« BACK  |  PRINT

RS

FRONT PAGE CONTRIBUTOR

It’s not even a ‘Battle’ of the Signs. No contest.

By: Moe Lane (Diary)  |  August 23rd, 2009 at 07:45 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

This video by Short for Ordinary (via Breitbart TV) contrasting the sign-acquiring strategies of the folks against health care rationing vs. those of the ones for it:


(For those without ready video: the 1000+ demonstrating against health care rationing at the Tuscon Recess Rally [Giffords*] made their own; the 200 demonstrating for it were generally handed them at about the same time that they got their juice and bagels)

…is illustrative of two things: first, all the creativity and energy seems to be flowing through the folks who are trying to stop health care rationing. The folks brought in to astroturf support for it are… dull**. Second: screaming names at these people doesn’t seem to be stopping them; they instead look like they’re using the insults as a reminder of why they keep going out there to say their piece. Which is as good a reason as any to conclude why they’re not going away.

While I am not of course privy to the thoughts of the President, I suggest that perhaps this is not the community he thought that he’d be organizing once he took office…

Moe Lane

*Jesse Kelly continues to campaign aggressively in AZ-08; as I mentioned here, if there’s somebody else in the AZ GOP that wants to get the nomination in that district he or she had better get started.

**Even the antiwar protesters at least had their Giant Puppet Displays, although I suppose it’s hard to make apotropaic poppets when your opposition cruelly refuses to give you a leader for you to demonize.

Crossposted to Moe Lane.

Tags: , , , , ,
Get Alerts

COMMENTS

POSTING RULES  |  LOGIN TO COMMENT  |  REGISTER TODAY
  • Sundayjack

    Some enterprising advertising person should pick this up and edit it into a 30-second spot. It’s a very powerful thing to see moms, dads, grandmoms, and granddads scribbling on posterboard for a cause they believe in; juxtaposed against a bought-and-paid-for protest.

    Subtle. Like Bear in the Woods.

  • nyscene911

    And yet somehow, we’re going to be told by the president, congress, and the MSM that the anti-National health care group is “AstroTurf” whereas all these people with the Obama Camp printed signs are all just concerned citizens who want to do their part.

    So how long until Olbermann and Maddox and all those other idiots finally come up with some creative name for these protesters?

  • acat

    of the Republican party need to start making it clear to their “colleagues across the aisle”.

    This is not astroturf. This is not “bought and paid for”. This is not “bussed in”.

    This is real anger, this is real political energy, and this is not going away while our way of life is threatened.

    Mew

    (not that I think there’s a snowball’s chance in hell of a Dem listening to a Repub, but – as Obama proves – there’s power in hope…)

  • redneck_hippie

    by the same videographer. It is excellent as well if you missed it.

    http://www.redstate.com/redneck_hippie/2009/08/09/tucson-in-flames-national-guard-called-out-effigies-swinging/

    The first post, I must have left off attribution when I didn’t save the edit and rewrote the post.

  • spaceman_spiff

    The conservatives down in Tuscon have been fighting the good fight for a long time now. Tuscon is a very liberal city with more that its fair share of corrupt public officials. To wit, here is a YouTube video of the head of the Legal Defender’s Office ( http://www.pima.gov/legaldef/ ), Isabel Garcia, parading the severed head of a Sheriff Joe pinata around.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq5t-Nzhvb4

  • $peciallist

    then most people do all day

    awesome

  • http://www.teapartynation.com tnmama

    I will take an impassioned Patriot over a paid liberal lackey any day of the week. It says a lot about the Pro-Health Care attendees that they have to be “bribed” with bagels, donuts and juice and cannot be bothered to make their own signs. It says even more about our side that we show up under our own initiative and take the time to let people know how we feel through our hard work, creative efforts and no promise of “goodies” to eat.

    www.teapartynation.com

  • johnt

    that liberals [?] are always gibbering about ?
    Not on their side surely, which is why the word is unused these days.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Why would you take this thread to start calling Republicans names?

  • RedBeard

    The lefties in that video are hardly any different than the “spontaneous” demonstrators carefully organized by various totalitarian regimes over the years.

