This morning, Politico reported that Democratic members of Congress are increasingly being harassed by “angry, sign-carrying mobs and disruptive behavior” at local town halls. For example, in one incident, right-wing protesters surrounded Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) and forced police officers to have to escort him to his car for safety.
This growing phenomenon is often marked by violence and absurdity. Recently, right-wing demonstrators hung Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) in effigy outside of his office. Missing from the reporting of these stories is the fact that much of these protests are coordinated by public relations firms and lobbyists who have a stake in opposing President Obama’s reforms.
The lobbyist-run groups Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks, which orchestrated the anti-Obama tea parties earlier this year, are now pursuing an aggressive strategy to create an image of mass public opposition to health care and clean energy reform. A leaked memo from Bob MacGuffie, a volunteer with the FreedomWorks website Tea Party Patriots, details how members should be infiltrating town halls and harassing Democratic members of Congress:
– Artificially Inflate Your Numbers: “Spread out in the hall and try to be in the front half. The objective is to put the Rep on the defensive with your questions and follow-up. The Rep should be made to feel that a majority, and if not, a significant portion of at least the audience, opposes the socialist agenda of Washington.”
– Be Disruptive Early And Often: “You need to rock-the-boat early in the Rep’s presentation, Watch for an opportunity to yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements early.”
– Try To “Rattle Him,” Not Have An Intelligent Debate: “The goal is to rattle him, get him off his prepared script and agenda. If he says something outrageous, stand up and shout out and sit right back down. Look for these opportunities before he even takes questions.”
The memo above also resembles the talking points being distributed by FreedomWorks for pushing an anti-health reform assault all summer. Patients United, a front group maintained by Americans for Prosperity, is currently busing people all over the country for more protests against Democratic members. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), chairman of the NRCC, has endorsed the strategy, telling the Politico the days of civil town halls are now “over.”
Meanwhile, AHIP, the trade group and lobbying juggernaut representing the health insurance industry is sending staffers to monitor town halls and other right-wing front groups are stepping up their ad campaign to smear reform efforts. The strategy for defeating reform — recently outlined by an influential lobbyist to the Hill newspaper as “delay” then “kill” — is becoming apparent. By delaying a vote until after the August recess, lobbyists are now seizing upon recess town halls as opportunities to ambush lawmakers and fool them into believing there is wide opposition to reform.
perhaps they borrowed Obama's copy of Rules For Radicals.
This morning, Politico reported that Democratic members of Congress are increasingly being harassed by “angry, sign-carrying mobs and disruptive behavior” at local town halls. For example, in one incident, right-wing protesters surrounded Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) and forced police officers to have to escort him to his car for safety.
This growing phenomenon is often marked by violence and absurdity. Recently, right-wing demonstrators hung Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) in effigy outside of his office. Missing from the reporting of these stories is the fact that much of these protests are coordinated by public relations firms and lobbyists who have a stake in opposing President Obama’s reforms.
The lobbyist-run groups Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks, which orchestrated the anti-Obama tea parties earlier this year, are now pursuing an aggressive strategy to create an image of mass public opposition to health care and clean energy reform. A leaked memo from Bob MacGuffie, a volunteer with the FreedomWorks website Tea Party Patriots, details how members should be infiltrating town halls and harassing Democratic members of Congress:
– Artificially Inflate Your Numbers: “Spread out in the hall and try to be in the front half. The objective is to put the Rep on the defensive with your questions and follow-up. The Rep should be made to feel that a majority, and if not, a significant portion of at least the audience, opposes the socialist agenda of Washington.”
– Be Disruptive Early And Often: “You need to rock-the-boat early in the Rep’s presentation, Watch for an opportunity to yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements early.”
– Try To “Rattle Him,” Not Have An Intelligent Debate: “The goal is to rattle him, get him off his prepared script and agenda. If he says something outrageous, stand up and shout out and sit right back down. Look for these opportunities before he even takes questions.”
The memo above also resembles the talking points being distributed by FreedomWorks for pushing an anti-health reform assault all summer. Patients United, a front group maintained by Americans for Prosperity, is currently busing people all over the country for more protests against Democratic members. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), chairman of the NRCC, has endorsed the strategy, telling the Politico the days of civil town halls are now “over.”
