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Demonstrators Disrupt Health Care Forums

Saturday 08 August 2009

by: Dina Cappiello  |  The Associated Press

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Dan Thompson yells during a town hall meeting with Rep. John D. Dingell in Romulus, Michigan on Thursday. (Photo: AP / The Detroit Free Press)

    Washington - As they head home to their congressional districts for the August recess, lawmakers who support health care reform are bracing for protests and demonstrations that threaten to turn violent.

    In North Carolina, a congressman who backs overhauling health care had his life threatened by a caller upset that he was not holding a public forum on the proposal.

    Democratic Rep. Brad Miller received the call Monday, one of hundreds the congressman's office has fielded demanding town-hall meetings on the health care proposal, said his spokeswoman, LuAnn Canipe. She said the callers were "trying to instigate town halls so they can show up and disrupt."

    "We had one of those kind of calls that escalated to what we considered a threat" on the congressman's life, Canipe said Friday. "These are some strong-arm tactics, and we are trying to deal with and trying to talk to people in good faith about health care reform."

    Earlier this week, White House officials counseled Democratic senators on coping with disruptions at public events this summer.

    In the week since the House began its break, several town-hall meetings have already been disrupted by noisy demonstrators.

    The latest occurrence was at back-to-back town hall meetings held by Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., which got so raucous police had to escort people out.

    Dingell vowed Friday to push ahead with Democratic-led efforts to extend coverage to all, saying he won't be intimidated by protesters.

    "I am eager to talk about the bill with anyone who wants to discuss it. That doesn't open the door to everyone who wants to demagogue the discussion," Dingell said in a statement.

    The boos, jeers and shouts of "Shame on you!" at the events in a gym in Romulus, Mich., mirror what other Democrats are encountering around the country. Activists have shown up at town-hall meetings held recently by Arlen Specter, D-Pa. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was greeted by about 200 protesters at an event in Denver, about half supporting Democrats and half opposed.

    In Saratoga Springs, N.Y., about 20 protesters showed up at an event held by Democratic Rep. Scott Murphy to let him know they oppose the health care plans in Washington. They carried signs saying: "Obamacare Seniors beware! Rationing is here," and "If socialized medicine is best ... why didn't Ted Kennedy go to Canada?"

    The episodes have drawn widespread media attention, and Republicans have seized on them as well as polls showing a decline in support for President Barack Obama and his agenda as evidence that public support is lacking for his signature legislation.

    Pushing back, Democrats have accused Republicans of sanctioning mob tactics, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., accused protesters earlier this week of trying to sabotage the democratic process.

    Miller never had plans to hold a town-hall meeting during the August recess, Canipe said. Instead, he was sitting down with smaller groups of people to discuss the plan. During one of those smaller gatherings on Friday, hundreds of people from a group called Triangle Conservatives peacefully protested at Miller's Raleigh office.

    The threatening caller, when told by a staffer that Miller was not planning a meeting, claimed the congressman didn't want to meet with people face to face because he knew it would cost him his life, according to Canipe. The staffer then asked if the caller was making a threat. The caller, said Canipe, replied that there are a lot of angry people out there.

    The U.S. Capitol Police confirmed Friday they were looking into a threat against a congressman, but wouldn't provide further details.

    ---------

    Associated Press Writer Erica Werner contributed to this report.

  

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Comments

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From "Is the U.S. on the

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 13:50 β€” Tom Miller (not verified)
From "Is the U.S. on the Brink of Fascism" by Sara Robinson (http://www.alternet.org/politics/141819/is_the_u.s._on_the_brink_of_fascism/?page=1): "Though the GOP has been humiliated, rejected, and reduced to rump status by a series of epic national catastrophes mostly of its own making, its leadership can't even imagine governing cooperatively with the newly mobilized and ascendant Democrats. Lacking legitimate routes back to power, their last hope is to invest the hardcore remainder of their base with an undeserved legitimacy, recruit them as shock troops, and overthrow American democracy by force. If they can't win elections or policy fights, they're more than willing to take it to the streets, and seize power by bullying Americans into silence and complicity. When that unholy alliance is made, the third stage -- the transition to full-fledged government fascism -- begins."

This shows the ignorant side

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 13:51 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
This shows the ignorant side of the American public. Most are ill informed and can be manipulated and lead like sheep by shadow groups whom operate right under the noses of these sheep. Americans would cut down a whole forest just to get at one tree. Is it any wonder, watching this debacle from the outside, that other nations have the rightful opinions of "Mob Inc." America.

