Some things about the New Radicalism are very positive. A lot of people are waking up and trying to take responsibility for their own future before that option is taken away. More people becoming politically aware and politically active can only be good for the country.
One way this is being manifested is in the vociferous protests at the town hall meetings which many of our legislators are holding in their home districts during the August recess. People are coming to these events in large numbers; they are asking questions and expressing informed opinions and when the representatives seem shocked or unresponsive their constituents make very clear that they are not at all satisfied.
It's the video age, so we have video from a lot of these events, and with the recess only barely started, I suspect we will see a lot more in the near future. But for now, these clips may give some idea of the questions which are being asked and how genuine the concern which motivates these citizens is. These are not paid protesters bussed in by ACORN or hardcore partisans working for a political group, these are average citizens who have had enough and are demanding more responsive and more responsible government. They are Republicans, Libertarians, independents and even Democrats who had enough big government, big spending and big brother under Bush and don't want 8 more years of the same.
One of the first town hall meetings where large numbers of angry constituents made their voices heard was in Setauket, New York earlier in the summer. Moderate Democrat Congressman Tim Bishop (D-NY) was clearly not prepared to be asked intelligent and specific questions about pending legislation, he barely managed to mumble out responses while looking like a deer in the headlights. The audio on this clip is not great, but the sentiments and outrage come through loud and clear. Pay particular attention to the veteran who caught Bishop out on his fatuous statements about Veterans Administration health care.
One of the best bits of video comes from a townhall held in Downington, Pennsylvania with Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius in attendance. This clip gives a very good feel for how out of touch and arrogant these politicians are and has an interesting focus on the issue of why so many legislators dismally fail in their responsibility to the people by not reading so many of the bills which the vote on. The reaction when Specter admits to not reading major legislation sums up the frustration and disgust of a lot of citizens.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - zingzing
We shall soon see whether democrat politicians in Washington will stand by President obama or start to waffle and hedge their bets.
I can almost guarantee that those who stand their ground will be reelected and those who waffle will be swept aside in the coming bi-elections next year.
Just as they did in the last election cycle I believe that the American people, while not enthusiastic about the American sacrifices needed to better the economy, will continue to see these, and other policies as being far better than any alternatives that the republicans are likely to offer.
Americans know that we have come a very long way and have accomplished a great deal in a very short time. They will not want to abandon such an important venture when the first lap of a one-mile race is almost completed.
It is, in my political opinion, a race worth finishing.
....No matter how many people showed up at the town hall meetings.
2 - Dave Nalle
Americans know that we have come a very long way and have accomplished a great deal in a very short time.
Your mistake here is that you underestimate the American people. More and more they realize that what has been accomplished is a great deal of harm which may even be beyond reversal. They certainly don't want the madness to continue for another 6 or even 2 years.
Dave
3 - Rick
Who is Freedom Watch and what is their role in the funding and national coordination of these right-wing thugs?
4 - El Bicho
"The reaction when Specter admits to not reading major legislation sums up the frustration and disgust of a lot of citizens."
Actually, it sums up the ignorance of citizens. What is wrong with a bill being broken up into smaller sections, so his staff can help prepare and advise the Senator before he votes?
"they give people a chance to talk directly to their representatives."
Except Republicans apparently since you were unable to find any clips of them at town halls. Surely a coincidence, right?
5 - handyguy
These particular events are obviously staged. The participants have little or no interest in asking real questions or having them answered. They are there for the kicks of shouting down a congressman.
There is evidence that the disruptions have been planned and created by corporate lobbyists for the health insurance industry -- unlike the less specific [but quite ridiculous] Tea Parties that started in April.
Dave actually does the real 'new radicals' [if there really are any] a disservice by associating them with this phony hogwash.
Does anyone believe this is how issues should be 'discussed' in a democracy? No, not even Dave.
Freedom Watch is a Fox News show/web site associated with the icky Judge Andrew Napolitano.
6 - roger nowosielski
I can't help but agree, Handy. If this meeting with Specter is representative of these so-called "town hall meetings," them it's indeed a farce. Obviously, these people are not concerned with discussing the issues, or listening, only with venting.
An unarticulated anger is but an ejaculation. Sorry, Dave. You've go to do better.
7 - Dave Nalle
Who is Freedom Watch and what is their role in the funding and national coordination of these right-wing thugs?
FreedomWatch is a libertarian-leaning but strictly non-partisan political advocacy group and although they have tried to cash in on just about every grassroots activity they can get involved in, from my research they play no real role in organizing the tea parties or these protests, despite their efforts to claim credit or even take over.
In fact, a lot of the grassroots folks not only resent their attempts to get involved with the tea parties, but consider the Koch family which backs the group to be a nefarious globalist enemy.
However, FreedomWatch and a few other groups like them make excellent tools for left-wing propagandists seeking to misrepresent these protests as "astroturf".
Dave
8 - zingzing
dave: "Your mistake here is that you underestimate the American people."
to recognize their own words?