  • peg_c

    We organize OURSELVES. Without busses and payment.

    Great signs, especially jumping right on that Wee-Weed Up stuff. Of course great signs are easy when we’re gifted with such a buffoon. And we actually pay for all the sign-making materials ourselves.

  • RedBeard

    And some Republicans (such as those trying to push Charlie “I Heart the Obamastimulus” Crist on us before the Republican voters have even spoken in the primaries) do not deserve any kudos. I assume those are the Republicans to whom acat refers.

    I cannot think of a single instance in which I would not support the Republican candidate, whoever he is, in the general election, But in the primary season we simply have to support genuine conservatives and try to rid ourselves of the wishy-washy “I want to be loved by Democrats” Republicans.

    Arlen Specter flushed himself, as has George Voinovich and Mel Martinez, but many more are in need of an early retirement.

    By the way, just in case any Floridians are tuned in here and haven’t sent a few bucks, try this:
    www.marcorubio.com

  • SteveLA

    Sundayjack

    Exactly and spot on. Where’s the RNC taking a real camera crew to these events to film real Americans and asking them the simple question “Why are you protesting”?

    You don’t need fancy productions, fancy actors, talking heads from the beltway, just real people explaining why they are standing out on the street protesting. The commercials to run in the district where these Democrat fellow travelers down the road of ruin set by Obama write themselves. It’s up to the RNC to produce them.

    If anyone is calling the RNC and pointing out the obvious, is anyone there picking up the phone?

  • http://www.redstate.com/tnjim TNJim

    probably have a piece of 2×4 or other such spare wood and a sharpie lying around. They might have to make a quick trip to the store to get a sheet of poster board or other heavy paper, but if they have kids they might even have some of that on hand.

    They’re used to doing things for themselves.

  • Duke

    These “common people” truly make me proud to be an American. And for the record, I’ve alway been proud of my country unlike someone we know.

    To think the housewives and hubbys; the grandmas and grandpas, and the young people concerned about what’s happening to their country would fashion their beliefs into a sign and make enough noise that they cut halfway through the egos of the self-absorbed psuedo representatives in our nation’s corrupt capitol is really inspiring.

    These, my neighbors, make me want to be a part of their revolution.

  • ellisclarke

    A power grab by the federal government to control health benefits, treatments and Doctors under private or public plans which will guarantee a communized, health care, government delivery system within 5 years from y1. The impact on the taxpayers will be significant and unaffordable over the years ahead. (Sec,141) & (Sec.102)

    It will take away responsibilities concerning private health care insurance from the local State Governments, doctors and employers and put the power and decision making into the hands of an UN-elected health Commissioner under the direction of the President and White House Administration. (Sec.123) and (Sec.141)

    This power grab, called reform, is based on the fantasy of a health care crisis, yet 85% of Americans are satisfied with the coverage, benefits and treatments available to them mow! Thus this fabricated political fantasy of a crisis begs the question. Why are Democrats and Republican, Senators and House Members, supported by their respective political parties, lobbyists and special interest groups, rushing to dismantle the existing health care insurance programs? (Sec. 121)

    Obama?s government managed competition is nothing short of a single payer American nationalized health care government plan and socialized delivery system which does not and will not bring competition. However, it will guarantee and ensure his complete communization of health care plans, treatments and benefits across the States whether you like it or not. (Sec. 141) and (Subtitle E)

    Bill HR3200 and other publicly unreleased clauses and amendments are NOT health care reform pieces of legislation. (www.thomas.loc.gov/) It is the largest Federal Government power grab from the people and their doctors and local State Governments in history of the Republic?

    Now Obama-Care is considering Government financed co-operative non-profit health care insurance programs with taxpayer funding. Just another way for this Government to come in, through the back door, with dismantling the current health care insurance programs over a five year period, in attempting to achieve their political goal of the complete communization of Americans health care Insurance plans, treatments and benefits across the States. (SEC. 102)

    A related concern, is that the laws this President was sworn to uphold, the privacy act of 1974, The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 and our first amendment rights under the constitution, have been broken by the illegal act of gathering and soliciting emails and conversations about information from one citizen concerning another American citizen relating to health care.

