Friday, August 14, 2009

Exactly How Are Dissed, Disdained Citizens And Taxpayers Supposed To React?

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UPDATE FROM PASTORIUS AT BOTTOM OF POST

Recently, Sarah Palin told ObamaCare critics at town halls to use restraint.

According to this at Politico:
Palin's comments, posted on her Facebook page, come after weeks of raucous town halls in which conservatives have shouted down members of Congress.

"There are many disturbing details in the current bill that Washington is trying to rush through Congress, but we must stick to a discussion of the issues and not get sidetracked by tactics that can be accused of leading to intimidation or harassment," Palin wrote. "Such tactics diminish our nation’s civil discourse which we need now more than ever because the fine print in this outrageous health care proposal must be understood clearly and not get lost in conscientious voters’ passion to want to make elected officials hear what we are saying. Let’s not give the proponents of nationalized health care any reason to criticize us."
Let's think about Palin's statement for a minute. Common folk are going to town halls and have one chance to have a face-to-face with their so-called "elected public servants." And those public servants are lying to and dissing the very people who pay their salaries after voting these "public servants" into office. These common folk, many of them looking to the so-called "experts" for answers, come, for the most part, respectful of the office and perhaps even a bit intimidated by the "experts," many of whom are lawyers or, at the least, have many years in public office. Then the common folk learn that these relied-upon "experts" don't have answers and/or are spouting the BHO party line.

Analogy: I recently bought a new car. The first dealer I visited for over three hours lied to me as to the trade-in amount for my clunker (the manager saying "$3500" when the government web site clearly stated $4500). We cut a tentative deal at $11,000, and when I returned to that car dealer later in the day with my checkbook in hand and the printout from the government web site, I got all sorts of run-around and a new price of $14,000.

So what did I do? Kick the furniture around? Start yelling? No. I went to another car dealer and yet another until I found one willing to strike a deal with me. I wasn't trapped, I had options.

But what if there had been no other car dealer to go to? I think that my reaction would have been much like the common folk at the town halls. I certainly wouldn't have left quietly as I really needed a new car.

In a sense, these common folk at the town halls are trapped. They have only one dealer with which to strike a deal, that dealer being their so-called "public servant" of the moment. And the common folk are seeing so-called "public servant" after so-called "public servant" acting the ass and lying.

These so-called "public servants" deserve to be hooted at, yelled at, and laughed at. They've earned such reactions. They also need to be voted out of office - perhaps even recalled from office before their current term has ended.

In my view, Sarah Palin is coming off like some kind of elitist with her statement about telling the common folk to tone down their anger. Furthermore, the people - the common folk, untrained in public relations and policy debate, which training all these politicians have - are showing anger in the face of disdain and lies, and are responding in the tradition of the Spirit of 1776.

It is the so-called "public servants" who have turned public discourse into a farce. They deserve the reaction they are getting from the people.


Excellent post, AOW. Thanks. I am so glad you said this.  

The other day, Congressman Tim Bishop of some district in the state of New York, was asked a question about the Constitutionality of some of the moves in Obamacare, and by the Obama Administration with regards to it's handling of GM and Chrysler.  

Tim Bishop responded with AN ANSWER TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION WITH A LECTURE ON THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.  

TIM BISHOP SAID THE WORD "INDIVISIBLE" IN THE PLEDGE MEANS  

"WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER"  

and therefore, we should expect to have to pay each others health care bills.  

That is, in essence a restatement of the Communist Creed, which is  

"From each according to his ability, and to each according to their need."  

The Communist Creed is THE OPPOSITE OF THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION.  

IT IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE AMERICAN TRADITION.  

AND, IT IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.  

So, when a public servant makes such a preposterous statement in a "Town Hall Meeting", which is after all supposed to be a meeting of the minds between the Public Servants and their constituents, 

THEY DESERVE TO BE LAUGHED AT, 

THEY DESERVE TO BE HOOTED AND HOWLED AT, 

AND, FRANKLY, THEY PROBABLY DESERVE TO BE TARRED AND FEATHERED, AS MIDNIGHT RIDER SUGGESTED THE OTHER DAY.  

Sarah Palin is absolutely wrong on this one.  

I am profoundly disappointed in her.  

What does she expect common folk to do when they have just one chance to talk with their Congressional Representatives? What does she expect when, as we can assume, these people are likely intimidated to stand up and speak in the first place, and then their "Representatives" lie, obfuscate, and evade?  

As a common person myself, I can tell you that when people in positions of power lie to me, I can be intimidated rather easily. The reason being, I don't know whether to call bullshit, or question if instead, perhaps, I am just misunderstanding.  

After all, I can't claim to have the vast knowledge of the inner workings of huge issues like healthcare.  

But, sadly it seems we are finding that we common people have a better understanding of the American Constitution than do our "Representatives."

And, as for Sarah Palin; listen lady, I'm going to make a deal with you. If you want to be what you have been thus far in the national debate, that is a real representative of the will of the people, then never, ever, fucking talk to us this way again.

You got it?

12 comments:

Always On Watch said...

Good essay on the same topic, by my friend Tom.

Anonymous said...

Great post! I don't like being lectured by my "betters" either.

I am wondering if this is because she (and others on the right) are worried that the anger gives the lefty provocateurs cover for false flag operations.

Then that will be used as a pretext for the brutal smack-down.

For instance, did ANY Government-run media outlet report that the violence was instigated by the POTUS's "muscle" - the SEIU? (Betcha they qualify as a "corrupt organization" under the various RICO statutes).