9 - Dave Nalle
Actually, it sums up the ignorance of citizens. What is wrong with a bill being broken up into smaller sections, so his staff can help prepare and advise the Senator before he votes?
I actually agree with you here. I have never though the "read the bills" argument was a strong one. But it's part of what's being bround up, so I reported on it. Having worked on Capitol Hill I know that reading the bills is what you have staff for.
Except Republicans apparently since you were unable to find any clips of them at town halls. Surely a coincidence, right?
We're only a few days into the recess. Give me time. But I agree, there won't be as many protests targeting Republicans. But I guarantee there will be some. My sources tell me there are Republicans who will be protested. In fact, Specter would have been one of them if he had not changed parties. The same grassroots folks encouraged Toomey to challenge him in the GOP primary which is one of the reasons he changed parties.
Dave
10 - Dave Nalle
An unarticulated anger is but an ejaculation. Sorry, Dave. You've go to do better.
I'd say that the soldier at the McCaskill townhall was very articulate, as were some of the others.
Dave
11 - zingzing
granted, you've written plenty over the past several years, but surely, you recognize your own condemnation of protest against government when you see it...
12 - zingzing
think of it like a negativland approach. sure, it may be edited, but it's still telling.
13 - Dave Nalle
These particular events are obviously staged.
I can state uncategorically that this is not the case with the one in Austin. One person I know found out about it about two days in advance, put out a call on Facebook and Twitter and she was able to rally a couple of hundred people as a result.
The participants have little or no interest in asking real questions or having them answered. They are there for the kicks of shouting down a congressman.
And again, though the video doesn't show it, in the Austin one they started out asking questions, but when Doggett was unresponsive and then tried to leave they became more confrontational.
There is evidence that the disruptions have been planned and created by corporate lobbyists for the health insurance industry
Really, where? Show me the evidence, because I know the people involved in many of these protests and they probably hate lobbyists and the healthcare industry more than you do -- and certainly more than these legislators do.
Dave actually does the real 'new radicals' [if there really are any] a disservice by associating them with this phony hogwash.
Sorry to use a trite phrase, but you really are drinking the kool-aid.
Does anyone believe this is how issues should be 'discussed' in a democracy? No, not even Dave.
Actually, when government stops being responsive to the people I do believe they have a right to protest.
Freedom Watch is a Fox News show/web site associated with the icky Judge Andrew Napolitano.
Wrong FreedomWatch. See above.
Dave
14 - Dave Nalle
Zing, I'm noq quite getting the context of #s 11 and 12.
Dave
15 - zingzing
those are your words. i just edited them for context.
today's anti-war protest in dc-how many & who cares or something like that.
16 - zingzing
and negativland is a band that recontextualizes recorded sound and pop culture for socio-political ends.
17 - zingzing
and the "those" in #15 refers to #1
18 - Baronius
Well, he wanted the communities organized...
19 - zingzing
"when government stops being responsive to the people I do believe they have a right to protest."
i'm the decider.
20 - zingzing
i like the fact that back when we were protesting WAR, we believed in nothing and were just protesting anything, but now that we're in power (because the republicans are stupid), you're the "new radicals," or something, protesting for what's "sane" and what's "true." for fuck's sake, just read what you wrote a few years ago. cringe at your own hypocrisy.
i'm not saying you don't have a right to protest or yell about things, i'm just saying you find your righteousness at wonderfully opportune times.
your shit stinks.
21 - Jordan Richardson
Yeah, protests backed and organized by lobbying groups sure does smack of "radicalism."
It's interesting, too, that these "protests" are being represented as people asking questions and demanding answers when it is, in fact, a group of thugs obstructing others' ability to have questions answered and to learn more about health care options and reform.
22 - Clavos
a group of thugs obstructing others' ability to have questions answered and to learn more
Sounds just like the anti Vietnam war protests I witnessed in the sixties, or the 1968 Democratic convention protests in Chicago, etc., etc. -- ad nauseam.
23 - zingzing
i was there, in chicago, in 1968.
if you don't get the reference, you haven't kept up.
24 - Dave Nalle
They're thugs and crazies when you don't agree with them. I only agree with them partway, so I can see how they have a legitimate cause, even if I disagree with some of their more extreme beliefs.
Jordan, I challenge you to find where I ever said that anyone doesn't have a RIGHT to protest. I may think that some protests are silly, but I still think people have a right to make them.
And your link takes me to a video which gave me a headache. Thanks.
Yeah, protests backed and organized by lobbying groups sure does smack of "radicalism."
Jordan, again - stop repeating the lie or show me evidence that these protestors are backed by lobbbying groups, because I know a lot of these people and the truth is that they are not.
Dave
25 - handyguy
Dick Armey's Freedom Works is behind a number of these 'spontaneous protests'/fake mobs [your choice]. The organization pretends to be 'grassroots,' but it is really a lobbying organization designed to counter MoveOn etc. Thus the term "astroturfers."
Last night, Rachel Maddow read from a leaked memo by Bob MacGuffie of Freedom Works with scenarios for disrupting Democratic Congressmen's town meetings.