It really is like we’re in the twilight zone. For eight years we all heard about Bushitler and his big brother tactics to keep the opposition quiet but now we have Democrat’s calling for the photographing and interrogations of all those opposed to socialism at the town hall meetings:
Let’s have the media name names, publish photographs, and do interviews of those responsible for approving, even organizing these techniues. And let’s find an investigative journalist – are there many left – to prove these so-called grassroots shouters are, or are not, being paid.
Even more classic:
The “shout downs” organized by the Republican right meet one of the classic definition of “fascist” tactics–defined as using shouting and disruption to deprive the civil and respectful debate of ideas. There is literally no defense to these tactics. I don’t criticize those who feel genuine anger or fear and show up to meetings to express those emotions. But I do call out the tactic of screaming and disrupting a meeting and the fact that this is a systematic tactic by thugs who want to prevent civil discourse, not promote it.
Oh really? Where was Lanny when a left wing gang stopped a speech at Columbia university? (h/t Michelle Malkin)
Or another speech stopped at UNC – Chapel Hill:
Or blocking military shipments:
Or committing burglary in the name of whatever cause they want to promote:
Or chasing the opposition off the street:
The same Democrat Masters of Astroturf who encouraged their followers to use “in your face” tactics during the campaign season now balk at vocal opposition from their fiscally conservative neighbors and co-workers. Obama’s architects of Kabuki town halls have packed public forums with partisan plants. Now, they accuse opponents gathering at impromptu rallies against the massive health care takeover legislation (which no one has read) of orchestrating “manufactured anger.”
Unaccustomed to pushback, the wealthy, astro-turfed ground troops for Obamacare – underwritten by unions, liberal philanthropists, the AARP, ACORN, and your tax dollars — have resorted to projection. As I’ve reported previously, the single-payer lobby boasts a $40 million budget and a stable of seasoned political operatives based at 1825 K Street in Washington, D.C. Now, that cabal is accusing the broad coalition of taxpayer activists, libertarians, independents, talk radio loyalists, bloggers, and first-time protesters against socialized medicine of being, yes, wealthy and astroturfed.
In a comical missive issued Tuesday afternoon, Democratic National Committee spokesman Brad Woodhouse complained: “The Republicans and their allied groups — desperate after losing two consecutive elections and every major policy fight on Capitol Hill — are inciting angry mobs of a small number of rabid right wing extremists funded by K Street Lobbyists to disrupt thoughtful discussions about the future of health care in America taking place in Congressional Districts across the country.”
The DNC definition of “thoughtful:” Sitting silent about the lack of transparency, deliberation, truth in numbers, and reciprocity on the Obamacare plan. The DNC definition of incitement: Asking out loud, “How can you manage health care when you can’t manage Cash For Clunkers?”
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, apparently oblivious to the dozens of well-dressed and well-heeled former lobbyists and influence peddlers employed by his own boss, derided health care town hall protesters as the “Brooks Brothers brigade.” Brooks Brothers was also the president’s clothes designer of choice on Inauguration Day. He taunted: “I hope people will take a jaundiced eye to what is clearly the AstroTurf nature of so-called grass-roots lobbying.” Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dispatched a memo obtained by D.C.-based newspaper Human Events assuring Democrats of “close coordination” with faux grass-roots groups “including but not limited to HCAN, Families USA, AFSCME, SEIU, AARP, etc.”
They call those who protest against the socialism “fearmongering” while putting out ads claiming all the protesters are mindless Republican zombies planted by the RNC.
And Gibbs says this is all AstroTurfing….meaning to manufacture outrage….as they ask for citizen’s to inform on their neighbors if it smells fishy and for our media to violate the privacy of those upset.
No AstroTurfing there.
But can you believe it….ABC sent reporters to a Townhall meeting and reported that hey, there ain’t no Republican plants here:
There were no lobbyist-funded buses in the parking lot of Mardela Middle and High School on Tuesday evening, and the hundreds of Eastern Maryland residents who packed the school’s auditorium loudly refuted the notion that their anger over the Democrats’ health care reform plans is “manufactured.”
“I went to school in this school,” a man named Bob told me. “I don’t see anyone in this room that isn’t from Mardela Springs right now.”
“We’ve been quiet too long,” said a woman named Joan…
“I am here because I understand that I do represent you folks, okay?” Kratovil said, after entering the auditorium to applause. “The opinions that you folks have, I need to know. There are legitimate concerns.”
Just then, someone in the audience shouted back, “Our freedom is being taken from us!”…
“You’re deceiving us! You’re trying to shove this stuff through,” one woman yelled.
“I’m not! But I hear you,” Kratovil pleaded.
“This bill is un-American,” said another voter, who asked whether Kratovil has read it.
“I am reading it right now,” he said.
Shocking! /sarc
And as I said yesterday, the left’s head would be exploding if the tactics being used by Obama and his cohorts were used by Bush. Senator Cornyn wrote the same thing to Obama today:
I can only imagine the level of justifiable outrage had your predecessor asked Americans to forward emails critical of his policies to the White House. I suspect that you would of been leading the charge in condemning such a program – and I would of been at your side denouncing such heavy-handed government action.
But to the left it’s all a-ok now that they are in charge.
H Y P O C R I S Y
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What I find funny is that I would bet over 90% of those protesting ObamaCare at town halls have probably never heard of ‘astroturf’ in the political sense, and have no idea what it means. But according to proglibtard logic, including our Precedent’s, they’re guilty of it just the same.
Papering over the cracks in “Team Obama’s Health Care” with astroturf won’t work.
Moderate Democrats can see for themselves the grass is greener on our side.
🙂
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The remedy for ACORN punks and New Black Panther clowns is 00 Buckshot delivered in volume and with My warmest regards.