JUST LIKE THE BIRTHERS ONLY WORSE: LIBERAL CONSPIRACIES ABOUT HEALTH CARE REFORM
You can find some wonderful symmetry between the Birther conspiracists and those on the left who have become so paranoid about opposition to Obama that they have invented a “Grand Unified Conspiracy Theory” on health care reform demonstrations.
Both are rooted in denial of facts, refusal to believe evidence right in front of their eyes, the exaggerated build up of the opposition, manufactured (or misinterpreted) evidence, and the unshakable belief that they are right.
The big difference is, on the Democratic side, the conspiracy nuts include:
The President
The Speaker of the House
The Majority Leader of the Senate
The entire DNC
Every major liberal blog
That’s quite a lineup, huh? On the Birther side, you have few nutty congressmen and a whole bunch of fringe kooks who would deny the sun rising in the east and setting in the west if someone presented evidence to the contrary.
So what is the bogus conspiracy theory being pushed by Democrats and the left?
Let’s let the President of the United States - or, perhaps we should start referring to him as the “Kook in Chief” - explain it:
There’s been a lot of media coverage about organized mobs intimidating lawmakers, disrupting town halls, and silencing real discussion about the need for real health insurance reform.
The truth is, it’s a sham. These “grassroots protests” are being organized and largely paid for by Washington special interests and insurance companies who are desperate to block reform. They’re trying to use lies and fear to break the President and his agenda for change.
“Organized mobs?” “Paid for by Washington special interests and insurance companies?” First of all, referring to fellow countrymen who disagree with you as a “mob” is beneath the dignity of the office - not that Obama has necessarily demonstrated that he cares a whit about that kind of thing in the first place - and bespeaks a paranoid outlook regarding your political opposition.
And I don’t know about you, but I sure would like to know specifically which insurance companies and “special interests” - specific lobbying groups and companies - are organizing and paying for these demonstrations? After all, if you’re going to smear the thousands and thousands of people who are opposed to a public policy initiative like health care reform and show up at these congressional town halls, it should be snap to identify those companies who are paying for these protestors to come out and demonstrate, right?
What are their names, Mr. President? How are they paying people to turn out? Are they paying gas money to the demonstrators so that they can drive the few blocks to where these town halls are taking place? Maybe they’re giving a stipend - sort of like strike pay that unions give to members who walk a picket line? (Now that’s grass roots action for ya!)? Just how is all this organized? How deep does this conspiracy go?
ABC News went to one of these town halls where protestors turned out by the hundreds:
There were no lobbyist-funded buses in the parking lot of Mardela Middle and High School on Tuesday evening, and the hundreds of Eastern Maryland residents who packed the school’s auditorium loudly refuted the notion that their anger over the Democrats’ health care reform plans is “manufactured.”
“I went to school in this school,” a man named Bob told me. “I don’t see anyone in this room that isn’t from Mardela Springs right now.”
“We’ve been quiet too long,” said a woman named Joan.
They came to yell at their congressman, freshman Democratic Rep. Frank Kratovil, and they were surprised to hear that the “Congress in Your Corner” event to which they had been invited — by a robocall from Kratovil himself — was not to be a public airing of grievances, but instead an opportunity for private, one-on-one sessions with the freshman Democrat.
As the crowd grew, and began venting frustration over the fact they would only be meeting with the congressman behind closed doors, Kratovil’s aides suggested he switch to a town hall format
Obviously, ABC wasn’t looking hard enough for signs of the conspiracy. Our corporate media is covering for the insurance companies, I’m sure.
Or - these really are demonstrations organized at the grass roots and while I abhor the behavior of some (and admire Kratovil for standing up and taking his licks), the fact remains that the only sign of some kind of conspiracy involving big business was that, according to Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer, the demonstrators were too well dressed to be “genuine.”
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) appeared on Hardball last night in support of the Left’s attempt to discredit the people showing up to townhalls in protest of ObamaCare. Boxer says she can tell that they’re fakes, because they’re too well dressed. How does she know that this is a problem? Because well-dressed people apparently told her to get the hell out of Florida in the Bush-Gore recount, too.
