"You can't talk to them…"

August 6, 2009 By

This is nonsense.

(H/T ArmyWifeToddlerMom and reader Dick T.

Because I want to assume the best, and not the worst, I’m going to assume that the police officer, who would not allow people to converse and who apparently did not want the vid-taker to discuss Obamacare with anyone, was simply trying to make sure nothing got out of control.

What I don’t understand is why conversation between peaceable people should require a police presence? Clearly these ladies were no threat to anyone and were not looking for trouble. I assume the ACORN people were also no threat to anyone and not looking for trouble. We can assume that all were there in good faith, can we not?

Interesting to see one woman tell the vid-taker that if the police officer says something to her she has to listen to him. Lots of stink about that over in Cambridge a few weeks ago, with Obama saying the police acted “stupidly” and many reasonably questioning at what point an officer has a reason to enforce his will.

Things are getting interesting, and it’s only the first week in August. Our Summer temperatures may be cooler, but I have a feeling the month is going to be exceedingly hot.

You know who could put a stop to the bad feelings arising in this country? President Obama, who is supposed to be the leadership. Just as Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton backed off when they realized America was not into having their Healthcare taken over by the government, Obama could say, “you know, I’m moving kind of fast here, maybe we’ll shelve this for a while and concentrate more on putting people back to work, which is urgent.”

Such a move would be an instant assist to the nation Obama is supposed to be passionate about protecting, preserving and above-all SERVING. It would also mean instant restoration of his fast-fading credibility. Think he’ll do it? Nah.

Let’s see, I think I’ll put this into the categories of “Health Care,” “Erosion of Rights” and “Free Speech.” I’ll leave out the “Fascism in America.” For now, anyway.

Related:
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Moderate Dems showing up at tea parties

Filed Under: Barack Obama, Erosion of Rights, Free Speech?, Health Care
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  • Suzanne L

    Ironic… the black woman in the blue blazer and striped tie woman comes up and admonishes the vid-taker at 2:12, “If a policeofficer tells you to do something and you don’t do it, that’s actually resisting.” Huh.

    I wonder if she’d say the same thing to Professor Gates.

  • http://templeofmut.wordpress.com/ Mutnodjmet

    Thank you for the kind link! You just made my day!

    I can tell you form personal experience, as well as email conversations, more Democrats are becoming interested in what the Tea Party groups have to say (NOT, by default, the GOP organizations — true grassroots Tea Party organizations have steered clear of Republican operatives). I don’t know how this will all develop, but we are in an important transitional period in which citizens are becoming engaged, informed and involved. It seems our political aristocracy is none to happy with this development.

    Here is a blog recommendation that you and some of your readers might enjoy — AFROCITY. About her blog — I am an archivist, bibliophile, adjunct professor and historian. You can figure the blog name out from there. I am a 30 something professional who had been a “Good African American Democrat ” all of my life until the election of 2008.

  • kelleybee

    Like many of my fellow Americans, I worry about the direction that the dems are taking the country. The President could put a stop to this, as you said. But for what ever reason he is silent. Early in his administration the Secretary of Home Land Security released a report identifying what sounded a lot like ordinary citizens as home grown terrorists. So, Dear Anchoress, I will listen to your admonition on your previous entry to those taking part in town halls or protests to remember MLK’s non violent behavior. I worry that some folks may try to cause problems at events.

  • http://plls.blogspot.com s1c

    we will punch back is coming from the white house. Don’t forget the “astro turfing” Axelrod is in this white house, the “chicago” politician is not going to defuse this situation, he is going to bring out the blow torch and make sure that fuse stays lit.

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  • http://www.breakdownofamerica.com BreakdownofAmerica.com

    I am the videographer that took this footage. I just wanted to let yall know that I appreciate the support. And also that the youtube video with “original” in the title is the video I actually posted. Someone posted it again under another name. Just in case there is a difference in the footage.

    thanks again for the support and please join the fight with us and stand up for your freedoms while you still can!!!

    God Bless America!

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  • Sue from Buffalo

    This is giving me the creeps. Where is the country that I love?

  • Ken

    Is this cop supposed to be acting on Obama’s orders or something? For someone who doesn’t assign the worst motives to the opposition, you sure start an inordinate number of threads that encourage people to presume the worst.

    [You're starting to try my patience. Did you even read what I wrote? Did you see me assume the best about the cop, that he was just trying to prevent anything heated from happening? I'm a patient girl but don't start misrepresenting what I post. That's a fast way to wear out your welcome, Ken. -admin]

  • Ken

    “You know who could put a stop to the bad feelings arising in this country? President Obama”

    Not on this blog.

