If you haven't heard or seen already on the news--town hall meetings across the country are being hi-jacked by aggressive anti-health reform protesters, turning them into televised shouting matches. Since these protests began over a week ago, many in the progressive movement and the Democratic Party, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and even the White House, have characterized them as ‘astroturf'--artificial grassroots organizing. But are they missing the point?
Many of those dismissing the organized lobbying effort have taken to criticizing the conservative organizations that appear to be behind it. One of the groups, Americans for Prosperity, in a macabre twist, exacerbated the public health crisis by advocating around the US to defeat smoke-free workplace laws. Another, called FreedomWorks, created a fake grassroots website designed to urge homeowners to oppose bailing out mortgage companies. Both were leading organizations behind the April 15 ‘Tax Day Tea Party' protests that took place across the country, and now they're agitating skeptics to end the discussion about health care by disrupting town hall meetings.
And the worst part about it? It's working. Whether we like or even respect the message they are sending (and the tactics they are using), we can't question its effectiveness.
Despite the fact that polls show tremendous support for a health care reform bill that mandates coverage and includes a public option (both of which will likely be included in proposed health care legislation), support for congressional health care reform has been on steady decline. Just this week, a Rasmussen national telephone survey indicated that 53% of Americans actually opposed congressional reform, a nine point increase since late June.
Many are blaming the lawmaking process itself--remember the old saying about laws and sausages? Others point out that health care reform advocates still have no bill to advocate for. And we all know that it's easier to be against something than it is being for something. These all may be true, but each misses the central point-for the first time since before the 2008 election, opponents of reform are organizing at our level.
If it wasn't before, it's obvious now that the right still knows how to organize. And with powerful channels of message dissemination (see: Fox News) sending misinformation, anti-reformers are riling up a small but vocal group that could dismantle the best shot at real reform we've ever had.
That's why it's not enough for progressives to just dismiss the vocal minorities we're seeing in the news and wait for the political backlash. We have to turn our anger and frustration into action. So, don't just get mad--get organized.
COMMENTS
As Sen. Mccaskill said, this
As Sen. Mccaskill said, this can't be about who's the loudest. Are we really surprised that these town halls have netted vintage YouTube moments? These are brought to you by the Birthers, by the Tea Baggers. You're right, it is easier to be against something rather than for something, it's easier to be loud and disruptive instead of listening and being informed. Here's to hoping real healthcare reform triumphs over the latest collection of antagonists and conspiracy theorists.
Nice post, the Democrats def
Nice post, the Democrats def have some work to do!
demographics
Has anyone else been struck by the nature of the demographics at these things? Notwithstanding race, the majority that I can tell are 50+ (hey, I'm 44 so almost there--). IMHO, this is less about healthcare per se than it is about being scared to death by any change in the status quo, even for the better.... well, that and a little help from insisting on remaining uninformed.
No bill to advocate for?!
You said: "Others point out that health care reform advocates still have no bill to advocate for. "
Hello? Earth to blogger? H.R. 676 has been out there for a long, long time, and has strong support from Physicians for a National Health Program and the California Nurses Association among others. Where have you been?
Apparently the problem is not lack of a bill but lack of information among self-styled activists. This is one of the most disappointing posts I've ever seen here.
Want to share your health care story?
Dear friends,
Whether you have your own health care story or know someone struggling with the current system, it is all too clear that Americans can no longer afford the status quo.
While some try to disrupt the health care debate with falsehoods and scare tactics, you can fight back by making your voice heard!
Do you want to share your own health care story and declare your support for a robust public option? Make your voice heard today by emailing us your story and writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
Please take a moment to visit www.youtube.com/keithellisondotorg and watch Minnesotans share their health care stories. If you're comfortable appearing on camera to declare your support for reform, contact my campaign at campaign@keithellison.org or (612) 522-4416.
Thank you for playing an active role in the health care debate. With your help, we will speak louder than the special interests and secure the public health care plan we deserve.
This is such a sad debate
Great post.
It's really about health insurance lobbiests and their ties to the far right radio and tv commentators and folks like the yellow haired "he's an arab" and not understanding the issues and simply regurgitating what people like hannity or limbaugh spit up.
It's really sad.
Sweeping generalizations by above
No, this is not a sad debate. It is a necessary debate and part of the democratic process. It has nothing to do with whatever you consider the 'far right' to be. It is physicians, nurses, cowboys, business owners, students and people from all walks of life that do not want their health care to become socialized. It is not regurgitating what Hannity and LImbaugh say. Many folks that oppose health care are traditional people that would have been farmer labor democrats in earlier times. It is the 'progressive' nature of this push that people oppose. Threatening to pass reform on what will affect peoples quality of life is not endearing. Calling grassroots protestors "mob" or "astroturf' is insulting and beneath what any educated person would do. Does it occur to you emotional progressives that you are the ones that have decades of experience in 'sit ins' and 'protests' and 'organizing' and that for the most part the conservatives have not had the history so they can't just 'snap ' their fingers and conjure up a protest group. Those are the methods you 'progressives' have used to talk. Not so with conservatives. So think before you insult the democratic process in action and attribute health care concern of young mothers, elderly veterans and students to the 'mob' mentality fostered by radio talk shows. Really, quite insulting. BTW most campuses have Young Republicans and conservative groups. I don't think insulting people's education and critical thought is such an endearing quality. Maybe Republicans just have more class than to retort.
Facts
You got to love those that prejudge and name-call those that stand against their agenda. Q: So what are people that prejudge? A: Prejudice. Go ahead and call use Astroturf or any other name you like. We have just begun to unite as true grassroots groups and we will not lay-down any longer, so yes you can call us aggressive. But we are not anti-healthcare reform, we are fact driven anti-socialist.
lack of facts is the problem
The ironically titled "facts" post of a few days ago shows the REAL problem. It's not so much that these are phony-baloney "grass roots" events that are in fact as scripted and planned out as a hollywood movie.
No, the REAL problem is that what they're being told to say...excuse me, scream...at these events are despicable, bald-faced lies. The idea that it's "prejudice" to speak against these destructive, anti-democratic tactics by the radical right is typical word-play, like the sleazy game homophobes play of calling those who oppose them "bigots" or playing games of "you're not for tolerance unless you tolerate my intolerance."
And the final line shows how much not only dishonesty but the worst sort of red-baiting and McCarthyism lies are at the basis of the tea-party and anti-reform movements. "We're not anti-reform" (lie) "we're anti-socialist" implying that the Obama health care plan is "socialist" and, indeed, continuing the right's habit of calling ANY government (except, of course, cops and the military) "Socialism."
Obama is not only NOT advocating single payer health plans (which aren't socialist but are far closer than the current moderate plan) but refused to allow single-payer advocates to even SPEAK at the hearings when this bill was put together. Yet those opposing reform continue to claim Obama favors single payer, that this is "trying to turn us into Canada" (good, they have a vastly better system...unfortunately, that's also a ridiculous lie, this plan isn't close to Canada's) that it's "Government takeover of health care" and of course the constant use of the scare word "socialist."
None of it's true, but like this absurd lie about "death panels" just screaming the accusation often enough has caused millions to think it IS true (having over 90% of the programming on PUBLICALLY OWNED airwaves conservative doesn't help)
And today's Democratic Party is so conservative, the strong backbone of progressive hope for our nation, people like Wellstone and Kennedy and Mondale...where are the new people fulfilling this hope? Hopes that it was Obama continue to fade...
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