She and Hillyer (at American Spectator) may be warning us rather than lecturing.

Just a thought.

Ro

Pastorius said...

Excellent post, AOW.

Thanks.

I am so glad you said this.

The other day, Congressman Tim Bishop of some district in the state of New York, was asked a question about the Constitutionality of some of the moves in Obamacare, and by the Obama Administration with regards to it's handling of GM and Chrysler.

Tim Bishop responded with AN ANSWER TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION WITH A LECTURE ON THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

TIM BISHOP SAID THE WORD "INDIVISIBLE" IN THE PLEDGE MEANS

"WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER"

and therefore, we should expect to have to pay each others health care bills.

That is, in essence a restatement of the Communist Creed, which is

"From each according to his ability, and to each according to their need."

The Communist Creed is THE OPPOSITE OF THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION.

IT IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE AMERICAN TRADITION.

AND, IT IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

So, when a public servant makes such a preposterous statement in a "Town Hall Meeting", which is after all supposed to be a meeting of the minds between the Public Servants and their constituents, THEY DESERVE TO BE LAUGHED AT, THEY DESERVE TO BE HOOTED AND HOWLED AT, AND, FRANKLY, THEY PROBABLY DESERVE TO BE TARRED AND FEATHERED, AS MIDNIGHT RIDER SUGGESTED THE OTHER DAY.

Sarah Palin is absolutely wrong on this one.

I am profoundly disappointed in her.

What does she expect common folk to do when they have just one chance to talk with their Congressional Representatives? What does she expect when, as we can assume, these people are likely intimidated to stand up and speak in the first place, and then their "Representatives" lie, obfuscate, and evade?

As a common person myself, I can tell you that when people in positions of power lie to me, I can be intimidated rather easily. The reason being, I don't know whether to call bullshit, or question if, perhaps, I am just misunderstanding.

After all, I can't claim to have the vast knowledge of the inner workings of huge issues like healthcare.

But, sadly it seems we are finding that we common people have a better understanding of the American Constitution than do our "Representatives."

revereridesagain said...

We need to protest in this manner now so we will neither be silenced nor driven to the sort of protests we are seeing in Britain. This is healthy American dissent. It reminds our representatives that they have been hired via election to work for us, not the other way around. They are proposing unconstitutional measures that would give the government power of life and death over ordinary citizens. The citizens are responding by invoking the Constitution. Dissent can't get much healthier than that.

Always On Watch said...

Pastorius said: AND, FRANKLY, THEY PROBABLY DESERVE TO BE TARRED AND FEATHERED.

In fact, I added WC's graphic about that to my crosspost at my own site.

In the past here in America, when our so-called "public servants" got their hand called, the politicians sometimes reacted with umbrage -- at first. But I can't recall ever seeing the politicians treating their constituents in the manner we're seeing right now.

And, also in the past, when politicians so blatantly disregarded the will of the people, said politicians got removed from office, usually via the ballot box.

One thing I'm presently alarmed about....A substantial number of town-hall dissenters will accept and follow what Palin said. In my view, such is the recipe for getting ObamaCare and other measures crammed down our throats, while getting our pockets robbed at the same time.

Always On Watch said...

And it's not only Sarah Palin saying to tone things down....Somebody at National Review gave the same instructions to WE THE PEOPLE. Pfffft.

Pastorius said...

Well, that's why the Republican Party lost last time.

They refused to ride the wave of their supporters.

The Republican Party is idiotic. The only thing worse than the Republican Party is the Democratic Party.

Anonymous said...

Quin Hillyer at American Spectator gave the same advice. And those commenters opened up a can of whup-a@@ on him.

Andrew McCarthy at National Review gave the opposite advice, said that this was so outrageous that it deserved a little shoutin'.

Ro

Epaminondas said...

Frankly I haven't read either Palin or NR about calming things down...but I would suggest that people sounding hysterically angry are unhelpful (I know this because that's probably how I get)..now the gal from Lebanon PA who make Specter look like a total moron was PERFECT.

The shriekingly angry (justifiably) people are simply not who you want out front. That's just how it is to the masses who MIGHT .. MIGHT...pay attention.

They see ...
RIGHT
WING
NUTS
'who are probably birthers as well, and honey isn't it time we went to the beach already?'

The guy who said we will vote you out was terrific.

Shouting people down is not.

Pasto you have a perfect understanding of the two parties right now as they are today.

One is out of touch and the other is out of the galaxy

Always On Watch said...

Epa,
The shriekingly angry (justifiably) people

The thing is, for the most part, when this all started, there wasn't screaming. The screaming started when the people got dissed and shut out.

I do want the birthers to stop shouting that line -- it's a non-starter, even if there is some merit to the issue.

Here's a thought: Are the Dems intentionally infuriating the people so as to get them labeled as right wing nuts?

If so, then if the people shut up, will ObamaCare go down in defeat?

I don't think so.

It's a lose-lose for the people across the board.

And when the people do realize they've been shafted, what's next? The GOP is wimping out.

As you said, One [party] is out of touch and the other is out of the galaxy.

Always On Watch said...

Pastorius,
The Republican Party is idiotic. The only thing worse than the Republican Party is the Democratic Party.

Yep.

That's what America is up against right now.

Epaminondas said...

Obama's people LOVE ..LOVE the birthers.

Any conservative who is a birther is, in terms of public support for Obama, their best buddies.

Would they purposefully infuriate people to provoke that result?

I actually hope they are that competent