This situation eludes my

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 14:02 β€” Millie Barnet (not verified)
This situation eludes my grasp. Who are these people threatened by the notion of universal health care? Are they the ones actually benefitting from Big Pharma and the other "Health" corporations getting rich and richer as we as a nation get sicker? I understand that the public is brainwashed by corporate news but gosh, this seems plain weird.

Any doubts? Always remember

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 14:23 β€” Anonarcmous (not verified)
Any doubts? Always remember this, ALL POLITICAL ASSASSINATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE BEEN OF DEMOCRATIC/LIBERAL/PROGRESSIVE/PERSONS. Any questions why? Fear is the cohesion of the Republican/right--there is no room for anyone different to them on the face of this earth--unless they are segregated as slaves somewhere. Another thing people do not understand is that evolution destroys their claim to all intelligence.

Unfortunately these thuggish

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 14:28 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
Unfortunately these thuggish tactics have worked well for the right wing. Just remember the shutting down of the voter recount in Florida where republican staffers showed up threatening violence. Let's show these people their RETHUGLICAN tactics won't work this time.

These Republican thug

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 14:32 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
These Republican thug tactics are reminiscent of the way in which Hitler bullied his way to power, by recruiting and galvanizing brown-shirted thugs to disrupt, threaten, and assault anyone who opposed their movement.

I see thugs against free

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 14:41 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
I see thugs against free choice are out and about again. I wonder, isn't this why this country has the problems it does. We have a small, very vocal and very agitated minority who wish to impose their views on everyone else, and have their views become law by force regardless what the majority of us want.

Now isn't it interesting

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 14:54 β€” David Brookbank (not verified)
Now isn't it interesting (and isn't it also worthy of comment if not actual reporting by journalists) the difference between how U.S police forces are handling these situations versus how they handled protests and disruptions during the Bush years. If I recall correctly, those protesting issues of war and torture and civil liberties curtailments were dragged to the ground, tasered, beaten, etc. Some of this activity by U.S. police forces against citizens protesting during the Bush years occurred in town halls but much of it occurred on the streets. Whether it is the lack of an equal time provision for the elite-owned U.S. corporate media or the repression of left voices trying to break through the official silence in the U.S., it is clear that foaming at the mouth voices from the right like Rush Limbaugh and his ilk or these right-wing rabble rousers are treated with kid gloves. Any one want to bet on when we will see a take down and tasering of some of these extremists disrupting and shouting down the discussion on health care while health care costs drive people to bankrupcy and suicide and desperation?

This is exactly how Bush won

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:03 β€” Lice-Christ (not verified)
This is exactly how Bush won Florida in 2000 and the Presidency of the U.S. - hooligan and mobster tactics disrupted vote counting and disturbed the full collection of vote totals. Coincidentally, this is exactly how the Nazi Party in Germany triumphed over Communists and other political rivals. The Nazis would engage in name-calling and street brawls with other rival groups. What they could not accomplish in any other way they relied on violence to achieve. But here's my question: why is Obama not calling upon the National Guard to protect his own politicians from these Republican hooligans?

The Brown Shirts are here.

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:08 β€” dave (not verified)
The Brown Shirts are here.

I'm so tired of the

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:10 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
I'm so tired of the corporate machine taking advantage of Americans' inability to find out things for themselves. Confused, angry, uninformed, undereducated people are their lifeblood. They make no effect to educate. Just divide and conquer. But if they weren't desperate, they wouldn't be trying so hard. Universal health care will eventually prevail.

How long before WAL-MART

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:15 β€” Sallyport (not verified)
How long before WAL-MART begins a BIG SALE on brown shirts?

The Republicans are busing

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:19 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
The Republicans are busing people in to disrupt these meetings and get press coverage. If they have town hall meetings, people should be required to show ID and only local people should be allowed in. Maybe also allowing only a 50/50 Democrat/Republican split. Take pictures and ID information and anyone disrupting the meeting should be arrested and fined.

I'd like to believe that

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:26 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
I'd like to believe that we're handling these 'hired thugs' differently because we have a more compassionate power structure from the Bush years. We cannot let these fscists take over. It is time to push back. I believe the democrats in this country are too nice..perhaps because they're intellectually superior to most republicans but having said that...it's time to take the gloves off. The thugs know we've never fought back...well our time is here.

