[sanjuro]

No news stories, no factoids.

I am just speculating why the anti-government people are so in the spotlight.

I realize something while I was writing this. The Bush/Cheney administration never had any open discussions with the people.

If the Democrats chose to push head HC reform without a public forum, then all the protesters would have no event to protest.

One mistake I believe the Dems make is they won't the same dirty tactics that the Repubs use until it is too late.

 

[RUFUS]

Because if they make a big enough scene then they can go on Fox news and talk to Glen Beck or some other worthless show on Fox news.

 

[jonKranked]

Thankfully Beck is losing a lot of his big advertisers.

 

[ohio]

Or maybe they realize that pushing things through isn't actually the best thing for the country, and having the momentum of popular support and positive public opinion will serve them well for the next 3-7 years.

 

[jonKranked]

No news stories, no factoids.

I am just speculating why the anti-government people are so in the spotlight.

I realize something while I was writing this. The Bush/Cheney administration never had any open discussions with the people.

If the Democrats chose to push head HC reform without a public forum, then all the protesters would have no event to protest.

One mistake I believe the Dems make is they won't the same dirty tactics that the Repubs use until it is too late.

They're in the spotlight now because they are republicans.

When it was the Democrats and liberals being anti-government during the Bush/Cheney era, they were labeled terrorists.

 

[kidwoo]

Or maybe they realize that pushing things through isn't actually the best thing for the country,

Have you seen 'the country?'


They're too stupid to accept a gold brick so sometimes it really is appropriate to just chuck it at their face.

They'll thank you in the long run.

By calling you a socialist while fully taking advantage of what you've offered.






As far as the OP goes. Dude.....they're being told their thoughts with a focus rarely seen. Every fair and balanced nooz outlet they pay attention to is telling them the same thing right now. It really is like a team meeting.

And bush did hold some town hall meetings. And stocked them with registered republicans only. You don't remember that? Totally open forums.

 

[Jim Mac]

I think it also ties into race- people (most likely subconsciously) think that a black president is a threat. I think it's the subtext to the situation. Willy Horton has become president!

 

[Westy]

I'm guessing all the new anti-government people just used to be called racists. All the anti-government people I have known in the past were crazy but based their thoughts on twisted versions of the truth. Energetic and capable of ranting but were more interested in sharing their POV. The Nu anti-government folks are just foaming at the mouth angry. They weren't pissed at any of the big government stuff that happened in the last decade but are now?

Edit: sniped by J-Mac

 

[Jim Mac]

Just call me Slick Willy!

I mean, the 2 biggest expansions happened under Bush!

 

[Westy]

Just call me Slick Willy!

I mean, the 2 biggest expansions happened under Bush!

Douche bag closet racist republican I know claims Obama has been the only president in 50 years to create new cabinet or 'csar' positions. I reminded him of Bush Jr and Sr creating Homeland Security and the 'drug csar'. He refuted reality and claimed they were both created by Obama. It is impossible to discuss this stuff with people who simply make **** up so the world agrees with their opinions.

 

[sanjuro]

Or maybe they realize that pushing things through isn't actually the best thing for the country, and having the momentum of popular support and positive public opinion will serve them well for the next 3-7 years.

Well, I think the 2010 midterm elections will be telling.

If the Republicans lose seats or maintain status quo (btw, midterms typically the opposing party gains seats) because they have only offered roadblocks, fear tactics, and scandal; as opposed to solutions or cooperation, then we might see a huge change in their strategies, avoiding the crap that is going on today.

However, I suspect some of the battleground states you will see a change to the right, although I hope the Dems can maintain their hold.

The other problem is that I would like to see a reasonable alternative to Obama, but I see no one who I would even think about taking seriously, much less vote for.

On the hand, considering after Jindal/Palin/Sanford have all shot themselves in the foot, the new name is Santorum. I will immediately move out of the country if that fool gets elected.

 

[Pesqueeb]

I realize something while I was writing this. The Bush/Cheney administration never had any open discussions with the people.

If the Democrats chose to push head HC reform without a public forum, then all the protesters would have no event to protest.

One mistake I believe the Dems make is they won't the same dirty tactics that the Repubs use until it is too late.

Agreed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="853" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/juOLZzeCEp8&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/juOLZzeCEp8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="853" height="505"></embed></object>

Its almost like he can see into the future. That video is a month old.

 

[Jim Mac]

Well, it seems that other people have been asking the same questions, and coming up with the same answers:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-08-13/why-the-white-militias-are-back/

"Race adds a particularly combustible element to the mix. “A key difference this time is that the federal government—the entity that almost the entire radical right views as its primary enemy—is headed by a black man,” says the Southern Poverty Law Center report. “That, coupled with high levels of non-white immigration and a decline in the percentage of whites overall in America, has helped to racialize the Patriot movement, which in the past was not primarily motivated by race hate.”

Essentially the anti-immigrant movement, the Patriot movement, and old-fashioned Dixiecrat racism are all merging. “The fast growth of the militias is troubling, but it’s in the context of something that’s more broad, and that’s in some ways more troubling,” says Levin. “This underlying stuff—whether it’s manifested at town halls, manifested on talk radio, manifested by lone wolves, it’s all part of a spectrum of the same phenomenon.”