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August 19, 2009

"Un-American" Protests Continue


Jonah Goldberg over at Townhall.com points out some cracks in Obama's Wall of Unity.
"Obama wants the debate to be about angry white men. And, as lame as that is, that's what's happening. It won't make ObamaCare a reality, but it will shift the blame from where it rightly belongs."
Why 'ObamaCare' is Failing

To listen to the White House and its supporters in and out of the media, you would think that opposition to "ObamaCare" is the hobgoblin of a few small minds on the right. Racists, fascists, Neanderthals, the whole "Star Wars" cantina of boogeymen and cranks stand opposed to much-needed reform.

Left out of this fairly naked effort to demonize many with the actions of a few is the simple fact that ObamaCare -- however defined -- has been tanking in the polls for weeks. President Obama's handling of health care is unpopular with a majority of Americans and a majority of self-proclaimed independents.

Focusing on the town halls has its merits, but if you actually wanted ObamaCare to pass, casting a majority of Americans as the stooges of racist goons may not be the best way to go.

Imagine if George W. Bush, in his effort to partially privatize Social Security, had insisted that the "time for talking is over." Picture, if you will, the Bush White House asking Americans to turn in their e-mails in the pursuit of "fishy" dissent. Conjure a scenario under which then-Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott derided critics as "evil-mongers" the way Harry Reid recently described town hall protesters. Or if then-House Speaker Dennis Hastert and then-Majority Whip Tom DeLay had called critics "un-American" the way Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer did last week, or if White House strategist Karl Rove had been Sir Spam-a-lot instead of David Axelrod.

Now, I'm not asking you, dear reader, to do this so that you might be able to see through the glare of Obama's halo or the outlines of the media's staggering double standard when it comes to covering this White House. Rather, it is to grasp that the Obama administration has been astoundingly incompetent.

Lashing out at the town hall protesters, playing the race card, whining about angry white men and whispering ominously about right-wing militias is almost always a sign of liberalism's weakness -- a failure of the imagination.

(More...)

27 comments:

RightKlik said...

It's absolutely amazing what we've seen with America's response to ObamaCare and with the O Administration's reaction. The MSM has been entirely predictable, but still disappointing.

Thomas Lawrence said...

The Obamatron's are having the text book Alinsky reaction: Demonize the enemy (anyone opposing Obamacare) and push the Red agenda hard and fast.

Left Coast Rebel said...

Nickie - I was just reading the same piece, simply amazing. I love the analogy to Social Security....

Opus #6 said...

The incompetence glares out through all the cracks. I mean, was there nobody to help the Obamas pick a decent gift for Brown? No person in all of Washington who could be a "personal shopper" or give them some advice?

The problem is that Obama has NO experience running anything. And he is too arrogant to realize what a problem that is.

His incompetence would be heartening if not for his unrelenting drive toward socialism/communism.

Rhod said...

I'm waiting for them to describe opponents of ObamaCare as "counter-revolutionaries".

You know they're dying to say it.

Ron Russell said...

Protesters on the left have always been fine and the MSM glorified and embrased them. But if those on the right protest they are condemned and called racist by the voices in the MSM. Nothing, nothing at all fair here--but when has the MSM been fair to those on the right. Reactionary--Racist--Rightwing Nuts....this is the cry of those on the left and the so-called "fair" national media.

Anonymous said...

Utterly brilliant.

Barking Spider said...

They use the same old tired excuses and smears the whole World over, Nickie. They don't have any real arguments for why their proposals should be adopted and so resort to smearing. How can it be un-American to oppose something you don't want - it would be laughable if it wasn't so sinister. Socialists ruin everything they touch and their incompetence knows no bounds.

Anonymous said...

Klik, the MSM have perfected their game! They ignore the public, and excel at propaganda.

Anonymous said...

Larry, the part that has surprised me most has been the "fast". Talk about striking while the iron is hot!

Anonymous said...

Rebel, it's a nice accurate depiction of recent history.

Anonymous said...

Opie, do you think Obama still believes that his charm will carry the day?

Anonymous said...

Rhod, give them the weekend. It's coming soon.

Anonymous said...

Barkie, ain't it amazing that they believe they're smarter than anybody else? They know what's good for us!

Opus #6 said...

Nickie, it doesn't matter. Obama has stated that he doesn't care if he is a one term president, as long as he can ram all of this stuff through. We need to pressure the politicians who DO care about their own skin. He is not one of them.

USA_Admiral said...

I did not think the people were even paying attention after electing Obama. I guess I was wrong.

Anonymous said...

Opus -- you're right that Obama doesn't care if he's a one-term president, as long as that term lasts until he qualifies for medicare. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Nice piece by Goldberg. I especially liked how he noted the lack of imagination of the left. Their campaign here has been so primitive and has assumed such bad things about Americans.

Now, it's fun to watch and hordes of peasants are climbing the castle walls, pitch forks in hand. The Left has lost control. Order will be restored in this debate on the terms of the opposition. Even Chuck Grassley is talking smack now. That shows you where this is.

The words of Yamamoto come to mind.

Anonymous said...

Opie,

He's a product of the Party. He may be expendable, but the Democrats want to establish a near-permanent government.

Anonymous said...

Admiral, you were right. And then somebody came along and got the public's attention with a 2x4 between the eyes.

Anonymous said...

Nice one, Extractor!

Anonymous said...

DC, I know I'll be sorry for asking. What words of Yamamoto come to mind?

Rhod said...

"Where do I sign"?

Opus #6 said...

Yamamoto said, I would never invade the United States. There would be a gun behind every blade of grass.

DC remembers this because he lives in Texas.

Anonymous said...

Opie, he remembers it because he studied hard in that one-room schoolhouse on the high desert.

Rhod remembers because he was there. Glaring.

Anonymous said...

Rapid succession pithy humor ... now every one is gone. For those interested, he said, "Oh crap, there's a P-38!"

No, actually, I was referring to: "I am afraid we've awakened a sleeping giant."

Rhod said...

That's what she said.