Has anyone called attention

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:29 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
Has anyone called attention to the fact that Senator Grassleys 16 town hall meetings are being held in NW Iowa, the center of Iowas Conservative Christians membership. The same area that keeps sending King back to Congress. Is this a coincidence or smart politics. There will be a lot of good Grassley PR out of these meetings.

I recall quiet, peaceful

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:30 β€” obamathefake (not verified)
I recall quiet, peaceful protesters, during the Bush years, like Cindy Sheehan, being dragged out of carefully screened, Republican-operated, "town hall meetings" for simply presenting a different point of view. 14:54 has hit the nail on the head: why the enormous discrepancy between how protesters on the left verses those on the right have been treated? Why is Obama such a luke warm character, as 15:03 has pointed out, and not reacted with instant police force to insure these characters will not form our health care policy with their hooligan tactics? Could Obama actually approve of this attack on the far left? He has shown clearly that he hates this left wing element of his own party; has demonstrated this by openly threatening, just a month or two ago, those GREAT congresspersons on the left for not supporting his massive war-funding bill. Instead of importing military or police forces against these DOMESTIC TERRORISTS, is this what the Democrats should get: "Earlier this week, White House officials counseled Democratic senators on coping with disruptions at public events this summer." On "coping" with these heavy handed political tactics. This is outlandish. I am looking or another country to live in starting today.

This is the direct result of

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:31 β€” Everymansmedium (not verified)
This is the direct result of the removal of the FCC fairness doctrine by R. Reagan. This doctrine needs to be reinstated as soon as possible. The people that are paid by corporations to verbally insight rioting against liberals and democrats on our federal communication airways needs to be held responsible for this attempt at mob rule along with the corporations that are paying them. John EMM

The disruptions at town

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:32 β€” Svejk (not verified)
The disruptions at town halls reflect not so much direct anger at anything in particular, but an appalling ignorance on the part of the electorate. Do cries of no socialism mean that we should get rid of VA? Of the police? fire departments? These are people who wouldn't recognize a socialist if he/she walked up and kicked him in the butt. And yet, they are being given control of the situation by an administration that lacks the courage to act. Obama can't effectively defend himself with logic since he just sold out big time to PhARMA (dropping Medicare possibility of negotiating for favorable drug prices) in return for millions of dollars for TV ads - to pimp the program PhARMA wants. The situation is truly sickening, and is likely to erupt into something more ugly very soon. Honesty on the part of our government officials would be a good start - end the negotiating behind closed doors, and keep the public appraised of happenings. The media bear a large part of the blame for the troubles; when they are not misinforming people, they are simply not reporting the news. About that sale on brown shirts.....

Their tactics are

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:42 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
Their tactics are deplorable, but when is it going to occur to them that they are getting what they want from Obama? Obama no more wants single payer or universal healthcare than the man in the moon. He is in the corporate clutches of Big Pharma, insurance companies, the banksters, the thugs on Wall Street, etc. that it's almost laughable that those disruptive thugs don't realize that he's on their side! Also, when is Obama going to start leading, instead of cheerleading?

To all of you who post in

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:50 β€” Devon Noll, MPA (not verified)
To all of you who post in this forum: You are right, this is exactly how Hitler defeated democracy in Germany 70 + years ago. But, you can change it, through peaceful action. Here is how: Urge your Representative and/or Senators to hold town hall meetings on health care. Reassure them by telling them what you want to do to protect the forum. You know that these thugs will show up, so be prepared. When they start shouting, quietly get up and walk to the front of the room, getting others to follow you so that you form a human wall facing these protesters and in front of your speakers. Then stand silently and stare them down. When no one challenges them or shouts them down, they lose their effectiveness. When you stare them down, you intimidate. It is the same principle behind "shunning" in reverse. When a small group of bullies are confronted by a larger group who will not fight, they become confused and quickly lose focus. They will then either sit down and shut up or they will leave, having failed to accomplish their goal of disruption. Once this is done, return quietly to your seats and resume the meeting. We can no longer depend on the police to protect us, that much is obvious, and these thugs are dangerous. Be careful as you leave meetings once you do this, because like their brownshirt forebears, these gangs will attack people on the street just to release their anger and frustration at people for not cowering before them. We need to show we are stronger by our numbers, not our fists, so leave the meetings in small groups. These are dangerous times. Be very careful. And, Good Luck! America needs us now, more than ever.