If that’s not paranoia, I don’t know what is. Note the forced and bogus connection made between two completely different situations. Birthers do the same thing all the time. And they’re kooks and Boxer is sane?
Then you have liberal blogs and the DNC pushing the theory that a group called Freedom Works is in cahoots with the insurance companies and are directing the demonstrators and orchestrating chaos:
Above-the-fold headlines of the disruptive protests caused the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to accuse Republicans of fueling the anti-Democratic healthcare activists in an attempt to institute “mob rule.”
But Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele denied on Wednesday that the GOP somehow coordinated the protests.
“To sit back and say this is some sort of Republican cabal is some baloney,” Steele said on a conference call with reporters. “And you can substitute [baloney] with something else if you want.”
And Steele argued the protesters have raised questions that the Obama administration deems beneath it to answer.
“This administration has the arrogance to look down their nose” at the protesters, Steele said.
The authenticity of the town hall protests, and whether or not they represent real dissatisfaction with Democrats’ healthcare reform proposals, has become a key element of the early August battle.
The White House questioned the authenticity of the rabble-rousers earlier this week.
“I hope people will take a jaundiced eye to what is clearly the AstroTurf nature of so-called grassroots lobbying,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said.
Gibbs and the DNC have taken aim at groups like FreedomWorks, the activist group founded by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas), for allegedly facilitating the protests at the behest of corporate interests.
FreedomWorks spokesman Max Pappas said in an interview with CBS that his group simply provides talking points to town hall attendees to engage in “civil” dialogues with lawmakers.
Those talking points from Freedom Works are one of about a thousand such efforts on the web. American Thinker had a series of 7 posts on “What to ask your Congressman” at these town halls while Hot Air just published their own suggestions.
If all these sites are getting paid to publish suggested talking points by evil insurance companies, maybe I should get in on the act. Who do I contact to spread the lies?
Of course, the revelations by Mary Katherine Ham yesterday about the “smoking gun” memo that Think Progress and TPM Muckraker were touting as “proof” of a conspiracy to disrupt town hall meetings, made most of the left look loonier than Orly Taitz:
When the “manufactured” outrage the Left is trying to demonize lines up so inconveniently with public polling, it’s sometimes necessary to create evidence for the “manufactured” storyline.
Enter Think Progress, which unearthed this shocking, secret memo from the leader of a small grassroots conservative organization in Connecticut, which allegedly instructs members on “infiltrating town halls and harassing Democratic members of Congress.”
Right Principles PAC was formed by Bob MacGuffie and four friends in 2008, and has taken in a whopping $5,017 and disbursed $1,777, according to its FEC filing.
“We’re just trying to shake this state up and make a difference up here,” MacGuffie told me during a telephone interview. He’s surprised at his elevation to national rabble-rouser by the Left.
Right Principles has a Facebook group with 23 members and a Twitter account with five followers. MacGuffie describes himself as an “opponent of leftist thinking in America,” and told me he’s “never pulled a lever” for a Republican or Democrat on a federal level. Yet this Connecticut libertarian’s influence over a national, orchestrated Republican health-care push-back is strong, indeed, if you listen to liberal pundits and the Democratic National Committee, who have crafted a nefarious web out of refutable evidence.
Think Progress highlighted his memo’s directives to “‘Yell,’ ‘Stand Up And Shout Out,’ ‘Rattle Him’,” calling it a “right-wing harassment strategy against Dems.” The blog falsely connected MacGuffie to the national conservative group FreedomWorks through the most tenuous of threads. The Think Progress link that purports to establish MacGuffie as a FreedomWorks “volunteer” leads to his one blog posting on a Tea Party website (on the free social networking site, ning.com). Think Progress calls Tea Party Patriots a “FreedomWorks website.”
The problem is it’s not a FreedomWorks site, according to FreedomWorks spokesman Adam Brandon. FreedomWorks is a “coalition partner” of TeaPartyPatriots.org, but does not fund the site in any way.
“There is no formal structural connection,” Brandon told me. “Never has been. Never will be. We’re just fellow travelers in the movement.”
My pet cat Aramas has more influence with tea party protestors than these bushers. And yet, they are the source of the tactics used by opponents of health care reform?
