Politico Smears ‘ObamaCare’ Opponents


Promoted by Erick. What the heck is an “anti-reform” protestor. No, it is “anti-Obamacare” protestor.

Politico, ever the objective source of political news and analysis, has provided a handy list of “5 Things to Watch During the Recess.”  One in particular caught my attention because it was so egregiously loaded with bias:

#4: Who Will Come to the Tea Parties?

Anti-reform protesters, many of them veterans from the winter and spring tea party protests, are promising to swamp Democrats’ districts with a wave of anti-reform protest over the recess.

The threat is real, and Democrats, especially those in battleground districts, are more than a little rattled. Just as the “birthers” threaten to cause problems for GOP members over the break, conservative protesters have proven skilled in sabotaging their targets by crashing town halls and other public events, drowning out Democratic messages.

The net result is a chill: Democrats are holding smaller events with handpicked crowds.

But there’s a potential downside for Republicans, too.

Some of the protesters have crossed the line from dissent into abusiveness, and some Republican strategists, while excited by the prospects of an insurgency over the recess, have been alarmed by a smattering of ugly recent incidents.

The worst: One protester hung an effigy of Rep. Frank Kratovil Jr. (D-Md.) outside his Eastern Shore district office last week.

“We don’t condone violence in any way,” wrote the editor of operationembarrassyourcongressman.com, a site that posts members’ public events and suggests a slate of anti-health care reform queries for protesters.

“Don’t harass, intimidate, or otherwise do anything threatening towards anyone! … Simply use your freedom of speech in public forums to accomplish our mission.”

“Anti-reform protestors…?” Yeah, that’s it, Politico.  Millions of people across the country are rising up to protest true health care reform.  Because if you are against ‘ObamaCare’ you must be against true reform, right?  As Andrea Mitchell would say, we just don’t know what’s good for us.

“…many of them veterans from the winter and spring tea party protests…” In other words, us tea partiers are just rabble-rousers with too much time on our hands. Our knee-jerk reaction is to oppose things like high taxes, oppressive government, and job-killing, unfunded mandates.  Why can’t we just give Obama a chance?

“Just as the “birthers” threaten to cause problems for GOP members over the break, conservative protesters have proven skilled in sabotaging their targets by crashing town halls and other public events, drowning out Democratic messages.” This is a perfect example of liberals using birthers to smear the entire conservative movement, despite the fact that even Media Matters(!) points out that many prominent conservatives have unequivocally denounced the birthers. And what is ‘crashing town halls’ supposed to mean, anyway?  Town halls are not supposed to be propaganda outlets – they are forums where politicians answer questions from their constituents.  Politicians should be there with open ears and taking notes, not be worried about having their message ‘drowned out’.

“One protester hung an effigy of Rep. Frank Kratovil Jr. (D-Md.) outside his Eastern Shore district office last week.” Horrible, that. So this must be representative of all conservative protesters, right?  Meanwhile, the Daily Kos condones referring to Bush as the “Torturer-in-Chief” and a war criminal, for example, but that’s not kooky, because – well, everyone knows that’s true.  Right?

Sheesh.


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21 Comments Leave a comment

Heh...when's the last time Acorn was accused of "Crashing Republican Town Halls?

AceInTX (Diary) Monday, August 3rd at 3:49PM EST (link)

And what is ‘crashing town halls’ supposed to mean, anyway? Town halls are not supposed to be propaganda outlets – they are forums where politicians answer questions from their constituents.

The “Big Tent” analogy isn’t the correct one…the correct one is a MAGNET…we need to be a MAGNET that draws these independents in who are sick and tired of what’s going on in WashingtonFred Thompson
 

Politico: We Distort, You Comply (nt)

Thrhheggeegwc Jjtkylkfofud (Diary) Monday, August 3rd at 4:01PM EST (link)

Politico and objective source should NEVER be used in the same sentence...nt

JadedByPolitics (Diary) Monday, August 3rd at 4:21PM EST (link)

The WashPost Exs

10ksnooker (Diary) Monday, August 3rd at 4:30PM EST (link)

Were much happier with the two tubby women in pink. Haven’t heard much from them lately, I wonder why not? Cindy Shehan, does she know the war in Afghanistan, the right war to fight, is still on?