Meanwhile, AHIP, the trade group and lobbying juggernaut representing the health insurance industry is sending staffers to monitor town halls and other right-wing front groups are stepping up their ad campaign to smear reform efforts. The strategy for defeating reform — recently outlined by an influential lobbyist to the Hill newspaper as “delay” then “kill” — is becoming apparent. By delaying a vote until after the August recess, lobbyists are now seizing upon recess town halls as opportunities to ambush lawmakers and fool them into believing there is wide opposition to reform.
You know those people that cause a stir at every town hall meeting and rally lately? They are shills, plants, recruited by a couple of high level orgs, one being an insurance company and one being a wealthy rightwingnut
You know those people that cause a stir at every town hall meeting and rally lately? They are shills, plants, recruited by a couple of high level orgs, one being an insurance company and one being a wealthy rightwingnut
It is a bit embarrassing to have been concerned with the human problem all one's life and find at the end that one has no more to offer by way of advice than 'try to be a little kinder.' - Aldous Huxley
with respect..chomsky never puts himself in a debate because he is so full of shit and never wants to be called on it. he will only appear in a venue where he won't be challenged. usually a rambling incoherent coma inducing monotone monologue. most people see through the bs when they enter the real world after college, or do any rudimentary self education on politics and culture.
and really we should discuss chomsky under leftwingnutZ
Years ago I saw Manufacturing Consent by Noam Chomsky, who in my opinion has the most to say about all of this. So, it's not news at all, only a confirmation. In fact, Chomsky is one of those folks who is NEVER on any of the MSM shows. Cause he kicks everybody's ass when it comes to the truth. His whole deal is that we have a corporatist government, not a social democracy. That is, our votes are based on how much money is lined up for them. A social democracy is where each vote has equal power. Unfortunately, every single person has to wage a campaign to figure out what's true. Corporate forces make sure it's harder and harder to tell the truth, and then use all their money to manipulate people's opinions based on what bullshitake works.
The forces lined up against just health care are exactly working to the purpose of money, not health care. They are making fearful people think they are going to be left out. And it is the biggest lie there is right now.
with respect..chomsky never puts himself in a debate because he is so full of shit and never wants to be called on it. he will only appear in a venue where he won't be challenged. usually a rambling incoherent coma inducing monotone monologue. most people see through the bs when they enter the real world after college, or do any rudimentary self education on politics and culture.
and really we should discuss chomsky under leftwingnutZ
So is this news to you or a confirmation of your own thoughts ?
Ain't no surprise to me.
The Fourth Estate is no longer. I pronounced it dead when I raised the point that rather than investigate Bernie Madoff, Mort Zuckerman of the U S News and World Report and The New York Daily News chose to keep it to himself and invest. So welcome to the party. You must now view more news than ever from ALL sources to be able to cull some sort of sense of what is going on. Which makes places like these where people post all kinds of links that are from obscure sources more valuable.
FWIW: Last night on C2C I heard a prediction of a Bank Holiday coming in the Fall. Also, support HR 1207 by calling your Representives. It is the Bill that calls for an audit of the Federal Reserve. It is being held in committee by Frank and Pelosi. They are blocking its vote and preventing it from getting to the floor. This bill has bi partisan sponsorship of over 280 members of the House and 20 sponsors in the Senate.
Years ago I saw Manufacturing Consent by Noam Chomsky, who in my opinion has the most to say about all of this. So, it's not news at all, only a confirmation. In fact, Chomsky is one of those folks who is NEVER on any of the MSM shows. Cause he kicks everybody's ass when it comes to the truth. His whole deal is that we have a corporatist government, not a social democracy. That is, our votes are based on how much money is lined up for them. A social democracy is where each vote has equal power. Unfortunately, every single person has to wage a campaign to figure out what's true. Corporate forces make sure it's harder and harder to tell the truth, and then use all their money to manipulate people's opinions based on what bullshitake works.
The forces lined up against just health care are exactly working to the purpose of money, not health care. They are making fearful people think they are going to be left out. And it is the biggest lie there is right now.
Old news. Its been discussed in other threads during the election. It was even investigated during his first run in 2000 as one of your references noted.. To compare a birth of a child to military personnel on a U S Base in a U S Territory to the birth of a child to non military citizens in a foreign country is a comparison of apples and oranges. A Puerto Rican is a natural born U S Citizen in a U S territory and could therefore be elected President to the best of my knowledge. My remarks do not challenge where Obama was born and took his first breath, just commenting on the circumstances being compared..
yeah, I wouldn't think that it made McCain ineligible, I just had never noticed the topic before. weird that I missed it.
Something I learned today from On The Media that I didn't know.