Exaggerating evidence of conspiracy is right out of the Birther handbook. And yet they’re the screwballs and liberal bloggers are members of a “reality based community?” Maybe on the planet Mongol, not here.
From the president on down, Democrats and liberals have become unhinged about opposition to Obama’s agenda. Somehow, it just seems more evil if big business, right wing fanatics, shady Republican operatives, and robot-like conservatives are all involved in this conspiracy to defeat the health care reform monstrosity that no one in Congress has read yet because it hasn’t been written. And citizens are supposed to require lobbyists and political pros to get ginned up about that?
When 71% of the American people believe that Obama is adding to the deficit unnecessarily, do liberals believe that a few thousands of those souls won’t take it upon themselves - with a little encouragement from tea party groups who have been organizing for more than 6 months - to show up and register their unhappiness?
Completely rational, and reasonable explanations for this outpouring of anger and activism are rejected by the left in favor of the elitist idea that ordinary citizens cannot think for themselves and must be told by lobbyists and corporate flaks to go out and demonstrate. And to carry this elitist lunacy even farther, it is intimated that these same ordinary citizens are actually paid for their efforts.
Birthers and lefty conspiracists - peas of a pod, birds of a feather, and partners in kooky lunacy.
You’re on a roll Rick - keep it up!
Comment by Bald Ninja — 8/6/2009 @ 8:54 am
Great post! “Kook-in-Chief” indeed.
I don’t think he can help it… he’s been sheltered his entire life from the “real world”. You know… where you get a real job, where you actually have to have good grades to get into a good school like Harvard, where people don’t buy half of the property that you want so you can buy the other half (at 1/3 of the cost), where having corrupt judges assist you in smearing your opponents to ensure your political victory. You know, that kind of real world, where we live, and he never has.
“Mark my words” number 1: this is a 1-term president.
“Mark my words” number 2: he is so steeped in Chicago politics, that it is only a matter of time before he tries something illegal, or nearly illegal, and the press and the liberals turn on him.
Of course, you may say I’m a partisan, but I would be predicting disaster for a hard-core conservative that is incompetent and corrupt.
Comment by lionheart — 8/6/2009 @ 10:07 am
Of course. It would be insane to think that corporations standing to lose lots of money would pump tens of millions of dollars into doing everything possible to influence people in their favor.
This is America, that would never happen. People who believe in such nonsense are crazy. Let’s come up with clever names like “Kook-in-Chief” in order to marginalize and belittle them.
Comment by Chuck Tucson — 8/6/2009 @ 10:37 am
Join C.U.F.F., Citizens United for Fishies. If we can all get our friends and families to join in reporting fishies to flag@whitehouse.gov we might be able to get 80% of America on their enemies list. If we can tie up their time going through this maybe they won’t have time for other mischief like health care reform, or is it health insurance reform? Global warming or climate change?
Have a problem with your program? Just change the name!
Seriously, ThinkProgress this is pathetic. Over half a year down the road and they have 23 members and 6 twitter accounts. Doesn’t sound like a powerhouse conspiracy to me.
Comment by Harry O — 8/6/2009 @ 10:43 am
I think at these townhalls they should require a form of ID that shows you actually live in that congresional disctrict before you can go in.
Comment by Mike — 8/6/2009 @ 10:47 am
I guess community organizers are no longer acceptable?
Oh, those clever shadowy corporate suits are behind this! It all makes sense. The conspiracy is vast - they’ve caused unemployment to rise, the national debt to skyrocket, forced Obama to break most of his campaign promises, and found a way to befuddle all of the polling that show plummeting popularity for Obama and Democrat policies! And don’t worry about insulting fiscally conservative moderates and liberals - they really don’t mind Democratic policies that will raise taxes, deepen the recession, increase inflation and prolong high unemployment.
Sleep well tonight in the knowledge that there isn’t any real opposition to Obama and Democrats - it’s all fake and made up. Your Unicorn is on it’s way!
Comment by Bald Ninja — 8/6/2009 @ 10:55 am
Mike,
Freedom of assembly and speech and to redress grievances should be limited to those who have an ID? Great idea.
But it’s still racist to ask that ID be provided at voting centers right?
Comment by Bald Ninja — 8/6/2009 @ 10:58 am
I’m glad to see you write this, Rick.
