I would like to think that the recently energized, frothing-at-the-mouth crowds that have been taking over local town hall meetings decrying Universal Healthcare are the fringe minority.
Mind you, I'm not saying that I oppose or dislike all people who don't agree with me on the subject on the basis of personal opinion - not at all. Disagreement is one of the wonderful aspects of a democracy, and I'm always open to a healthy debate because I could change my mind if properly persuaded ... and I hold out hope that I could possibly change someone else's mind if my argument is persuasive enough.
But that's not my issue with what's been going on. My issue is the way that these increasingly vocal crowds have decided not to embrace civility, instead choosing to shout down elected officials and crank the angry knob up to 11. Embracing every worst-case scenario ("they'll ration our healthcare!"; "They're going to kill our elderly!"; "Barney Frank drinks the blood of children!") and apparently following the Glen Beck road to mental wellness, some of these people are getting a little scary. I'm all for a "power to the people" movement, because yes, elected officials work do for us, and they should listen to their constituents when making their official congressional votes.
What some of these people seem to have forgotten, however, is that elected officials are elected by the people. Sometimes politicians who are elected are total duds. That's unfortunate, inevitable, and unescapable. Fortunately, we have a simple solution: vote them out!
But for anyone shouting that "Obama needs to listen to the voters" because "we're his boss, not the other way around" (both absolutely true statements), keep this in mind: President Obama ran for election on a particular platform against the Republican ticket after eight years of Republican control of the White House (six of which also featured control of the Senate and the House). And you know what?
He won.
He ran on a platform that supported healthcare reform, up to and including Universal Healthcare. And he won. President Obama was able to convince more people to vote for him than to vote for John McCain. Now, just six months after being inaugurated, he's trying to implement some of the "change" around which he centered his campaign - the "change" that the majority of voters supported - and look at what's happening. The gathering crowd is trying to find their torches and pitchforks, the way Springfielders handle populist uprisings on 'The Simpsons'.
People, people, people ... We're only six months into this thing! Give the man a chance!
Mind you, I'm not saying that I oppose or dislike all people who don't agree with me on the subject on the basis of personal opinion - not at all. Disagreement is one of the wonderful aspects of a democracy, and I'm always open to a healthy debate because I could change my mind if properly persuaded ... and I hold out hope that I could possibly change someone else's mind if my argument is persuasive enough.
But that's not my issue with what's been going on. My issue is the way that these increasingly vocal crowds have decided not to embrace civility, instead choosing to shout down elected officials and crank the angry knob up to 11. Embracing every worst-case scenario ("they'll ration our healthcare!"; "They're going to kill our elderly!"; "Barney Frank drinks the blood of children!") and apparently following the Glen Beck road to mental wellness, some of these people are getting a little scary. I'm all for a "power to the people" movement, because yes, elected officials work do for us, and they should listen to their constituents when making their official congressional votes.
What some of these people seem to have forgotten, however, is that elected officials are elected by the people. Sometimes politicians who are elected are total duds. That's unfortunate, inevitable, and unescapable. Fortunately, we have a simple solution: vote them out!
But for anyone shouting that "Obama needs to listen to the voters" because "we're his boss, not the other way around" (both absolutely true statements), keep this in mind: President Obama ran for election on a particular platform against the Republican ticket after eight years of Republican control of the White House (six of which also featured control of the Senate and the House). And you know what?
He won.
He ran on a platform that supported healthcare reform, up to and including Universal Healthcare. And he won. President Obama was able to convince more people to vote for him than to vote for John McCain. Now, just six months after being inaugurated, he's trying to implement some of the "change" around which he centered his campaign - the "change" that the majority of voters supported - and look at what's happening. The gathering crowd is trying to find their torches and pitchforks, the way Springfielders handle populist uprisings on 'The Simpsons'.
People, people, people ... We're only six months into this thing! Give the man a chance!
(And remember, even if you don't like the guy, some of us still support him - our opinions count too, you know!)
I can hear it now: But you guys hated George Bush! Why is it OK for you to do this and not us!?
A couple of things to consider:
1. Bush lost the popular vote to Al Gore, but moved into the Oval Office after a series of very controversial rulings by various courts and election officials who seemed to have very personal connections to the Bush campaign (Katherine Harris, anyone?). The deck seemed somewhat stacked in Bush's favor going into that entire ordeal. And even if the election results hadn't been touched by subjective controversy, the unalterable FACT is that more people voted for Gore than Bush. At the very least, the "belief" (if you want to call it that) that the Bush administration was not legitimately elected at least has some basis in reality.
