What your representatives think of you, Part II
Bookworm on Aug 06 2009 at 10:34 am | Filed under: Barack Obama, Free speech
A few days ago, I quoted from some representatives saying that those attending town halls are an ill-informed mob that must be ignored. The editors at National Review nicely sum up the Democratic party attitude and its profoundly anti-democratic meaning (links omitted):
President Obama likes to pose as the tribune of the common people, but Americans who show up at town-hall meetings to object to Obama’s plans to nationalize health care are, in the words of Obama’s Democratic National Committee, “the mob,” a bunch of “extremist” yahoos who must be publicly denounced and ridiculed. It’s a remarkable piece of condescension and snobbery, but one that is indicative of how President Obama thinks and does business.
Except when he condescends to make the occasional offhanded jibe about cops policing “stupidly” in Boston or hapless Special Olympics competitors, Obama famously likes to strike a pose of being above it all — but what country does he think he is president of, anyway? We cannot recall a similar episode in recent history in which a group of Americans bringing their concerns about a public-policy question to their representatives were told to sit down and shut up. It’s true that democratic discourse should be respectful and dignified — but it also should be two-way: Politicians should expect to listen as much as they expect to be listened to.
The DNC’s ad, “Enough of the Mob,” abominates those Americans who show up to address their congressmen and to exercise their constitutional rights to speak freely, to assemble, and to petition their government for redress of grievances. You know, that old pre-hope-and-change, hopelessly retro, pre-messianic democratic stuff. The ad is deeply dishonest, even by the standards of Washington discourse: The beginning and ending images, and many of those in between, are not those of people protesting Obama’s health-care proposals, but rather of the wacko fringe “birthers” (about whom much has been written here and elsewhere), who have nothing to do with either the town-hall meetings in question or with the Republican party as such. This is pure chicanery: The people protesting Obamacare have not gone out and comported themselves like a gang of buffoons, so Obama’s partisans simply took video of different people comporting themselves like a gang of buffoons and substituted it. That’s a low, shoddy, and intellectually dishonest way to operate.
Related posts:
- What your representatives think of you *UPDATED*
- If he’s afraid of talking to John McCain…
- The San Francisco Chronicle blindly passes along protest canards
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7 Responses to “What your representatives think of you, Part II”
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Contrast this with the good humor and respect that Bush expressed to those protesting against him, even those who protested in the vilest manner, like Cindy Sheehan and Code Pink.
That’s cause Bush wasn’t a megalomaniac. He was just stubborn and wouldn’t budge on some things. Especially if nobody offered him a better solution.
My Congressman is a Republican who is as steady as a rock. I don’t communicate with him often except for a small campaign donation every two years.
But, both of my Senators are Democrats; one elected in 2004 in an upset, and the other last year reflecting Virginia’s flirtation with the left. I communicate with my Senators frequently. I have never received an answer that addresses my question or comment. One Senator typically takes several weeks to answer, email, and his answer is typical boiler plate. The other one answers pretty promptly, but his answers are equally insulting. It is apparent that no one on either staff bothers to read the mail. They categorize it and push the one-reply-fits-all-on-this-subject button.
There is no pretense of representative government any longer unless you are part of an interest group with a loud voice (deep pockets).
I looked up my new Congresswoman at her website. Her event calendar was still set to July. I clicked forward to August, certain she would be attending or hosting public meetings. The entire month of August was blank.
Me, being sort of enterprising every now and then, sent her an email asking why the calendar was blank and to please inform me of any upcoming events.
Two days later and no reply. I will email her again tonight. It will be a surprise if I receive an answer.
Here’s what happened when my Congresswoman attempted to have a “pep rally” for Obamacare:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/article1025529.ece
A couple things to note: the St Pete Times is a liberal paper, and this event was sponsored by SEIU, who I am informed also provided “security.” Also, I had planned but in the end did not attend.
Speaking of SEIU…even if MM isn’t one of your regular reads, you should check this out:
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/06/seiu-and-the-persuasion-of-power/
If you want to see a perfect example of a smug, mealy-mouthed congressman, check out this youtube video of Tim Bishop (D), Long Island NY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOLs7Cybnqw&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trapshooters.com%2Fwebtv%2Fcfpages%2Fthread.cfm%3Fthreadid%3D193548%26Messages%3D2&feature=player_embedded
Highlights at 3:50-4:20, 7:08, and at the end.
A man without a chest.
Thank God for the internet. It’s like we’re killing the politicians’ natural habitat for private idiocy or like resettling zebras to the North Pole.