The analogy between the Birthers and the Town Hall Conspiracy Cretins is in a sense a weak one because the latter actually includes prominent Democrats and liberals, as you point out. The Birthers are the fringe, and by God, the Town Hall Conspiracy Enthusiasts are mainstream Left. For all its faults, the Right does even compare in number to the gullible and crazy people on the Left who subscribe to these whacked out theories.
Obama has made two fatal mistakes in recent weeks. The first involved Gates. The second was when he and his Administration became part of the Black Helicopter Brigade. Mark my word: this Administration just jumped the shark quicker than any in my time.
Dear freaking Jesus. The Left has become unhinged again, and that can only benefit Republicans and conservatives. It does mean trouble for the United States since these conspiracy morons run it right now.
Comment by jackson1234 — 8/6/2009 @ 11:13 am
Chuck, prove it, and I’ll sign up with the Kook-in-chief. Oh yeah, and he marginalizes and belittles the office with every amateurish and incompetent action he makes on an almost daily basis(want a list?). He needs no help from me on that.
As long as I live, I will never cease to be shocked at the astounding hypocrisy of liberals. Clear evidence was presented that proved left wing astroturfing during the campaign, and liberals endorsed it. Now, simply the suggestion that the right is engaging in a tactic (which has the stamp of approval by liberals) has you up in arms.
Comment by lionheart — 8/6/2009 @ 11:35 am
Do you know how I know the whole notion that most or even many of these agitated voters are astroturfers? Because the Democrats say they are. If this really were a super-massive astroturf campaign then the Democrats could easily ignore it as it would have no affect on the upcoming 2010 elections. If the outrage is really fake then they have nothing to worry about - the voting public will keep them in office to keep doing what they are doing. Democrats are spinning as fast as they can to demonize people who are expressing outrage at a government that has lied to them and is still lying to them.
Comment by Bald Ninja — 8/6/2009 @ 11:59 am
So connect these dots for me, Chuck: (a)health insuracy executives; (b)the GOP; (c)conservatives; (d) Joe and Josephine Sixpack; and (e) the secret location where they all conspire and receive their instructions (microwave transmissions and encrypted Internet sites don’t count. Get a grip, man. This is sheer insanity, far beyond the Birthers because this is the mainstream Left.
And Harry and Bald Ninja: too freaking funny.
I don’t know how the Democrats and/or the Left kept their inner lunatics concealed in 2006 and 2008, but one damn thing is for sure: they can’t now.
Comment by jackson1234 — 8/6/2009 @ 12:01 pm
What would be acceptable proof? There are mountains of data available for public perusal regarding the amount of money the health insurance industry has thrown at what is a threat to their way of life. Not to mention hour upon hour of congressional testimony from industry insiders and whistleblowers.
Would any of that help? Tens of millions lionheart. That’s power. That’s influence. But what it isn’t, it helpful to the people of this country.
I am not a liberal. Astoundingly, I think both sides are full of bloviating money tossing douchebags who are not fixing the problem.
Comment by Chuck Tucson — 8/6/2009 @ 12:13 pm
Part of this is what I call the leftist “Kansas syndrome”, based on “What’s the Matter with Kansas” book that was so popular with lefties in the mid 00’s. Basically, it boils down to “who could possibly reject a free lunch? After all, it was paid for by evil rich guys?”
Since these free lunches are supposedly in these people’s “class interest”, they have to be idiots and are being fooled by the diabolical machinations of the evil rich.
The idea that they may have big-picture concerns about the destructive effect on the economy of high taxes and giant government is dismissed out of hand, since lefties don’t themselves believe it.
Comment by Foobarista — 8/6/2009 @ 12:33 pm
There are only two sides to this ?
I see a plethora of bills on both the House and Senate side, and then there is the “mind of Obama” which, legislators keep complaining, seems unable to convey it’s thoughts from one end of Pennsylvania Avenue to the other. Finally, there are those folks who think this is all one big “cr@p sandwich” and want none of it.
Considering that most Republicans are loath to admit that the RNC probably couldn’t organize a barbeque, to hear Democrats blaming the RNC for organizing a nation-wide campaign against Democratic Congress-critters is beyond ludicrous. Those that engage in this banter are richly deserving the derision that comes their way.