In 1936, where was John McCain born? The man that the GOP put up to become president. Who, by law, needed to have been born in the US - which is the foundation for the birther's arguments.
And then there was some discussion about it, but ultimately no one seemed to make a big deal about it. Interesting. It never came up on my radar during all that time he was running.
Old news. Its been discussed in other threads during the election. It was even investigated during his first run in 2000 as one of your references noted.. To compare a birth of a child to military personnel on a U S Base in a U S Territory to the birth of a child to non military citizens in a foreign country is a comparison of apples and oranges. A Puerto Rican is a natural born U S Citizen in a U S territory and could therefore be elected President to the best of my knowledge. My remarks do not challenge where Obama was born and took his first breath, just commenting on the circumstances being compared..
Something I learned today from On The Media that I didn't know.
In 1936, where was John McCain born? The man that the GOP put up to become president. Who, by law, needed to have been born in the US - which is the foundation for the birther's arguments.
And then there was some discussion about it, but ultimately no one seemed to make a big deal about it. Interesting. It never came up on my radar during all that time he was running.
brandog wrote:
This woman should get some kind of prize and a complimentary 72 hour evaluation at the nearest mental health facility.
Didn't you like this? I thought it was very bi-partisan of me.
Regardless of your political position, this has got to make you sick to your stomach. I admit, I love Keith Olbermann and Charlie Rose, and this is depressing as hell. If anyone thinks that any media outlet has the least amount of integrity, then: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/08/01/ge/
So is this news to you or a confirmation of your own thoughts ?
Ain't no surprise to me.
The Fourth Estate is no longer. I pronounced it dead when I raised the point that rather than investigate Bernie Madoff, Mort Zuckerman of the U S News and World Report and The New York Daily News chose to keep it to himself and invest. So welcome to the party. You One must now view more news than ever from ALL sources to be able to cull some sort of sense of what is going on. Which makes places like these where people post all kinds of links that are from obscure sources more valuable.
FWIW: Last night on C2C I heard a prediction of a Bank Holiday coming in the Fall. Also, support HR 1207 by calling your Representives. It is the Bill that calls for an audit of the Federal Reserve. It is being held in committee by Frank and Pelosi. They are blocking its vote and preventing it from getting to the floor. This bill has bi partisan sponsorship of over 280 members of the House and 20 sponsors in the Senate.
Didn't you like this? I thought it was very bi-partisan of me.
Regardless of your political position, this has got to make you sick to your stomach. I admit, I love Keith Olbermann and Charlie Rose, and this is depressing as hell. If anyone thinks that any media outlet has the least amount of integrity, then: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/08/01/ge/
it's ok...I think I'll avoid the political threads...I seem destined to just tangle with folks in here...that's boring and not a lot of fun... thanks...
Didn't you like this? I thought it was very bi-partisan of me.
Regardless of your political position, this has got to make you sick to your stomach. I admit, I love Keith Olbermann and Charlie Rose, and this is depressing as hell. If anyone thinks that any media outlet has the least amount of integrity, then: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/08/01/ge/
Fine. So, when I say I'm not a HAVE, I'm BSing? Fine. Believe what fabrications you wish to create of me even though you don't know me. Stereotype me as you wish. That's bigotry in motion. You do it pathetically well... It seems much of your angst stems from not enough being done for you...
To musik_knut:
I apologize for poking you these past two days.
it's ok...I think I'll avoid the political threads...I seem destined to just tangle with folks in here...that's boring and not a lot of fun... thanks...
Fine. So, when I say I'm not a HAVE, I'm BSing? Fine. Believe what fabrications you wish to create of me even though you don't know me. Stereotype me as you wish. That's bigotry in motion. You do it pathetically well... It seems much of your angst stems from not enough being done for you...
Good NPR coverage concerning the video clip below - apparently, the "birther" movement is more than just a few congressmen and a couple of judges - it's grass roots! brandog wrote:
This woman should get some kind of prize and a complimentary 72 hour evaluation at the nearest mental health facility.
The Right doesn't have the ignorance market cornered. I wish they did. There would be more hope then.
I expect that the intelligent forces of Nature will act to thin the herd sometime soon.
One thing I can say for sure is that I want the lunatic fringe to be just as visible and noisy as possible - when it all comes down, and the shooting starts, I know who's gonna get it while I'm busy collecting canned food, boxes of irradiated bacon, batteries, and fuel from the ruins of their bunkers.