Our tea party crew locally just got done pummeling our GOP Rep, he did fine and answered all questions. He hates Obamacare. Our numbers are growing by the day.

 

Great job, Dan.

Bill S (Diary) Monday, August 3rd at 4:32PM EST (link)

I think the most critical point you make is:

This is a perfect example of liberals using birthers to smear the entire conservative movement, despite the fact that even Media Matters(!) points out that many prominent conservatives have unequivocally denounced the birthers.

This is why we need to beat down this idiocy.

And if someone tries to start a birther threadjack, I suspect it won’t be looked upon kindly.

“It’s such a fine line between stupid, and clever.” – David St. Hubbins

 

Crashing Town Halls?

Vannek Monday, August 3rd at 4:45PM EST (link)

“The net result is a chill: Democrats are holding smaller events with handpicked crowds”

Yep, that’s the Obama-era definition of a public meeting… handpicked and though-controlled. Lot’s of openess and sunshine in Hope’n'Change land.

And as far as any Dem is concerned, free speech from anyone who contradicts them is always “dissent into abusiveness.”

You left out an important aspect of the "Town Halls" Dems are holding

AceInTX (Diary) Monday, August 3rd at 5:15PM EST (link)

“The net result is a chill: Democrats are holding smaller events with handpicked crowds”

That should include the following in bold:

“The net result is a chill: Democrats are holding smaller events with handpicked crowds and prearranged and planted questions

The “Big Tent” analogy isn’t the correct one…the correct one is a MAGNET…we need to be a MAGNET that draws these independents in who are sick and tired of what’s going on in WashingtonFred Thompson

What they don't realize

tanstaafl1019 Tuesday, August 4th at 11:44AM EST (link)

is that the tea parties would be much BIGGER occasions were the right more like the left–you know, with plenty of unemployed among the ranks.

We saw daily anti-war protests on street corners in every city during Bush’s administration, partly because there were plenty of people available to chant and wave signs while the rest of us were earning a living. If the unemployment numbers continue to swell, they’ll see what a real tea party can be like.

The two highest achievements of the human mind are the twin concepts of “loyalty” and “duty.” Whenever these twin concepts fall into disrepute—get out of there fast! You may possibly save yourself, but it is too late to save that society. It is doomed.

Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors–and miss.

Yeah...and we're not using government funds through Americorps and Acorn to generate turnout! nt

AceInTX (Diary) Tuesday, August 4th at 3:50PM EST (link)
The “Big Tent” analogy isn’t the correct one…the correct one is a MAGNET…we need to be a MAGNET that draws these independents in who are sick and tired of what’s going on in WashingtonFred Thompson
 

Yeah...and we're not using government funds through Americorps and Acorn to generate turnout! nt

AceInTX (Diary) Tuesday, August 4th at 3:52PM EST (link)
The “Big Tent” analogy isn’t the correct one…the correct one is a MAGNET…we need to be a MAGNET that draws these independents in who are sick and tired of what’s going on in WashingtonFred Thompson

500 errors again...been getting them the last couple days...RS 3.0 back? nt

AceInTX (Diary) Tuesday, August 4th at 4:02PM EST (link)
The “Big Tent” analogy isn’t the correct one…the correct one is a MAGNET…we need to be a MAGNET that draws these independents in who are sick and tired of what’s going on in WashingtonFred Thompson

Increasingly frequent mentions and links from Rush, Hannity, et al. (nt)

Thrhheggeegwc Jjtkylkfofud (Diary) Tuesday, August 4th at 4:13PM EST (link)