Health care in this country

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:53 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
Health care in this country definitely needs reform. But what kind of health care? Drug, dice and slice medicine for catastrophic care, or good alternative holistic health care that focuses on prevention, with drugs and invasive procedures only used when absolutely necessary? And if Obamacare/health care reform comes with forced, mandatory swine flu or other vaccines that are showing up more and more to cause autism in children and other dangerous side effects up to and including death, then Obamacare IS NOT FOR ME. I'm responsible and take the time to educate myself about my health care. No one has the right to violate my sovereign rights by forcing anything on me I deem not in my best interest.

cannot remember which

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:54 β€” Miriam (not verified)
cannot remember which program last week, either Rachel Maddows or Olbermann....put focus on one particular "town hall"....in which an attractive 30-ish woman in jeans who claimed to be just an ordinary Mom....spoke out at one of those mob fests..and added her complaints to the anti health care crazies....what was FASCINATING was that THAT reporter did their JOB...and upon doing a bit of research on that "ordinary Mom" uncovered the fact that SHE was the Vice President of her state's REPUBLICAN PARTY...and there was an organized mob there..fighting broke out...and apparent (pre-arranged) chaos broke out... also learned that FOX/faux news has been posting the listings of all TOwn Hall meetings, the who, when, where of all DEMOCRATIC TOWN HALL MEETINGS....could there be a 'link' between GOP and FOX and collaborative RETHUGLICANS ? just like the old Rovian days..!

The term "stupid" applies to

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 15:55 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
The term "stupid" applies to these rude, terristic protestors in spades. The US is fighting on two war fronts. Let's see some protests about that. Even to protest war, as in protesting the 12 yr Viet Nam war, which we fought in vain, there was dialgue, marching, speech making, but i don't remember any shouting down of other people. 12 yrs of war, 12 years of war, folks, 12 years of jungle fighting war, many deaths. Let's see some protests of the desert wars now.

I think it's overdue that

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 16:06 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
I think it's overdue that the left wing starts to behave a little more like the right wing -- since our own government is not going to clamp down on these vicious loudmouths. Hasn't Rambo and the other idiotic movies of this kind taught us anything regarding the good guy taking on the rules provided by the bad guy and beating them at their game? Do you for one moment think that writing articles that are read on a monitor, whining and complaining about these mobsters, legitimately of course, is going to have any real effect on this situation? We need to roll up our sleeves and defend our left wing politicians, not tell them "to cope."

The brownshirt repubs get

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 16:11 β€” Dan Davis (not verified)
The brownshirt repubs get more repugnant by the day. They are afraid of everything they don't understand- which is almost everything.

Before Brownshirts or the SA

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 16:13 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
Before Brownshirts or the SA or SS, Holocasut or other there were the Gruppen which made the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch and Hitlers rise to power possible. The Gruppens were the early Nazis party in formation in every state of Germany organizing against the rise of socialism in the face of an economic disaster due to WWI and public anger and fear mounting concerning their post war conditions and the fall of the German nation. The Gruppens rose quickly after the mob brawls and quarrelsome public displays at town hall meetings in 1923 and won a significant media blitz battle for power which then put Hitler and the Nazis in charge. The Gruppens are all Americans now who will get rid of Obamaland in the coming years and settle on anyone who will provide them more delusions about the state of this nation which is already well on its way to ruin.

Iknew when television became

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 16:18 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
Iknew when television became the babysitter of the nation and Sesame Street taught kids how to count that things were on a downward slope in American. The art of asking the discerning question was no longer taught to that generation and now the nation only knows how to scream"but thats not fair"! We are watching public temper tantrums of the spoiled, neglected children of the 60's. Think of the tantrums of the children of the 70's, 80's and 90's that are ahead of us and weep. An educated electorate is now beyond our wildest dreams.

Corpocracy – global

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 16:19 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
Corpocracy – global government of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations seems to be well on its way toward rendering civil discourse and democracy a distant memory.