    “Obama could say, “you know, I’m moving kind of fast here, maybe we’ll shelve this for a while and concentrate more on putting people back to work, which is urgent.””

    I’ve addressed this point at least twice. Why not rebut me? Obama knows that the longer it takes to get a bill to the floor, the more reasons/excuses people will find to object to it. He believes he’s acting in the country’s best interest, so he’s doing everything he can to pass this bill before it’s too late. As did W. when he believed the same about the Patriot Act. His motives are good.

    (Note to those who cry, “but the PA was essential and this isn’t!” That’s the point: read a book of basic logic.)

    ["Not on this blog." Since you're relatively new to this blog you can't possibly say that. I recently praised him for making a good gift to the pope. I can't help it if he turned around and lied to him about abortion, which yes, is going to be taxpayer funded in Obamacare. Please don't talk to me about logic and facts, when you're like this. You seem very frustrated and shrill tonight, maybe you should take a break? admin]

  • Gerry

    Ken chimes in right on time as always to prove once again:
    It’s better to keep one’s mouth shut and appear a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.

  • Ken

    – That’s NOT the point: read a book ON basic logic.)

    Sorry.

    [I should think you would be for the way you've come in, hijacked my site and trashed it up. I am beginning to lose all patience. You know, you are a guest here. I try to treat my guests well, but I also have some boundaries about how I expect to be treated. admin]

  • http://jmbalconi.stblogs.com MissJean

    Here’s irony for you, Mrs. S:

    My union’s leaders have been keeping us abreast of capital news and asking that we contact Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon (D). We’re asking him to document exactly how his health care proposal will save $900 million. He plans to force all public employees – city workers, firefighters, police, teachers – into a state-run health plan. Never mind that maintaining health benefits were frequently the bargaining chip that convinced workers to take salary cuts.

    So, are we “astroturfers” if we keep in touch via e-mail and our union websites? Are we rabblerousers if we try to meet with Rep. Dillon to ask him the tough questions?

    I’d say not. I’d say we have a vested interest in knowing the plan before our representatives vote on it.

    Which brings me to a point which I don’t think anyone has addressed: When lawmakers of EITHER party write such huge bills and then seek a fast vote, they’re trying to curtail voters’ Constitutional rights to representation.

    How are we getting true representation when our representatives often cannot read the entire bill without clearing their schedules? How are we getting representation when they must divide the bill amongst the staff and have a meeting in which each section is summarized by the staffers who read and (one supposes) understood it?

    Oddly, I don’t think our President will have much ability to take things down a notch. There appear to be a whole cast of Washington characters with an abrasive political style (e.g. Rahm Emmanuel) and/or a penchant for villainizing others (too many examples to mention). Or maybe I’m just getting old and thinking that Tip O’Neil and Bob Dole were pussycats. :)

    [I am not ready to insult Obama, as they did Bush, by saying he's being "handled" by Rahm Emmanuel. I think he is more than capable of leading us out of this situation, if he wants to. His wanting to is the question part -admin]

  • Dagwood

    Rebut what, Ken? Can you not admit that maybe some bills should never see the light of day, especially when their success relies on disinformation, labeling of honest concerned citizens as instigators, and behind-doors strong-arming of less-than-enthusiastic party members?

    If you were to poll Americans as to whether they would like to see our country move towards providing healthcare coverage for those who are unable to afford/obtain it for themselves, most people would say yes. Ask those same people whether government should exercise even greater financial control over taxpayers, increase current deficit spending exponentially, and burden those who haven’t even been born yet with record debt in order to provide healthcare to over 40 million people, one-third of whom reside here illegally and another third of whom are young healthy adults who would rather spend their hard-earned money on nicer homes and Hummers, and the answer would be a resounding “No!”

    Furthermore, just because our president may believe that he’s working for the country’s best interests does not mean that he’s going about it the right way. And it certainly doesn’t mean that this half-baked legislation that he’s trying to get rushed out to the table before anyone can figure out what he’s attempting to feed us is the best prescription for the challenges we face.

    This administration has turned bankruptcy law on its ear and penalized legally entitled secured creditors in order to reward union workers for their support. It continues to funnel money towards supportive activist groups such as ACORN despite the growing scandals within the organization, while its justice department refuses to hold accountable those who clearly and openly sought to intimidate would-be voters last November. It has turned up its nose at any notion of bi-partisan cooperation and continually proclaims its new mantra “I won” in place of the old one, “Change and Hope.”

