It's a message that bears repeating.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the media to emphasize that angle of the story, Steve.

You'll die long before that happens.

yeah, what the screamin' demon sez...

who cares what gibbs sez... he's the mouthpiece for the mooslim, commie, fascist anti-christ...

Sorry if this is a repeat, but did you see where another right wing extremist was arrested? She had a car load of weapons and clear ties to Fox News and their constant fear-mongering.

well, here's the friendly spin courtesy of politico's jonathan martin -- it's just that people are fired up!:

MARTIN: The devil is in the detail on these things. The fact is you've got a disparate party, in the House especially, Chris. As you know, some of these Blue Dogs are just not going to go along with the sort of conventional liberal line of the party. That's causing problems.

Now, the Democrats strategy right now is to try to blame the health insurance companies, try to blame the Republicans. I think the hard reality is right now this is a Democratic problem. And they got to figure this out on their own.

Let's speak real fast to the passion that we're seeing at some of these town hall rallies. It seems to me for the first time since maybe even four years, that on the right-

(CROSS TALK)

MARTIN: We're finally see on the right some real fire.

MATTHEWS: Here's --

MARTIN: You didn't see it last year during the McCain campaign. I think folks now are finally fired up.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32284211/ns/msnbc_tv-hardball_with_chris_matthews/

That is exactly the strategy of the SA in the Weimar republic.

I caught a CBS News story on this last night, and it went like this: "People are angry, ANGRY! about health reform (cue video of assholes shouting nonsense). See? Look at 'em, yelling at Sibelius and Specter. Whoo boy, are they pissed!

'Cause health care reform suxors!"

It was a disgraceful display, and will certainly feed the astroturfed mobs running this campaign. My progressive friends tell me this will have little to no effect on any future vote, and I think they could not be more wrong.

I hope some of these meeting organizers get a clue and lay down some clear groundrules, hire security and warn attendees that those who disrupt the proceedings will be THROWN OUT ON THEIR ASS OR ARRESTED.

I'de like to see some heads busted (either literally or figuratively) so that these groups stop thinking they can come in and hijack the proceedings.

Steve Benen wrote: "How all of this gets reported by news outlets -- locally and nationally -- is likely to make all the difference."

You say that as though the corporate-owned "news" media was somehow separate from the corporate-owned phony "protesters".

They are not separate. They are two closely coordinated parts of the corporate aristocracy's disinformation campaign aimed at shaping public opinion to ensure that America continues to have the world's most profitable health care system.

I see a lot of ads for Pharmeceutical products on television.

You don't suppose the revenue generated from those ads will have any influence on how the news divisions cover the debate over reforming health insurance?

Right, so all the millionaire journalists who have been made that way by the Corporations who have bought them, bought their souls to 'report' what they are told to report, and HOW to report it .. i.e. 'present' it, the millionaire journalists who will see THEIR taxes rise, will yet again be the cause for the total destruction of your country which has been under way since Bush was installed by your 'supreme' court. Greed prevails. Self interest prevails. "news" for profit prevails. Everything thing in your sick country is about profit. It's all that matters to you. Profit. Even profiting off the sick in your country. Your medical industry is akin to VULTURES circling a dying person until they die. Your country is a fucking disgrace to this planet of ours. It is as stupid as it is obese.

I don't know if this is going to be as successful as the right thinks -- all the screaming just looks bad, and no matter what the commentary is around it, the images are repulsive. from the congressperson's point of view, who wants to give the impression he/she can be persuaded by being shouted down?
And I suspect a lot of people who see these clips (or try to go to a town meeting or other activity for another reason) are going to feel the same unease (no matter what they believe about health reform) they do whenever they see small groups acting out in great passion. And that's not going to make them eager to agree or change any minds... I think there are people who are contacting their congressfolks in other ways, and their voices will count too.

For once, the pussified nature of the Dems could work in their favor. Because by and large we're not seeing Dem reps losing their cool shouting at the shouters, going apoplectic, etc. No, what we're seeing is an angry mob ganging up on someone who came to hear their grievances and start a dialogue.

Someone had an diea earlier that bears repeating - it'd be great to see Obama offer an invite to a debate on the health insurance reform issue. One on one, mano a mano, the GOP or their bosses in the lobbying groups can pick whoever they want, we'll get it on TV where people are less inclined to shout at elected officials unless they're simply batsh*t crazy and don't mind looking the part, and we'll see Obama calmly and cooly wipe the floor with them.

I should add that the CBS report last night also included a talking head from Freedom Works, which happens to be the originator of the tactical memo that these groups are following in their thuggish harassment. The entire story, hook, line and sinker, presented as if Freedom Works assholes had authored and approved the script.

I don't know if this is going to be as successful as the right thinks

I sure hope it isn't. But I'm not holding my breath. The Media (especially local news) is almost certainly going to pitch this as some sort of "citizens revolt" against "Big Gubmint."

As an aside, I saw Laura Ingraham on Fox & Freaks this morning and she thought this was a great idea, shutting down debate. Not interested in proposing alternatives, just shut this down keep the status quo profitable.

Gibbs and his boss should ask themselves this: why do they imagine that the criminal health-"insurance" rackets behind this phony groundswell are going to turn around and play the constructive role that's required of them in the "reformed" system they want to give us?

Sorry, I have little sympathy for the plight of the politicians who decided that single-payer was just dirty-fucking-hippy silliness. You sold the country out (look up how much campaign money Obama took from the health "care" industry), and if Obama's political fortunes go down the tubes as a result of this debacle, well, life's tough all over, pal.

Well, thanks for that, blue, but there are many of us in 'this' country who are trying to do something about the ills of which you write.

Care to suggest something, other than throw poo?

Pay attention to the names of the people in these stories.

I noticed this in a story by the Green Bay Gazette titled: Shouting overwhelms Kagen forum on health care

Sharon Guyette of De Pere stood up from a piano bench — every other seat in the auditorium was taken — and tried to explain the room's frustration."We are scared and when we get scared, we get angry," she said. "We sit back here (in Wisconsin) and we have no control."

Not mentioned in the story, Sharon Guyette of De Pere Wisconsin is listed as working for Bankers Advertising Company which specializes in corporate image programs.

Well, thanks for that, blue, but there are many of us in 'this' country who are trying to do something about the ills of which you write.

Care to suggest something, other than throw poo?
Posted by: terraformer on August 4, 2009 at 1:46 PM

*************************************************

You could start, terraformer, by demanding that Corporate 'journalists' like Brian Williams, et-al, who makes 15 million a year to read what he is told to read, to 'report' what he is told to report by General Electric, be removed from his propaganda seat and replaced with an actual journalist who makes a average wage so that all those millions that are paid to the 'media elite' to lie to you is then given to the teachers of your children, teachers who average about $30,000 a year. Now exactly what do you think the 'chances' are of that being able to happen ? None. Welcome to your disgrace of a country.

How all of this gets reported by news outlets -- locally and nationally -- is likely to make all the difference.

Oh boy, we're screwed.

Don't want to be an American Idiot,
One nation controlled by the media.
Information age of hysteria,
It's going out to Idiot America.

* Green Day

The comments on this blog do not seem progressive. I would call them dismissive and elitist.

Just because hired thugs are in these town meetings does not mean the lies can last.

A joke that FOX news says that they give fair and balanced news. What a crock.