Extremist Outbursts At Town Halls Put GOP In Tough Spot

[ProSense]

Extremist Outbursts At Town Halls Put GOP In Tough Spot

National conservative groups organizing angry protests on health care reform at congressional town halls this week are drafting behind the "birther" movement, claimed Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) at a press conference on Wednesday.

The eruption of the extreme wing of the GOP -- the "more difficult people in that political party," as Brown gently put it -- is making compromise less likely, he added.

"One-third of that party still believes the President of the United States was not born in this country," Brown said, referring to a recent Research 2000 poll. "You know that Olympia Snowe and Chuck Grassley, when they would maybe like to move, are constrained by some of the more difficult people in that political party."

Although some protesters have told local reporters that they are genuinely upset about health care reform, conservative organizations like FreedomWorks and Conservatives for Patients Rights are said to be working covertly to recruit anyone willing to cause a scene. Brown and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said Wednesday that they don't think reform proposals are threatened by the protesters, but Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) took a more jaundiced view, arguing that health care reform is too important not to be concerned.

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"Health insurance reform opponents are trying to stop the debate. They are afraid of the facts," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office said in a statement Wednesday evening. "While the special interests and Congressional Republicans have been encouraging disruption of public events to try to stop the debate about health insurance reform, Democrats continue to use the August district work period to communicate with our constituents about the health insurance reform embodied by America's Affordable Health Choices Act."

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Steele Distances Himself From Town Hall Mobs: ‘We’re Not Encouraging People To Be Angry’

Earlier today, Sen John McCain (R-AZ) voiced his displeasure with the town hall mobs via Twitter: "Town hall meetings are an American tradition - we should allow everyone to express their views without disruption - even if we disagree!"

link

Can you feel it backfiring?



Public Opinion Snapshot: Health Care Reform Still Popular

How about now?

[windy252]

1. I am recommending

because of a positive post. It's nice to see good news.

[Jennicut]

2. Good to see even McLame knows its well, lame.

Still I don't know if I can ever forgive him for allowing Palin to stir up the hatred at her rallies.

[ProSense]

3. Trust me,

this moment of sanity will not last long. Still, they know these idiots are driving people away from the GOP. They simply have nothing left but to resort to lunacy as a scare tactic.

[Jennicut]

4. That is what the mainstream Rethugs are afraid of...people leaving an already weak GOP

[NYC Liberal]

5. It's a catch-22

They know these lunatics ARE their party right now.

If they drive them out, the GOP ceases to exist. Nobody is going to want to join the GOP now. They lose.

If they placate them, they still isolate everyone else, and they still lose.

[Cha]

14. Yes, they manuevered themselves

onto the precipice of the abyss.

[yellowcanine]

9. B.S. McCain and Steele are playing "good cop' as Boehner plays "bad cop"

Until McCain and Steele start calling out repubs like Boehner by name I will not believe they are serious.

[havocmom]

10. a-yep

[RollWithIt]

6. It really is an American Tradition,and the screaming and disruption is disgusting...

Town Hall meetings are supposed to be about Questions. Not ranting and screaming. Even if you disagree, it has to be about your question. Not yelling.

[depakid]

26. What it's supposed to be- and what it actually is and has been for two decades

in this country are two entirely different things.

[MadMaddie]

7. Now we are having Dems actually physically attacked

backfire is a mild term...the Repugs will not be able to step away from this, they have opened a can of worms...

[rhett o rick]

16. Agree. This does not sit well with main stream America. The Repukes have jumped the shark. nm

[TxRider]

8. Not really..

Most of the resistance I've seen is more aimed at transparency and debate.

The rush to pass this is worrying a lot of people.

A bill posted publicly and debated before being voted on, as our president promised us he would do.

Health care is a very personal thing.

[tex-wyo-dem]

12. Debate...I'd love a good, reasonable and fact-filled debate!

Problem is is the Republicans don't want a debate...theyinstead resort to yelling, name-calling and repeating worthless and rediculous talking points.

Problem is they know that in a serious, reasoned debate their points of view would be exposed as the empty corporate spittle that they are.

[rhett o rick]

18. I gotta run. Hope you are here when I get back. nm

[MadMaddie]

21. First welcome to DU but history says that this is not rushed

It took 1 year. The elderly are still using medicaire and it is working well. This is nothing new.

http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cj16n3-3.html

<snip>
Politically, what changed in 1964 was the resounding victory by Democrats in the general elections in November. Many perceived the election of Lyndon B. Johnson as an endorsement of compulsory national health insurance and other social programs regarded as pillars of his personal vision of the "Great Society." Congress was heavily in the hands of the Democrats. Moreover, a Gallup poll released on January 3, 1965, showed that efforts to sway public opinion on the national health insurance issue had been at least superficially successful: 63 percent of respondents now approved of the idea of a "compulsory medical insurance program covering hospital and nursing home care for the elderly
<snip>

[rhett o rick]

22. "Most of the resistance I've seen is more aimed at transparency and debate."

You can't be saying that with a straight face. Since when has the right ever wanted a honest debate? Never. Did Bush in his eight years as dictator want "transparency"?

The rush to save lives is worrying only those that are making millions on the backs of the oppressed.

I do have to agree that health care is a very personal thing. If you think we are going to allow you and your asshole health care profiteers to steal our health, you have another think coming.

[Critters2]

24. Actually, I'm pissed that they didn't pass something before the recess.

All the polls show the public supports reform. It's time to do something!

[Nyquil Man]

11. Limbaugh and these wackjobs. They lead the GOP now.

It may be a case of the tail wagging the dog, but all the dog seems to say is, "Well, the tail has a right to go where it wants."

[Cha]

13. Yes, they do..and you know they

want to take over the country the way it was so easy for them to take over the republicon party.

[AspenRose]

15. One thing you can count on these guys doing....overreaching

They never know when enough is enough, and it usually ends up backfiring.

[rhett o rick]

17. I am sending post cards to the RNC saying, "Please take our party back from the crazies". nm

[provis99]

19. why would conservatives be worried? Their side is winning

Health care reform is essentially dead, despite a Democratic President and a large majority of Democrats in Congress. The bill is slated to be killed in committee once the August break ends, when Republican members attach unacceptable amendments to the bill.

[RollWithIt]

20. The real question is whether we will shout down their crazy screams....

Or will we stand by and let them dominate until 2012. The evolution of the Democratic Party over the next three years will certainly be interesting.

I feel like our organizational power has lost some of its luster and the crazies are now learning how to use the internet and organize. The main difference being that we were/are based on fact and they are mostly based on insanity.

[Karenina]

23. . .

[depakid]

25. It's only a problem for them if they lose

and seeing as how so many Democrats seem willing to bow down to PhARMA and the for profit health insurance parasites- the odds on that look to be about 50/50.

On the bright side- that's better than we've had before.

[and-justice-for-all]

27. The Repuke's base is always unstable..

and loaded with crack pot nut cases. They will never be able to cut themselves loose from their horde which they help create and continue to fuel. Sorry Repuke assholes, they are yours and you can keep'em!