The "belief" of the birthers who don't feel that Obama is actually a U.S. citizen, on the other hand, has an epicenter squarely located in Crazyville. Or Fox News. Take your pick. The birthers ... oh, they deserve their own post eventually, just not this one (actually, they deserve nothing, but I digress). I will say this, though, with confidence: the true, hard-core birthers are insane. Certifiably. Obama was legitimately elected in both the popular vote and the electoral college, something Bush could not say after his first election.
2. Six months into Bush's first term, Bush did not have to deal with such a horrible economic crisis following Bill Clinton's Presidency as Obama now has after Bush's. Anyone who wants to blame Obama for the current mess has selective memory at best. Does the stimulus leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth? Sure. Has Obama handled everything perfectly? No. But I firmly believe he's doing the best he can and acting in the best interest of the American population (which means EVERYONE, not just the rich white people who usually get to make the rules that favor their own).
Also, keep in mind, the first stimulus package was signed by GWB, not BO.
Holding Obama accountable for the entirety of the economy is like blaming the Fire Department for water damaging your stuff after the blaze has already burned it all to a crisp. He's trying to put the fire out, people. He didn't light it.
3. This is subjective, I realize, but it would appear that the intensity of dislike for President Obama in just six months more aggressive and violent than it ever was under Bush. For instance:
"Barack Obama faces 30 death threats a day, stretching US Secret Service"
And I certainly never insinuated that Bush was the Anti-Christ. But nobody would ever say that about Obama, right?
Nahh ...
So my advice to the fringe minority would be this, I guess (again, I don't aim this at all conservatives, just the ones on the Crazy Train): Take a step back. Take a deep breath. Try to take a fresh approach to your opposition. If you feel so strongly that you're right, try to explain yourself with clarity and civility, instead of screaming until you're red in the face. Because right now, you all just look like a bunch of assholes.
I can hear it now: But you guys hated George Bush! Why is it OK for you to do this and not us!?
A couple of things to consider:
1. Bush lost the popular vote to Al Gore, but moved into the Oval Office after a series of very controversial rulings by various courts and election officials who seemed to have very personal connections to the Bush campaign (Katherine Harris, anyone?). The deck seemed somewhat stacked in Bush's favor going into that entire ordeal. And even if the election results hadn't been touched by subjective controversy, the unalterable FACT is that more people voted for Gore than Bush. At the very least, the "belief" (if you want to call it that) that the Bush administration was not legitimately elected at least has some basis in reality.
The "belief" of the birthers who don't feel that Obama is actually a U.S. citizen, on the other hand, has an epicenter squarely located in Crazyville. Or Fox News. Take your pick. The birthers ... oh, they deserve their own post eventually, just not this one (actually, they deserve nothing, but I digress). I will say this, though, with confidence: the true, hard-core birthers are insane. Certifiably. Obama was legitimately elected in both the popular vote and the electoral college, something Bush could not say after his first election.
2. Six months into Bush's first term, Bush did not have to deal with such a horrible economic crisis following Bill Clinton's Presidency as Obama now has after Bush's. Anyone who wants to blame Obama for the current mess has selective memory at best. Does the stimulus leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth? Sure. Has Obama handled everything perfectly? No. But I firmly believe he's doing the best he can and acting in the best interest of the American population (which means EVERYONE, not just the rich white people who usually get to make the rules that favor their own).
Also, keep in mind, the first stimulus package was signed by GWB, not BO.
Holding Obama accountable for the entirety of the economy is like blaming the Fire Department for water damaging your stuff after the blaze has already burned it all to a crisp. He's trying to put the fire out, people. He didn't light it.
3. This is subjective, I realize, but it would appear that the intensity of dislike for President Obama in just six months more aggressive and violent than it ever was under Bush. For instance:
"Barack Obama faces 30 death threats a day, stretching US Secret Service"
Since Mr Obama took office, the rate of threats against the president has increased 400 per cent from the 3,000 a year or so under President George W. Bush, according to Ronald Kessler, author of In the President's Secret Service.Unbelievable, isn't it? I may have wished that Bush would exit, stage left, much sooner than he did, but I never wished him death, that's for sure.
And I certainly never insinuated that Bush was the Anti-Christ. But nobody would ever say that about Obama, right?
Nahh ...
So my advice to the fringe minority would be this, I guess (again, I don't aim this at all conservatives, just the ones on the Crazy Train): Take a step back. Take a deep breath. Try to take a fresh approach to your opposition. If you feel so strongly that you're right, try to explain yourself with clarity and civility, instead of screaming until you're red in the face. Because right now, you all just look like a bunch of assholes.
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