Pearlstein Tells It Like It Is
As a columnist who regularly dishes out sharp criticism, I try not to question the motives of people with whom I don’t agree. Today, I’m going to step over that line.
The recent attacks by Republican leaders and their ideological fellow-travelers on the effort to reform the health-care system have been so misleading, so disingenuous, that they could only spring from a cynical effort to gain partisan political advantage. By poisoning the political well, they’ve given up any pretense of being the loyal opposition. They’ve become political terrorists, willing to say or do anything to prevent the country from reaching a consensus on one of its most serious domestic problems.
Read the entire article.
I have never denied that there’s a debate to be had on health care, but Republicans aren’t remotely interested. Perhaps I’m being too hard on them. Perhaps they are incapable of intelligent debate – given what’s left (intellectually) of their party. Perhaps all they have left is bullying mob rule… that’s only capable of yelling people down. Maybe, during the next town hall, the congressperson should take on the biggest loudmouth in the room and debate. Imagine that YouTube moment.
Tags: Health Care Reform
I don’t think you can have a debate with a crazy person. It’s more satisfying to hit your head against a brick wall.
I love that op-ed. The wingnut mobs are definitely backfiring now.
I’m not a Republican, but I am not remotely interested in any more govt control of healthcare.
Wingnut mobs exist on both ends of the political arena, but I’ll support their right to speech any day…whether it’s Cindy Sheehan on the war or town hallers on BO’s transparency.
If the politicians can’t take the heat, then get out.
DRUDGE: VIDEO, UNION THUGS UNLEASHED… PHOTOS…
http://www.drudgereport.com/
SEIU aggitators disrupt peaceful protest in St Louis and Michigan.
Following Obama’s orders to silence the oppostition:
OBAMA: ‘I don’t want the folks who created the mess to do a lot of talking. I want them to get out of the way so we can clean up the mess’…
I agree 100% that people should have the right to free speech. However, that’s not a defense of the current town hall disruption tactics, it’s a condemnation. If the anti-reform people wanted to have a useful, rational discussion on the merits of the policy and on honest disagreements, I would be all for it. That’s not what they are doing. Their stated goal is to shut down any chance of a debate. I admit there are points of honest debate to be had about the current proposals. What the anti-reformers are doing is nothing but coming in and yelling and screaming. They are trying to intimidate, not debate. They are preventing others from being able to actually talk about policy. Even John McCain says so.
That’s my problem with it — not that there is opposition or that they are expressing themselves, but that they are using fear and intimidation and not even attempting to try an honest debate.
And what is interesting in this entire thing is that apparently the wingnut faction can’t tell the difference between objecting to hooliganism and thuggery and the suppression of free speech. Because no one has a right to hooliganism or thuggery.
Good on Pearlstein, though, for calling out the lies and bad-faith of these people. Wish more of the media would do the same. I’m not kidding — I wish I could hear from one rational media person why they tolerate known lies from politicians especially during interviews. Or even continue to seek out comment from pols or pundits who they already know will just lie to them. Some of this crap will go away if folks knew that media types will make a point of noting the most egregious of the crap.
I’m serious. Separate one yeller from the mob and engage. This group of thugs cannot stand on their own. The few times I’ve seen this happen they make complete fools of themselves – like, I don’t want the government involved in my health care, and you better not touch my medicare! Priceless.
more pictures of the scary mob!!!!
http://thedanashow.wordpress.com/2009/08/06/meet-the-mob/
That’s the part that gets me, too. Whenever anyone says anything about their bullying tactics (or outright lying), they go into the typical rightwing victim mode and starting saying they’re being censored and their civil rights are being taken away. One of the best at this recently was Sarah “Stop making stuff up!” Palin. She seems not to know the difference between criticism and censorship. Pointing out someone’s untruths or poor strategy is not the same as preventing them from doing it. If they want to go to these townhalls and make asses of themselves, they have every right. But as was said, the media needs to point this out for what it is. It is not “widespread civil discontent”, it is targeted corporate lobbying by way of impressionable dupes.
@Pandora — I did a little post yesterday on that (keep the gov out of healthcare), well it’s Friday and I’m feeling generous so I’ll say, line of reasoning.
Good post, Scott! The thing that gets me is how Republicans apply “free speech” only to themselves. If you disagree with them, or show up en masse to one of these events (exactly what they’re doing, btw) then you’re infringing on their speech.
This is Scott’s post on Healthcare.