urged viewers to take similar action.
Conservative media birthers also pushing town hall disruptions. Conservative media figures who have promoted conspiracy theories about President Obama's birth certificate -- including Lou Dobbs, Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and Jim Quinn -- have recently used their radio shows to promote the anti-health care reform disruptions of congressional town hall events. Indeed, the disruptions resemble similar efforts by birthers to disrupt town halls.
"Concerns" over "end-of-life provisions" stoked by conservative fearmongering
From the August 5 AP article:
Lawmakers across the country are encountering growing public doubts about President Barack Obama's push to remake the system for providing medical care, evident in polls that find confidence in Obama's handling of the issue has fallen since January. Concerns are growing about government-run health plans, a growing federal deficit, and the impact on small businesses and end-of-life provisions.
Media echo serial misinformer McCaughey's false end-of-life counseling claim. Since former New York Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey falsely claimed that the House health care reform bill would "absolutely require" end-of-life counseling for seniors "that will tell them how to end their life sooner," numerous media figures have echoed McCaughey's claim -- even after the falsehood was debunked and McCaughey herself backtracked.
Advance care planning is not mandatory in the House health care bill. Section 1233 of America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 amends the Social Security Act to ensure that advance care planning will be covered if a patient requests it from a qualified care provider [America's Affordable Health Choices Act, Sec. 1233]. According to an analysis of the bill produced by the three relevant House committees, the section "[p]rovides coverage for consultation between enrollees and practitioners to discuss orders for life-sustaining treatment. Instructs CMS to modify 'Medicare & You' handbook to incorporate information on end-of-life planning resources and to incorporate measures on advance care planning into the physician's quality reporting initiative." [waysandmeans.house.gov, accessed 7/29/09]
AARP Executive VP: McCaughey's commentary "rife with gross -- and even cruel -- distortions." In a July 28 press release, AARP executive vice president John Rother stated that "Betsy McCaughey's recent commentary on health care reform column in various media outlets is rife with gross -- and even cruel -- distortions." Criticizing McCaughey's "distortions" with regard to comparative effectiveness research and end-of-life counseling, Rother added that AARP will "fight the campaign of misinformation that vested interests are using to try to scare older Americans in order to protect the status quo."
Numerous eldercare groups support the provision. According to the fact sheet distributed by Rep. Earl Blumenauer's (D-OR) office, the provision is "Endorsed By: AARP, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, American College of Physicians, American Hospice Foundation, Center to Advance Palliative Care, Consumers Union, Gundersen Lutheran Health System, Hospice and Palliative Nursing Association, Medicare Rights Center, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, National Palliative Care Research Center, Providence Health and Services, and Supportive Care Coalition."
Of course, if conservative groups organized protestors, then that means those protestors are actually just robots, not real people. They're actually all Russian immigrants looking to make a buck, and just took language and accent lessons.
Unfortunately, the GOP is using nazi tactics to shout people down, so there will be NO discussion of health care.
How much is Pfizer paying you to come on here, by the way. Or are you paid by Norquist?
Your idea of a protest is telling little old white people the president is Hitler and he wants your permission to kill you. That's when he's done killing handicapped babies. Then you whip up the resentments of your dark underbelly (not so under),the "I want my country back" crowd. You prey on their ignorance and fears then send them out to make fools of themselves, threaten and endanger innocent law abiding citizens and call it decent.
They may not be a mob in your opinion but you make sure they have a mob mentality. Go with the flow, follow the leader. "Don't let the government touch my Medicare" Duh? Most of these people have no clue as to what they're protesting other than they can't stand having a black president. All Republicans are not racist but you can bet most racist are Republican. Stop making excuses, stop blaming others and hope no one gets seriously injured. You Republicans set this agenda now you need to step up and own it.
Except that's exactly the truth. There is nothing wrong with people protesting; they are deliberately disrupting. I have been involved in many protests and have organized a few, but we never aimed to just disrupt what could be a debate. Doing so is just plain hooligism.
