In Health Care Debate,
Spontaneous Enthusiasm on Side of Opponents to President’s Plan
Spontaneous Enthusiasm on Side of Opponents to President’s Plan
While there clearly is some popular support for the President’s health care overhaul, the better part of the organized activism (“astroturfing” if you will) is on the left. It is they who are looking to hire organizers to round up activists, is is their paid professional organizations recruiting supporters to “drown out” opposition, it is their side that is tapping into the wealth of a fiercely partisan billionaire and industry lobbying groups to fund their campaign.
Although the opposition to the President’s plan is clearly being out-organized by the left, as Michael Barone puts it, “the spontaneous enthusiasm” is on the side of those out-organized opponents, “with the Democratic astroturf efforts producing pathetic turnouts and largely spontaneous opposition to the Democratic health care plans producing large turnouts“:
The Democrats’ health care bills have stirred widespread and deeply felt opposition. While some of the protests are organized, the turnout and strong feeling expressed indicate that we are watching something that is largely spontaneous. Try organizing such a protest when almost no one cares much about your issue: no one will show up. It’s the supporters of the Democrats’ health care bills, not their opponents, who are astroturfing—and spending plenty of moolah on television ads and the like.
Emphasis added. Echoes what Athena said. Seems likes there’s unity among the Olympians
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The fact that a few of the protesters have gone over the top in their rhetoric is evidence of the grassrootsiness and spontaneity of the movement, and it’s great that people have real passion for this. But I think the movement could do with a little more focus and discipline to avoid the outbursts the Obamunists will use against us.
Not sayin’ we should do as the lefties want and just sit quietly while these Obamcrat drones stuff their “townhall meetings” with paid union seat-warmers and hand-pick a few people to ask pre-screened questions. But with a little coordination, we could make sure important questions get asked… like how can you extend government coverage to tens of millions od people on top of the baby boom retirees and still bring costs down like you promise? (No one believes that is possible…. because it isn’t.)
The Obamunists have their ‘Rules for Radicals.’ We need to come up with our own set of ‘Rules for Patriots.’
Comment by V the K — August 11, 2009 @ 5:16 pm - August 11, 2009
Why is no one talking about the fact that the President’s plan is grossly unconsitutional?
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — August 11, 2009 @ 8:30 pm - August 11, 2009
[...] In Health Care Debate,Spontaneous Enthusiasm on Side of Opponents to President’s Plan [...]
Pingback by GayPatriot » Look who’s saying “mean things” about health care debate — August 12, 2009 @ 1:47 am - August 12, 2009
ILC maybe someone needs to revisit what happened to Hillarycare. It failed for a reason.
Amongst the people that I met in the USA there was an undercurrent about Obamacare. The grassroots have not all come out to play by any stretch of the imagination. There are a lot of people who have never protested in their lives.
These protests by Conservatives remind me of the anti-Vietnam war demonstrations in Australia. There has never been anything like that since then. Yes there have been demonstrations but none of that spontaneous crowd.
Between Obummercare and the Cap and Trade, I do think that your Conservatives who are Democrat, Republican and Independent will start to make themselves heard.
Comment by thestraightaussie — August 12, 2009 @ 4:22 am - August 12, 2009
I am really tired of the exageration on both sides of the issue. I think that we need to do something about health care, but I think that there are lots of things the government can do other than take it over. One thing would be a simple change to the IRS code which allows Drug Companies to write off advertising as a cost of business. This would stop them from spending so much money on ads that frankly anoy me greatly. Every day a new drug and a new disease.
Sparky Organic Coffee Guy
Comment by Organic Coffee — August 14, 2009 @ 4:42 pm - August 14, 2009