Frankly, I agree with anyone who says there is a lot of disinformation and even more misinformation around, but rushing legislation through doesn’t make any of that go away .. it guarantees it.
Comment by Neo — 8/6/2009 @ 12:46 pm
Agreed.
Comment by lionheart — 8/6/2009 @ 1:05 pm
Chuck,
I’d agree with you if you define sides as Republicans and Democrats. Not all Democrats and Republicans fit your description but most do. Though I do think there are several Republican proposals on how to improve healthcare that seem like really good ideas (that don’t increase the influence and involvement of government and don’t cost more money).
I’d say this is also one reason NOT to doubt the anger seen at townhalls. I think people are getting fed up with government that is corrupt.
Comment by Bald Ninja — 8/6/2009 @ 1:41 pm
Neo,
I do find it funny that conservatives consider the Republicans too disorganized to mount a good counter-point to Democrats and liberals consider the Republicans so crazy organized that they can call upon instant protestors and agitators and other dark powers. Though curiously the GOP didn’t seem capable of this during the election and decided to unleash their full organizational fury at a moment like this instead….very curious.
Comment by Bald Ninja — 8/6/2009 @ 1:46 pm
“I am not a liberal. Astoundingly, I think both sides are full of bloviating money tossing douchebags who are not fixing the problem.”
Chuck;
You’ve said this or something similar several times. Maybe I missed it but I’ve yet to see you take the left to task. You assertion seems as provable as your statement about insurance companies and the healthcare protests.
Comment by c3 — 8/6/2009 @ 2:37 pm
Bald Ninja said:
I do.
I agree, and a few of them I sorta like, are these:
H.R. 502, the Health Care Freedom of Choice Act
H.R. 1470, the Equity for Our Nation’s Self-Employed Act of 2009
H.R. 2360, the SHOP Act
H.R. 1763, the Responsible Reinvestment Act of 2009
Unfortunately though they don’t really come close to addressing the overall malfunction of the health insurance industry. They just sorta patch the current situation a bit here and there.
Look, the anger I’ve seen at the townhalls seems short sighted and ignorant. It’s easy to get people fired up over stuff they don’t fully understand. Just like that idiot lady waving her birth certificate around. The problem is very very complicated and talking points (from both sides) can’t even come close to doing it justice.
If the current private insurance system was adequate, then we wouldn’t be having this discussion. But, that system is designed to serve only itself (not necessarily by serving it’s clients either as one might argue, I have great experience with this).
There is a solution, and private health insurance isn’t it. That’s why they are fighting so hard and throwing so much money around. They’re scared because they suck and everyone knows it. Business that suck are destined to fail. It’s the American way.
Comment by Chuck Tucson — 8/6/2009 @ 2:55 pm
You know…I don’t think anyone would care if these town hall protests were “manufactured” or not if the participants adhered to the rules of civil discourse..
The fact that they’re waving swastikas and bibles, hanging representatives in effigy, following representatives to their cars in true “mob” fashion, and shouting down those who are there for reasoned debate just makes these people look like fringe players..
Here’s the rules of a civilized American town hall meeting:
Wait your turn. Speak your mind. Shut up and listen. Wait your turn. Speak your mind. Shut up and listen. Wait your turn. Speak your mind. Shut up and listen. Let everyone have their say..
That doesn’t seem so hard…does it?
Everyone organizes…both left and right…but if you want respect, you have to show some respect also..
These town hall demonstrators show none.
Comment by Moltenorb — 8/6/2009 @ 3:33 pm
Rick, great post. BUT, remember who perpetuated this whole birther crap in the first place. It was TEAM HILARY! Remember the photo with Mr. Obama in the turban? Who released that? TEAM HILARY! Anyhow, the left has no self-awareness. Otherwise they would realize that this is not a good road to go down. And yes, I am embaressed that Ma’am Barbara Boxer is MY senator. I hope we can change that next year. That is CHANGE I BELIEVE IN!
Comment by Mark J. Goluskin — 8/6/2009 @ 4:32 pm
Chuck,
“If the current private insurance system was adequate, then we wouldn’t be having this discussion. But, that system is designed to serve only itself (not necessarily by serving it’s clients either as one might argue, I have great experience with this).