Yeah, I remember the noble goals of Jerry Rubin and the Yippies back in '68. Yessiree, we didn't mean to disrupt, only protest. The left has such a short memory and a putrid past.
Yeah, I remember the noble goals of Jerry Rubin and the Yippies back in '68. Yessiree, we didn't mean to disrupt, only protest. The left has such a short memory and a putrid past. - EdRoss
OK. So, once again, this is where you lose those who make decisions based on common sense. You seem to be defending Jerry Rubin by saying "they did it too". So is Jerry Rubin great? No, you call it a "putrid past". So you compare something that was "putrid" in the past to something you are supporting today? So, you are putrid? You don't think that makes you look ridiculous to the educated and informed?
http://www.redstate.com/index.php?tag=townhalls/
What you will find is a calendar of events and all the "talking points" calling for people to simply yell over the Speaker and any real Constituents.
If this is what Conservatives call Democracy they are crazier than I had feared.
Ever look into the vacant eyes of these Protestors?
Other than, NO there isn't any real dialouge.
Get a grip child. This 'health care' scam ain't gonna work.
But have it your way. If you would rather have a cabal of unaccountable millionaires dictating the terms of your healthcare to your doctor than a publicly accountable institution of service, it's your hair-brained opinion. Just don't think for second that people are going to let you low-lifes intimidate them out of the public arena with your thug tactics this time around. The stakes are too high and too many people have felt in their lives the bone crushing cogs of the invidious empire of corporatist greed.
Those "descenters" are hanging elected officials in effigy, shouting down any discussion, carrying swastikas, etc. Oh yeah, and threatening the lives of elected officials.
Sounds like terrorism to me.
Really? "Sweeping-generilzaters"? I made refernce to your specific posts on this specific thread. I also mentione what I thought was your self-proclaimed independant or centrist standing on the political spetrum. If I'm wrong, I stand corrected. Your post however, are there for all to see.
Show some proof of swastikas, of life-threats. (And by the way, some Congressman saying he's been threatened is not proof - that's an allegation.)
Some loner did hang an effigy of Rep. Frank Kratovil in Salisbury in Maryland. That's one. One guy, repudiated by the people who he invited to a 'rally.' I suppose you were outraged when an effigy of Sarah Palin was hung in L.A. last fall?
And it looks like the violence in Florida came from Union goons and not the protesters. Keep dreamin'
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/07/pelosi-swastikas/
Issue wristbands to the locals. Have everyone show ID. That will neutralize outside disruption. I do favor the after affect. The locals will ask questions. This is prime; an opportunity for community to work together. Something good, coming out of bad. The stone can be returned. The verbal beatings, of the bussed-in protesters, can become a tool for democracy. An inspiration can be good or bad. Depending on the locals-in-locale, great things can happen. Why not? It is bad radicalism, but the spark of courage was stuck. The locals are challenged, buy a menagerie of capitalists puppets. It is good, to question authority. Curiosity can kill, a vote will dominate.
Those with the gold can keep it. The wisdom of any society results in chaos, when acted upon by fools. Free bar-b-que!
You get bought. I am not for sale. Everyone has a price, they say. When the rich, help the poorest, and no one is hungry, I will thank you. That is my price. Any takers? Get in line, take a number, and have a seat.
Wisdom is better, than the wise.
Same with Pelosiliar's swastikas - seen any?
What rhetorical arguments are they producing?
Out yelling everybody else in the room is not debating issues.
But these Dems don't have any brass. They are hiding behind Pelosiliar's skirts. And it doesn't take a lot of brains to figure out that when people like Specter and Sebelius basically tell their constituents that they must be stupid to be against the boondoggle,their constituents are insulted. Great political strategy! You go, Dems!
As a side note, these nuts screaming "I want my country back" 6 months into Obama's presidency after supporting Bush for 8 years is beyond the pale. It is simply creepy.