    Of even greater concern, is where are the voices of outrage from our elected Senators and Congress members? NOT a word spoken or heard from them against this abuse of power and illegal act by the white house (snitch e-mails and a “reality check” section on the White House Web site). I guess they are still on vacation and hiding from the voters.

    The Majority of Americans are not impressed with this White House and know when attempts are made to hoodwink them. Time for Congress and the Senate to do their job of representing the people by holding hearings on the possible impeachment of this President for such illegal activities which are clearly in violation of the constitution.

    No one, including this or any other President is above the law!

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens
  • http://xmmlbchat.blogspot.com katesmith

    I understand swine flu is said to strike mostly young people, and reports say they’ll be targeted with available vaccine for the near term.
    A doctor called in to a radio program (Levin’s sub-host on Fri) said his information is that seniors aren’t allowed to have the shot even if they pay for it themselves. And, the federal government owns the entire supply of swine flu vaccine. (This all assumes anyone would want to get some government vaccine to begin with). I haven’t found the doctor’s exact report elsewhere, but there are reports seniors won’t be targeted initially, so it’s not a huge leap.

  • SteveLA

    ABC News to go

    “After wrestling with which groups should get priority, the committee ultimately decided by a vote of 13 to 1 to give immunization priority to a group including pregnant women, those who care for infants under six months of age, health care and EMS workers, children and teenagers between ages 6 months and 18 years old, and anyone under the age of 64 underlying medical conditions.

    Senior citizens will also have to wait behind 19 to 24 year olds, who often get sick in large numbers at college, but don’t tend to get deathly ill. “

    I’m not sure how to characterize this decision, but there is a limited supply of vaccine so somehow a decision was made.

  • RedBeard

    Nothing any more complicated than that, really.

  • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

    You’re just complaining in an blog’s comment section. Which is your privilege, as long as you keep it reasonably civil – but there’s nothing really useful about what you’re doing, either.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    It’s a threadjack. Write you own diary if you want to call out specific primary races for conservatives to pay attention to.

    Just whining in general about “Republicans” wh en we’re trying to expose Democrat astroturfing, is completely unproductive and unwelcome at this site.

  • RedBeard

    I didn’t start this sub-topic; I only commented upon what others had already begun, starting with acat’s comment and Neil’s reply. I thought that was what blog comments were all about, a discussion of issues, so I joined in on this one. I honestly had no idea it was improper to engage in tangents.

    My goal is to defeat Obama’s agenda, period. If that puts me at odds with certain Republican politicians (not, I thought I had made clear, Republicans in general, as Neil believes), then that’s just the way it is. Those who support the stimulus and Obama’s health care fiasco are not helping us win,

    Admittedly, I have only been commenting here for a few days, and might have missed a few protocols, but I never thought that holding such a position would make me unwelcome.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    You’re defending some guy that a moderator called out, who threadjacked another moderator’s post. On top of that, the guy you’re defending took a post attacking Republicans as an excuse to attack Democrats.

    Once you picked up his flag, you started taking the heat for the whole mess.

  • RedBeard

    1. As I said, I’m new here. I wasn’t aware of the fact that your post to acat was a moderator action, nor was I even aware that you are a moderator. My fault there, for not paying attention to the masthead.

    2. I was not defending acat; I was commenting on what I believed to be his position, and adding my own point of view. I picked up no flag.

    3. My understanding of “threadjacking” was lacking, as I said in my prior post. I think now I’m getting a better idea of what is expected here. Or what is prohibited, as the case may be.

    4. We are in a war for the soul of this republic. Anyone, be he a leftist Democrat or a liberal Republican, who sides with the forces of collectivism by actively supporting (or not opposing) Obama’s agenda is not on the right side.

    5. I’ve read enough Redstate entries to know that I am on the same side in this fight as this site is. I can’t think of any substantive issue on which we do not agree. This leads me to be quite confused by the hostility I have discovered today.

    Out.

  • http://applescorneroftheorchard.blogspot.com/ Pomme

    They don’t mandate it to people who have severe reactions to vaccinations.

    I had to fight my son’s school over the flu shot mandate they attempted. Saving kids is noble until it kills them.