There is a solution, and private health insurance isn’t it. That’s why they are fighting so hard and throwing so much money around. They’re scared because they suck and everyone knows it. Business that suck are destined to fail. It’s the American way.”
You may know more of the inner workings of health insurance than I do but I’m not convinced that private health insurance isn’t the way to go. Does the way things work need to be re-worked? Sure - but I think an actual free market solution is the way to go. The alternative to non-private health insurance is government health insurance and I’ve yet to see a company that made more in ‘profit’ than the government confiscated in taxes to try to ‘offer’ the same service. Part of the problem, I believe, is that the Federal government has involved itself in so many issues that businesses twist the democratic process through corrupt politicians to get laws enacted in a way that benefits them. I don’t necessarily fault companies for this as the government is going to pass a law regulating them anyway so of course they will want a say in it….the point I’m trying to make is that while we have lots of ‘private’ insurance these private insurance companies are centered around a system of the governments creation. We need a real free market in healthcare to reduce costs and generate real competition and expose insurance companies to the same consumer pressures that other industries face that tend to drive down costs and provide better service.
Comment by Bald Ninja — 8/6/2009 @ 5:28 pm
Rick said:
Well stated!
Comment by Doug King — 8/6/2009 @ 5:48 pm
Personally I think the author has a brain malfunction on ‘birthers’. Get real it’s a made up term that the democrats used to get your mind off the facts. Why is everything to do with President O’Dumbo hid from the public? Something stinks to high heaven in his background or he wouldn’t hide it. If he was born in HI, show the paperwork. If the paperwork is correct then show the records of his financial ripoff of the American taxpayers which would make him a felon. I think he is the biggest liar and POS to ever enter the white house door, including visitors and janitors.
Comment by Scrapiron — 8/6/2009 @ 7:08 pm
Hey Scrapiron,
We did make up the term “birther”…it’s a code word for “sore loser.”
Got hate?? Masturbate.
Comment by Moltenorb — 8/6/2009 @ 8:05 pm
Attention everyone! As far as I can tell Rick Moran has NO health insurance.
Rick just say yes or no. I will not ask for a certificate nor ask if it comes from your wife’s side or your parents.
If you want to weigh in on health care reform, then let us know your basis.
Call me a proofer. Am I asking too much?
Comment by bobwire — 8/6/2009 @ 8:29 pm
Scrapiron, it’s over for you and your kind.
What would you do without your hate.
Would you even exist?
Comment by BellWeather Bill — 8/6/2009 @ 8:30 pm
Moran? Party of two? Mr. Moran…Your table is ready.
Outstanding essay.
Comment by CZ — 8/7/2009 @ 8:15 am
Apparently ‘astroturfing’ by the right is so evil that it warrants these reasonable responses - people who oppose ObamaCare are:
(1) Racist: http://hotair.com/headlines/?p=48163
(2) Terrorists: http://minx.cc/?post=290648
(3) Need to be opposed by strong-arm tactics and unions: http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/06/seiu-and-the-persuasion-of-power/
Comment by Bald Ninja — 8/7/2009 @ 9:09 am
I am quite willing to believe there is no right-wing conspiracy to shout down discussion at Town Meetings. Fox News can galvanize the “over-Foxed” easily, and no overt organization is needed. However, I have learned over the years just how sneaky and low neo-cons and their type are, and I think they are capable of anything. I think they are misguided, but sincere.
However, regardless of the bent you put on this topic, the real topic should be having 47,000,000 uninsured Americans, and probably another 50-100,000,000 underinsured. This IS a national crisis and threat to our economic security. Not wanting to cover those people is evil and selfish, in my humble opinion.
So stop being such retards and shut up. Please. Let’s try to cooperate and work out the details on this. You know, one day before age 65 you might actually need that kind of coverage. Of course, if you really object to Federally managed healthcare, do not use Medicare when you reach 65. That’s your choice, baby!
Comment by Mark in Boston — 8/8/2009 @ 2:08 am
Why Aren’t Americans Allowed To Know What Foreign Passports Were Issued To President Obama?
Comment by Mick — 8/12/2009 @ 6:33 pm