    And it seems to think that the best response to a lukewarm public response is to re-label its proposed boondoggles (“Healthcare reform? Oh, no no, we meant to say insurance reform”). Heaven forbid it should actually have to (shudder!) rethink them. And now it can’t figure out why the public doesn’t respond to its unread 1,000+ page plan as enthusiastically as did Michael Jackson fans whenever the late entertainer would moonwalk.

    One has to question one’s intentions, too, when the White House staff and the demagogues currently in control of Congress attempt to sell this basket of goodies by continuing to foment class hatred, broad-brush physicians as nothing but greedy bastards looking for an excuse to take out your kid’s tonsils, and become resentful when voters aren’t satisfied with their message of “Trust us. We’ll work out all the details somewhere down the road, after we’ve voted to empower ourselves to dictate your all your future healthcare options.”

  • bridgit

    Bravo Dagwood!
    I need to print off what you wrote because it says articulately what I think and it does so in a succinct manner. Thank you.
    bridgit

  • Stephanie

    Obama could say, “you know, I’m moving kind of fast here, maybe we’ll shelve this for a while and concentrate more on putting people back to work, which is urgent.”
    Not everyone thinks it’s a bad idea. Some people do. So why should he turn his back on his supporters? I respect Dagwood’s right to an opinion, but I don’t agree with his explanation of what “Obamacare” is-
    (“…whether government should exercise even greater financial control over taxpayers…..).
    It seems to me that a lot of what I read here about healthcare reform comes off as hyperbole- when I boil it down, they are afraid of change. The status quo works for you. But it doesn’t for everyone, and some of us are open to change (and no, being open to change and reform does NOT make you an idiot).

  • Gina
  • Kelleybee

    Stephanie, when one reads hr3200, it is pretty eye popping. I am not one to shrink from change as a rule, but many provisions of this proposal are darn scary. Read it and we can chat.

  • Loxodonta Solitarius

    Dear Anchoress: Thank you for your calm reporting and analysis of this event. It is nonetheless troubling, isn’t it?

    I don’t understand the Police Officer’s behavior at all. I would love to read an interview with him, explaining his behavior.

    Yes. The irony was rich when the woman warning, with “absolute moral authority” and pointed finger, said that not doing what a police officer tells you to do is “resisting.” Too bad she wasn’t a presidential adviser, or at least a neighbor of Professor Gates.

    Is it possible that part of the White House strategy is to actually encourage, even incite, anger among us opponents? Emotional people may not think as clearly as they do otherwise. And loud, angry groups also fit right into their attempts to stigmatize us as “mobs” of dangerous extremists.

    The thing is, it’s so important for us now to not get mad, but get even, and preferably get a majority in 2010. Hope for Change! Yes we can!

    Calm, clear thinking will help. And the video-grapher of the YouTube piece is was just that and did a wonderful job. Kudos to you, ma’am.

    Good humor will also help, though I confess I sometimes lose mine these days. I’m old enough to remember the anti-war demonstrations of the 60′s, and I can’t recall such an anti-American president.

    “To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.” — Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909)

    My best wishes to you and please continue your good work. Bless you.

  • Loxodonta Solitarius

    Gina: Yes, but as the MSM seem curiously disinterested in pointing out Obama’s hypocrisy, we ordinary Americans need to do the jobs they refuse to do.

    See? Obama is creating jobs!

  • Loxodonta Solitarius

    Another piece of evidence that we can have Hope for Change:

    Obama has lost Peggy Noonan!

    ‘You Are Terrifying Us’
    Voters send a message to Washington, and get an ugly response.

  • LaurieK

    “being open to change and reform does NOT make you an idiot).”

    Being open to this particular change and manner of “reform” (the word should probably not be applied to this legislative travesty) does. Health insurance industry reform (because this bill is about insurance and not health care) is an idea I think has a lot of merit. But not this…thing. HR 3200 is appalling.

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  • http://jscafenette.com Jeanette

    Is anyone else getting the feeling of being in the old Soviet Union, only on American soil?

  • http://lowlytuber.blogspot.com tim maguire

    I imagine this event will expose a lot of hypocrisy on both sides of the isle. I was disappointed by the number of people who thought Gates deserved to be arrested for being a jerk to Officer Crowley. Just as Acorn does a 180 when the shoe is on the other foot (is that a mixed metaphor? More like 2nd cousins, I think), I expect many on the right to flip as well and be outraged at the way the police pushed around law abiding citizens here.