IF these folks are really citizens concerned about the direction of the country, one would think that they'd relish an opportunity to discuss their concerns with members of congress, yet that doesn't seem to be the case.
These so called "concerned citizens" appear a lot more happy yelling and screaming than addressing ANY concerns they have.
In Austin, Texas, Rep. Lloyd Doggett was drowned out by a group of noisy, sign-waving demonstrators who shouted, “Just say no” as he tried to talk about health care reform.
In Morrisville, Pa., Rep. Patrick Murphy was forced to scrap plans for a one-on-one meet-the-congressman session when people in the crowd started shouting. Murphy switched to a town hall format mid-event and even then had to ask the audience at times to “be respectful.”
And at a health care event in Philadelphia, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius were repeatedly interrupted by booing and heckling. “We can shout at one another, or we can leave the stage,” Sebelius said at one point. “It’s up to you.”
And at this event, some of these so called "concerned citizens" DIDN'T even LIVE in this district. And only ONE person in the audience DIDN'T have health insurance and over half of those whinning about 'socialized medicine' on are Medicare!
Gene Green Town Hall 08032009 part 8...
God these people are stupid.
A public forum on a national issue would conceivably be open to any citizen of the United States, not just those who live nearby, or in the same state. Why would you criticize people for having health care, and wanting to protect it? They are being responsible and exercising their constitutional duty. They don't like being lied to (listen to Specter). They don't like being told that this is so important an issue that "it has to be done in a hurry" (and important people like Sen. Specter can't be bothered with reading the bill they are going to vote for!). And they wouldn't be on Medicare if they weren't forced into it, and they would never choose a socialist agenda if given a choice.
The Congressional Dems are showing themselves to be stupid pawns of ideology rather than representatives of their constituencies. The ballot box (if its still available in 2010) will be the end-game of the careers of these idiots. :)
There is no bill to read yet.
Medicare was accomplished in under six months.
Someone forced onto medicare?
You really do hate americans don't you. You really really hate them.
"And they wouldn't be on Medicare if they weren't forced into it, and they would never choose a socialist agenda if given a choice." - EdRoss
Forced into Medicare? What in god's name are you talking about? You defend the health insurance industry and then claim that people are forced into Medicare? How, exactly, are they forced into anything? Do you know ignorant you sound?
"showing themselves to be stupid pawns of ideology" - EdRoss
I could not think of any better description of what you just displayed. Well said...about yourself, of course.
Who is threatening their health-care? And how would these morons know IF anyone was threatening their health-care when they never shut up long enough to hear any facts?
Being a "responsible citizen" DOESN'T give you the right to act like a jacka** Try a little common decency, treat other people with RESPECT! Why is that sooo freaking hard for you folks to get?
If that's the case, THEY SHOULD HAVE STOOD ON THEIR FREAKING HEADS DURING 8 YEARS OF BUSH AND THE REPUBLICAN CONGRESS!!!!!
Health-care insurance costs and out of pocket expenses have increased substantially and NO ONE can deny that fact. MILLIONS of AMERICAN citizens either can't afford health-care, have lost their job and lost their health-care or can't get health-care due to a preexisting condition. BUT the health-care industry?......their profits continue to climb higher and higher!
We, as a country, should be ashamed that MILLIONS of AMERICANS have no health-care. This country is too wealthy to treat it's citizens like they live in a 3rd world country.
What moron would PAY Medicare taxes for YEARS and then refuse it?
And how many senior citizens have earned enough money while they worked to combat the rising cost of health-care?
How would you react if you were a lawyer and your friend was arrested merely for arguing with a cop?
The Unions should have had a bunch of Polish tough guys lying in wait for these clowns. Especially instructive was some 300-lb.
70 year old man whose HPT and diabetes is managed through Medicare standing up and shouting about socialism. So give your medicare, social security, and benefits back to the government!
We knew along ago that thugs would disrupt health care town halls and that the MSM would portray it as a major GOP win.