It is hard to be too critical of the Left for the natural tendency to interpret events in the context of their own experience. Since the 1960’s in the United States, and even earlier elsewhere, the Left has made an fine art of organizing political protests. They have developed the organizations institutional and cultural frame works for protests and disruptions. Indeed, disruptions of public events are an honored tradition on the Left.
The Left favors the current structure and direction of the proposed healthcare reform. Hence, when Democratic (and some Republican) politicians conducted town hall meetings on health care legislation, most expected them to be rather perfunctory. The Right does not do protests, at least not well. Moreover, town hall meetings, conducted in the heat of summer during the Congressional hiatus, are not usually well attended, and rarely controversial. This summer, the meetings have become raucous and passionate as many, particularly elderly Americans, complained about various features of healthcare reform. This is a particularly grave achievement, since there is no definitive bill yet.
The instinctive reaction on the Left is to project angrily their own tactics on to the protesters, and to assume that the crowds were “manufactured” by Republicans and others. The people who opposed the proposed healthcare plan were called “un-American” by the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority leader Steny Hoyer. Democratic Senator Dick Durban suggested that protesters at town halls are pawns of health insurance companies. There was even the ugly suggestion that opposition to the Obama health care plan in rooted in racism against the president.
Democrats have argued that people at town hall meetings were inhibiting debate by shouting. It is always better to have calm discussions, but the purpose of town hall meetings is not only information exchange but also making clear to politicians the fervor of feeling. The argument of Democrats for deliberate informed debate would appear less disingenuous, if they had not try to rush through a complex, 1000-page bill. If Democratic plans had not unexpectedly crashed into a wave of popular discontent, a healthcare bill would have passed with little debate before the Congressional hiatus.
Almost certainly there were some activist Republicans at these town hall meetings, but Republicans only wish that they could organize well enough to fill town hall meetings with passionate partisans. Many Conservatives, particularly those of a Libertarian bent, are not the most hospitable to top-down organizations. No, the feelings at the meetings were generally authentic. Speaker Pelosi could not even acknowledge that the emotions at the meetings represented a “grass roots” movement and disparagingly referred to the movement as “astroturf.”
The tactic of the Left to impugn the intelligence or motives of Conservatives is sometimes effective. Ask former Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Some are hesitant to defend such politicians lest they too be considered uncool or stupid. However, with regard to the town hall meetings, Democrats and the Left were not insulting politicians. This time, they insulted regular Americans, people who looked much like family or neighbors. The public felt that those in power where not only not listening, but disputing motives and even the right to challenge their Congressional representatives. That is one reason why the chant “You work for us!” secured quick popularity. Indeed, average people are more sympathetic with the protesters, since the protests began. Even more importantly support for Congressional healthcare plans has plummeted. If Democrats wish to revive the chances of passage of their healthcare proposals, the supposed party of the low and middle class must learn to respect their charges — at least in public.
The people who opposed the proposed healthcare plan were called un-American by the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority leader Steny Hoyer.
That is untrue and you know it. What they wrote was, “Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American.” You owe Pelosi and Hoyer an apology.
Indeed, average people are more sympathetic with the protesters, since the protests began.
But the poll you cited shows that only 34 percent of Americans are more sympathetic to the protestors. Most of them are Republicans or tend to lean Conservative to begin with.
There was even the ugly suggestion that opposition to the Obama health care plan in rooted in racism against the president.
Have you forgotten Rep. Mike Castle’s town hall, where he was shouted down by a woman who claimed that President Obama is not a citizen? Undoubtedly, some of the people at these protests believe that Obama was not born in the U.S. Yesterday’s edition of The News and Observer carried a front-page photograph of a health-care protest outside the office of Senator Kay Hagan. One of the signs in the crowd read, “WHERE’S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE?”.
Apparently, you find it acceptable for conservatives to engage in rowdy behavior for which you would condemn liberals. It’s this sort of hypocritical snobbery I sometimes find in your columns that makes it hard for me to take conservatives seriously.
Dear Matt,
Thank you for your post. You make very clear why Liberals have not yet come to grips with the protesters at the town hall meetings.
Check out the first link in my post and you will see Pelosi praising disruptions when they came from the Left. It is only Conservatives that she has problems with it. I am sure you can find people who go over the edge — certainly that happens in any situation that causes passion — but the protesters are by-and-large concerned citizens.
The emphasis on the “birthers” is just a diversion on your part. No mainstream Conservative institutions support that idea and many of them have said so publicly (See National Review). It reminds me of the “truthers” who thought Bush planned 9/11. To suggest that a dominant or significant portion of the people who oppose the current suggested changes in health care system are doing so out of racist reasons is not supported by the evidence.
You are right that 34% of the people (according to the Gallup poll) became more sympathetic with the town hall protesters, but you failed to point out that only 21% became less sympathetic, and the rest did not change their opinion or had no opinion. (http://www.gallup.com/poll/122276/Town-Hall-Meetings-Generate-Interest-Sympathy.aspx) So taken as a whole, there was a 13% shift in opinion. By national polling standards this is dramatic. President Obama approval rating is now about 50%, depending on the poll consulted. He would certainly consider it a significant change if his approval went up to 63% or fell to 37%.
As a matter of partisan politics, I suppose I should encourage Democrats to continue to insult these people, but that would not be best for the country so I won’t.