Only a very tiny number of

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 16:21 β€” Jonathan Inskeep (not verified)
Only a very tiny number of people actually believe the garbage they are spouting about health care reform. They are repeating what they are told to repeat, and some of them are being paid to do so. Why? Because they are, fundamentally, racists. They cannot accept that a mixed race man is President of the United States, yet they know they cannot say so publicly. So, they repeat the talking point lies distributed by their minor, third party (GOP) leaders. The CCCP--Corporate Controlled Conservative Press--then reports the lies in a "neutral" fashion, meaning they give equal balance between the truth and the lies. Now they will begin reporting that Obama's popularity if declining (it is not) and that public support for health care reform is declining (it is not). By huge majorities, America supports President Obama and the health care reform initiative.

The media hate meisters’

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 16:27 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
The media hate meisters’ recent activities seem to come right out of the Josef Goebbels playbook. Remember how he orchestrated hateful mob actions in Germany over 70 years ago? And remember the results? Inciting to mob action and violence does not fit into any kind of democratic society. True, the First Amendment gives all Americans freedom of speech and press and assembly. It does not give one individual or group the right to intimidate and endanger others. It doesn’t give American media hacks the right to suggest poisoning elected public officials or to incite and encourage mob violence, such as the antics and the screaming, yelling mobs that could easily get out of hand and cause real, physical hurt and destruction. It doesn’t mean that the rest of us have to believe the distortions and lies that the BIG three demagogues and their followers are peddling with regard to health care. The non-lunatic members of this democratic society need to exercise First Amendment rights, and speak out in decent, truthful fashion during the coming weeks and months, so that it is a genuine debate over health care, not just a Beck-Limbaugh-Steele orchestrated season of propaganda and hatred.

The "Silent Majority"? The

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 16:30 β€” Robert B. (not verified)
The "Silent Majority"? The "Moral Majority"? The Republicans are a loud, aggressive, shameless and increasingly hysterical MINORITY. More of them need to be booted out of power in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Then you'll get something done.

These are professionally

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 16:34 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
These are professionally organized demonstration for the purpose of producing terror and eventually debunking Obama. I would not be surprised if the sayanim are the ring leaders.

The tactics that got Bush

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 16:54 β€” Otto Schiff (not verified)
The tactics that got Bush elected are being tried again. Democracy is not supposed to be a system where one side is bullying the other. Nobody objects to an honest debate but the right wing doesn't have a leg to stand on and therefore must resort to offensive tactics.

This behavior puts the "PUG"

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 16:59 β€” Adoregon (not verified)
This behavior puts the "PUG" in Repuglican. The people disrupting the meetings don't have the awareness to realize they are the fool tools of the right-wing moneyed elite and have been manipulated to act against their own self-interest all of their lives. They have neither the cognitive ability nor the reasoning skills of well nourished gerbils. Their "god" is the demagogue.

Belligerent words and

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 17:15 β€” Maryelizmc (not verified)
Belligerent words and actions are poison that flows like honey to people seeking illegitimate power. Even Newt Gingrich showed his gift of double speak this morning up against Howard Dean. Blistering boils are overcoming people, stifling reason and asking sensible questions. There has to be a constructive means of enabling these desperate people to shift gears and open up to the truth of the benefits of universal health care. We are drowning in costs as many people go without. Number one action is for all media to stop giving Ex Governor Palin visibility in print, voice or whatever!

America might be the only

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 17:22 β€” Ron (not verified)
America might be the only country in the world where citizens riot for lower wages, less democracy and no health care. What a movie this would make: citizens living in a pretty good society fighting for it to be worse!

Here's what I don't

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 17:22 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
Here's what I don't understand: why do the Democrats care about getting the Republicans to vote their way? For once, we have a majority in both houses. If they just push it through, as any Republican Congress would, that would be that. Once health reform is in place, these imbeciles at the "town meetings" would see that their fears were groundless, thereby pulling the rug out from the GOP fear machine. If there's one thing that any adult should know by the end of the 5th grade,it's that being "nice" to a schoolyard bully will never work. A bully doesn't see it as a sign that you're a good person who should be left alone: they see it as a sign of WEAKNESS! It's that simple. This is why the Democrats are perceived as wusses: because they act like they are. They need to grow a set, in the name of the American people who elected them. Anything less will be perceived as a sellout, and we're on the way to Fascism.

The national media, CNN and

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 17:33 β€” Totanaca (not verified)
The national media, CNN and CBS is treating this as "democracy in action", even leading anchors cannot call this what it is: the arrival of full blown fascism in America thanks to ignorant religious zealots on the far right. What we are seeing is not "democracy in action". I want to see the news anchors wipe the silly smiles off their faces and get serious. This is no damm comedy.