I see...growing pains...LOL nt

AceInTX (Diary) Wednesday, August 5th at 10:46AM EST (link)
The “Big Tent” analogy isn’t the correct one…the correct one is a MAGNET…we need to be a MAGNET that draws these independents in who are sick and tired of what’s going on in WashingtonFred Thompson
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“Anti-reform protesters” is akin to global warming deniers…

jhleek (Diary) Monday, August 3rd at 4:57PM EST (link)

By using this language they smear those opposed to their platform as having no alternatives. If the MSM ever shared some of the ideas of real health care reform (not government mandated insurance) the public might catch on to how they are being duped.

joe

est pro vestri own beneficium
joe

 

Which is not like the others

Robert A. Hahn (Diary) Monday, August 3rd at 9:20PM EST (link)

Politico is to “Objective” as Barak Obama is to

  1. Objectivist
  2. Reaganite
  3. Fair Witness

Drink Good Coffee. You can sleep when you’re dead.

Bob Hahn, I missed you this weekend.

MrsNachos (Diary) Monday, August 3rd at 9:31PM EST (link)

Http://blueshelled.com

Ditto (nt)

Neil Stevens (Diary) Monday, August 3rd at 9:33PM EST (link)

RS contributing editor, technical administrator, and “a hardy variety of crabgrass.”
Read the RedState Posting Rules

Unlikely Voter: Poll Analysis, Election Projection.

“I rejoice that America has resisted.” – William Pitt, the Elder

 
 
 

Good catch on the incongruity of

Flagstaff (Diary) Monday, August 3rd at 11:41PM EST (link)

crashing town halls and other public events”

Also

“drowning out Democratic messages”

is definitely a term that’d be used by a kool-aid drinking Democrat.

I assume we should be waiting for the reports of wacko righties shouting “Kill him” to start any day now.

“The press is so powerful in its image-making role that it can make a criminal look like he’s the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal. If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”– Malcolm X, Audubon Ballroom, December 13, 1964

 

Two Wrongs ...

G. A. Harrison (Diary) Tuesday, August 4th at 8:14AM EST (link)

Great post Dan. One quarrel – I’m getting sick and tired of the bad behavior of the left being given as some sort of justification for behavior like hanging Frank Kratovil in effigy.

The fact remains that we have to behave better than the other side because they own the MSM. Even if that weren’t the case, two wrongs don’t make a right.

Frank Kratovil is my congressman. Hopefully he won’t be come January, 2011. Regardless, I wouldn’t tolerate some lefty yahoo hanging Andy Harris (the GOP candidate who lost by a thread in 2008) in effigy and I won’t tolerate someone who claims to be simpatico with my way of thinking doing it to Kratovil.

G. A. Harrison
Managing Editor, Salisbury News
Editor.SBYNews@gmail.com
410-713-4005

Twitter:  Editor_SBYNews
Twitter:  GAHarrison

Facebook:  G. A. Harrison
Facebook:  Salisbury News

2 years 2 months and this one statement?...really?...

JadedByPolitics (Diary) Tuesday, August 4th at 8:24AM EST (link)

The group in the article who is giving advice how to embarrass your Congress person does NOT encourage any type of violence. The bottom line is there are bottom feeders on the right and they UNLIKE the left are roundly rejected. So don’t let your first post be a moral equivalency argument they don’t fly.

and OBTW why do WE have to be better? why does the left get a pass on everything because they own the media…why?

Jaded, we don't have to be better.

Brian Hibbert (Diary) Tuesday, August 4th at 8:42AM EST (link)

We are better.

It’s just not in our nature to take jars of urine to rallies in the hopes of throwing it on cops as is often done by lefties. It’s also informative to see how clean the streets are after a Tea Party and compare to any sort of lefty rally. Like I said, it shows our nature.

That said, hanging in effigy has a long history and isn’t an incitement to violence. It’s a symbolic message stating that the person has to GO! You’re right about the moral equivalence argument being invalid in this case.

I think G.A. Harrison should post a bit more before we decide to roast him/her.

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