At the end of July, Politico reported that congress members coming home to their districts were facing angry mobs at town hall meeting and listening sessions. The website reported "screaming constituents, protesters dragged out by the cops" and "congressmen fearful for their safety," as local town halls are taken over by "angry, sign-carrying mobs" who hate the idea of health care reform.Are these spontaneous outbreaks of righteous anger from outraged citizens or just gullible chumps sent to scare the bejeezus out of congress critters? It's not really much of a question. Like the tea baggers and the birthers -- who both probably make up about 99% of the protesters -- these people couldn't organize a yard sale, let alone a nationwide campaign to shut down debate on health care reform. The big "tea party" protests were arranged by Republican operatives and special interest lobbyists and the word got out through infomercials on FOX News. These "grassroots" displays of citizen outrage had the distinct smell of astroturf. And the birthers? Well, they're just too stump-dumb to make a sandwich without step-by-step instructions. A big campaign to shout down debate on health care reform would be completely beyond them.
No, these people needed guidance here. And they got it.
Talking Points Memo:
...As Think Progress first reported, one tea-party friendly group has disseminated a strategy memo for other anti-reform and anti-government groups, outlining what they consider best-practices for protesters who plan to enter and disrupt town hall events hosted by members of Congress over the August recess--practices that, according to the memo, "could be useful to activists in just about any district where their Congressperson has supported the socialist agenda of the Democrat leadership in Washington."
Of course, the Republican party thinks this is just the best idea anyone ever had about anything. Stuck with their "party of no" label and offering no real ideas of their own, the GOP needs someone else to get out there and act like idiots, because doing it themselves is killing them... [CLICK TO READ FULL POST]