This is a seriously

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 18:15 β€” Bearzerker (not verified)
This is a seriously uneducated minority pulling out the hair of progressive programs that will enrich actually them, and will provide a far better service than the for profit system thats currently forcing this show of ineptitude... Who are these people that show up and threaten violence if they dont get their way? ...and why should the vast majority care what they think and do, we live in a democracy and 50 +1 rules... but we must care because their ignorance damages us all... some people you just cant reason with and as such the democratically elected majority can only do what the majority demands. and the majority IS DEMANDING A SINGLE DESK SYSTEM to replace the current profit system

All this intimidation is a

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 18:23 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
All this intimidation is a last gasp attempt by the so-called Conservative Minority . It is obvious to anyone that is thinking that the Insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies' hired goons are behind it. They do not want to lose the goose that lays the golden eggs of immense profits at the expense of sick people that have had the misfortune to depend on them for their well-being and have been let down at the hour of need. If people fall again for that stunt, to understand that If they 'win', there will be Nothing standing in the path of higher premiums and drug costs. If you were them...would you not be wanting to protect that Golden egg ?

It is wonderful to read the

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 18:26 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
It is wonderful to read the truth here from those who know what's going on. If the government can track down people it disagrees with like the Shrub/Cheney Crime Wave, we should be able to get rid of these Corp-followers in a real hurry. There really aren't that many of them! What a way to make a living--selling your soul to thieves! Dakotahgeo

Unfortunately, all the noise

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 18:31 β€” Adoregon (not verified)
Unfortunately, all the noise and bluster actually obscures the danger. These people are as serious as a lynch mob, and have already taken the first steps toward becoming one. And they're going to walk taller and louder and prouder now that their bumbling efforts at civil disobedience are being committed with the full sanction and support of the country's most powerful people, who are cynically using them in a last-ditch effort to save their own places of profit and prestige. from: Is the US on the Brink of Fascism? http://www.truthout.org/080909A?n

Could all of these protest

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 18:32 β€” Midwest Tom (not verified)
Could all of these protest be not just against health care reform, but against the whole O'Bama agenda? He promised to end the war 90 days after taking office, and instead he is calling to enlarge the Army by 30,000 troops so that we can fight two wars. He pushed Cap and Trade through as a Global Warming bill, when NASA data proves the earth has been cooling for three years (do a search under Global Cooling very documented article in the National Review online). For those over 50 the health care bill brings on rationing, and those people do not want to die because some needed treatment is denied. Our local TV station did a bit on Ablations, indicating that the procedure would not be available to anyone over 50. Have we reached the point where less than half of the population actually pays tazes? If we have those who don't pay can push through any benefit they want, until the whole system collapses.

Many of these protesters are

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 21:31 β€” Brian (not verified)
Many of these protesters are ignorant but oppose health care because they do not want to pay one red cent for an African American to get health care that he does not "deserve." The specter of universal health care is the specter of health care for African Americans and even - gasp - some "crimigrants."

The protesters are on

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 23:10 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
The protesters are on script! The only thing that matters is that the message marketed by the GOP for fake protest is hitting the streets and making a mess...the GOP is playing on a different wave length, different playing field and none of us get it; we're not koolaide drinkers. We do know the message is wrong, abusive, mean-spirited, arrogant, but, we do we really understand why they script protesters? Does the GOP know that their followers are too stupid, too ignorant, too delusional to understand adult concepts so they've dummied-down their game plan to a totally scripted stupidity? Amazing...simply amazing.

I went to Cong Cleaver (MO

 Sun, 08/09/2009 - 23:33 β€” Anne (not verified)
I went to Cong Cleaver (MO 5th) Coffee yesterday morning and the disruptors were there in all their glory. Cleaver meets individually with constituents at his coffees so the antis never had a chance to scream and shout anyone down. But they did chant and they were loud and obnoxious. What struck me were the number of elderly Medicare eligible folks who supposedly oppose govt health care. There was also a woman walking around telling African Americans Obama wanted to kill them. And a guy who claimed he paid $6000 a month for health insurance and didn't mind because it wasn't socialism. It was sad actually. They came off as a group of ignorant and scared people who vehemently hate Obama. I know, we hated Bush but I sure don't remember us being as angry.