  • Ken

    Dagwood, you have, as Bridgit said, eloquently addressed the proposed policy changes, but what I asked for rebuttal on is my contention that Obama is only playing hardball like anyone else. People here fault him for playing tough, but who isn’t playing tough?

    And it wasn’t this president who declared, “I earned some political capital, and I’m going to spend it.” Obama has reached out to Republicans — and if pointing the blame at insurance companies is class warfare, then every charge of blame is warfare — but he’s not going to compromise any more than he has to on what he promised in the campaign. He’s not going to let them just write the bill, and don’t forget the sizeable I-hope-he-fails contingent among them, who he has no hope of working with. Yes, a growing number of people are opposed to his health care plans, although whether they understand those plans very well or have been mislead by demagogues is another question.

    [You're right, Ken, he didn't say, "I earned some capital and I'm going to spend it" he said, "I won." That was his big reaching out to republicans. He lets Pelosi and Reid write the legislation he pushes and he lets them LOCK THE GOP OUT of inclusion in that process. He doesn't even take ideas from Blue Dogs. That is NOT leadership; that's something quite different. A president who says, "I don't want to do a lot of talking" and "I'll clean up the mess but I don't want to do a lot of talking" on the SPENDING AND POLICIES HE VOTED FOR WHILE IN CONGRESS and THE DEFICIT HE ADDED TO WITH UNPRECEDENTED SPENDING in just six months, is a president who is playing with people's perceptions of reality and doing NOTHING to "reach out," as you say. Now a majority of the people in his country are saying, "stop spending we don't want this" and he does not care to hear it, either. You know what, I'm done. I should know better than to even respond. I won't again. Not your fault, sometimes it's just oil and water, and I think this is one of those times. We're all meeeeean demogogues, the protesters are all being bussed in by insurance companies, people who aren't carrying swastikas ARE, people who DID carry swastikas are all aflutter about it, and Obama is a strong, mighty leader, who just won't listen to stupid people who should just shut up. -admin]

  • Ken

    Anchoress, you’re right, I made a connection you weren’t making and misrepresented your point. I apologize.

    “Not on this blog.” — You do give Obama the benefit of the doubt sometimes, and other times you accuse him of calling in thugs and you link to a site that calls them goons, and in so doing you encourage the people here who liken him to a Nazi and call Pelosi (or was it Boxer?) retarded.

    [Apology not needed, I know we get heated sometimes, but I don't like people putting words in my mouth. And I do not "encourage" people here to liken the president to nazis. His crew is doing that all by themselves. I don't see "every" comment, because for some reason, my emailing thing does not work, so if someone called someone else "retarded" I didn't see it, but let me just say your outrage is a little humorous to me, considering you watch Keith Olbermann. -admin]

  • YogusBearus

    “..but he’s not going to compromise any more than he has to on what he promised in the campaign.”

    On the contrary Ken, I think Obama’s record over the last six months consists of nothing but compromise. A list of the Bush policies he campaigned against and now embraces is proof enough. I can’t honestly say that he has compromised his principles since I don’t have any real idea what his principles really are.

  • Ken

    I do watch Olbermann a lot, but for his guests. I think he’s a jerk.

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  • Dagwood

    I agree and concede, Ken, that the Bush statement “I earned some political capital, and I’m going to spend it” is as arrogant as “I won.” Whenever any candidate claims to have a “mandate” it’s basically political-speak, in my opinion, for “I’m in charge and I demand that I get my own way, whether everyone likes it or not.”

    I may not agree with all that you posted, but I won’t dilute this post by going into those differences here.

  • conversefive

    Today has been an eye-opening day on the blogosphere. I have seen more posts today than in the past two weeks of people who are union members, progressives, liberals and gays who are opposed to the senate health care bill. The more you read of it, the less you know. The thing is pieced together with amendments and cross-references to the Social Security Act. You can’t tell if some coverages are mandatory or optional. Very poor written document. Don’t see how they can get it passed unless some of those Blue Dogs in states with Democratic governors do some kind of skanky arm bending to force the BD to step down and replace with their own “operative” to get the thing passed. God forbid that should happen. I don’t see how it could.

  • Gedge

    Great video! It takes guts to keep asking questions in awkward spaces. The whole cop thing was weird. What was his role and his orders on this?

    Since the elephant is in the room. This officer seemed a wee bit protective of anyone talking to the Red Coats. I noticed his lateral movement and arm waving defense. (sign him up Cavaliers).

    Maybe i haven’t read into this enough, I keep looking. but where was this? I don’t know BR right away.

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