Responsible, law-abiding

 Mon, 08/10/2009 - 00:02 β€” Carol L. (not verified)
Responsible, law-abiding citizens go to town meetings for factual information about health care reform & to address concerns. Those who disrupt this process with a thug-mentality-- intent only on shutting down these meetings -- should be arrested. These disruptions are organized bygroups fronting for the health insurance industry. The priority of the insurance industry is steadily increasing profits for shareholders and CEO's, at the expense of consumers and corporations paying for good quality, affordable care. During the Bush years, if Democrats had behaved the way these thugs do at town meetings , they would have been imprisoned for years.

This is the same tactic that

 Mon, 08/10/2009 - 00:08 β€” Henry Schwan (not verified)
This is the same tactic that the GOPers used to derail a fair recount in Fla. Don't want to invoke Godwin's law, but I'm sayin...

Read the polls which show

 Mon, 08/10/2009 - 02:04 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
Read the polls which show the trend of how people feel about the excessive spending the government is undertaking. Look at the impact on the exchange rate of the dollar with the Euro. It says.......this country cannot afford what is going on with health care, the stimulus, the clunkers program. This is what people are up set about and the polls reflect it. Congress thinks they know better and people are upset about it. Demonstrations by Acorn and the like, against the former President were tolerated and encouraged. Now, anyone who shows dissatisfaction with the current actions of this government are deemed mobs and threatening. What hypocrisy!

Anybody notice how much Dan

 Mon, 08/10/2009 - 03:28 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
Anybody notice how much Dan Thompson in the picture looks like Joe the Plumber?

If there ever was an

 Mon, 08/10/2009 - 06:20 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
If there ever was an administrationt that deserved vociferous disdain, it would have been Bush/Cheney. Yes we had our rallies against their policies as in a sane Democracy. We were against REAL things like the unnecessary war in Iraq and the killings and maiming of thousands of soldiers and on an on. I believe we cited facts and figures and cited real transgression but we NEVER got violent or threatened the lives of the opposition, we just tried to change their minds PEACEFULLY. And we were never paid to protest or were bussed to events. I'm sure there were some organized groups just to make it cost effective for everyone like carpooling or we took trains OUR OF OUR OWN VOLITION and true grievances. These protestors have no rhyme or reason and are only doing the insurance companies, lobbyist's work, they are without shame or brains when all they are doing is WORKING AGAINST THEIR OWN BEST INTERESTS. No, absolutely NOT, don't give them healthcare. Fools!! I fear that Democracy is floundering and may be dead. Who is going to save the USA someday, maybe the Chinese?

It's really amusing to see

 Mon, 08/10/2009 - 12:27 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
It's really amusing to see the reactions when the shoe is on the other foot. Now that the liberals are promoting something that is not only unpopular (defined as the majority of voters are against it), but is vehemently opposed by that majority to the point that these normally docile people are protesting loudly. These are tactics that liberals have used repeatedly for years. Why is this behavior only abhorrent when someone other than the liberals demonstrate this behavior? Because the liberals don't like anyone disagreeing with their opinions - especially when their opposition uses facts in their arguments.

A concise summary of

 Mon, 08/10/2009 - 18:04 β€” VMAH (not verified)
A concise summary of political assassinations and attempts is at http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/assassinations.cfm Valerie

To 12:27 β€” Anonymous:

 Mon, 08/10/2009 - 19:12 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
To 12:27 β€” Anonymous: Please cite examples of liberals shouting death threats at public meetings toward bush! We want examples with links, not idle commentary about "the shoe being on the other foot" without proof.

To 17:22 β€” Ron: Did you

 Mon, 08/10/2009 - 19:16 β€” Anonymous (not verified)
To 17:22 β€” Ron: Did you ever see "Idiocracy"?

These protests reach far

 Tue, 08/11/2009 - 18:40 β€” Denver (not verified)
These protests reach far deeper than healthcare reform. Many folks still have issue that President Obama is of a different hue and his name is not William or George. It's HATRED & IGNORANCE and both breeds fear and delusional behaviors. It's time these folks got locked up and put on the watch lists like the former President did his town hall opponents.

As soon as I saw one of the

 Sat, 08/15/2009 - 20:14 β€” Magog (not verified)
As soon as I saw one of the current free-for-all town meeting on tv, I couldn't help it, my mind, in rampant free-association, brought up a vivid image of me as a child arguing with my father, screaming "No! I don't care what Godwin says, I WILL NOT WEAR THESE JACKBOOTS!!!!!