When confronted by bullies, what do you do is who you are
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid launched his harshest attack on the Republican Party in months, claiming the GOP is “being run by a talk show host.”
Reid, armed with a patch of Astroturf, slammed Republicans for sponsoring town hall attacks on Democrats and accused the party of waging a barricade on Democratic efforts to pass health care reform legislation.
“I just want to show you what Astroturf really is,” Reid said to laughter. “They’re taking their cues from talk show hosts, Internet rumor mongers, and insurance rackets.”
“I just think, as I’ve said before, it’s not often that you try to blow yourself up, but that’s obviously what they’re trying to do with all this vexatious stuff they’re doing with these meetings, the birthers. It’s a party being run by a talk show host,” Reid said.
If you cave into bullying and intimidation, you guarantee yourself still more bullying and intimidation. If you confront it and defeat it, the bully will slink back into the shadows.
That’s the way it works. Fight back or give in. And in this case, if you give in, you’re surrendering more than health-care reform. You’re surrendering control of the country to some of its least rational elements, because the tactic will be repeated over and over again.
I think that reality is beginning to sink in. In fact, it’s easy to see how the hardball tactics of the right could end up doing what Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama perhaps could not, which is to unite congressional Democrats to get this thing done.
UPDATE: Oh, and spare me the sanctimony. Yelling and screaming are not expressions of opinion. They are tactics designed to prevent others from expressing an opinion. There is a very big — and important — difference.
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314 comments Add your comment
Gandulf - Second!!!
August 6th, 2009
5:13 pm
I’m second and very funny!!!
getalife
August 6th, 2009
5:15 pm
I guess rush calling the dems Nazis made him respond.
The malkin cons are going after Pelosi in a Denver townhall but the dems are sending the union thugs.
Too funny.
I Report :-) You Whine :-(
August 6th, 2009
5:18 pm
It’s better than being run by a TelePrompter dependent socialist.
I truly wonder how many moderate and blue dog democrat protestors are hearing this sissy attack and trying to remember when they joined the health care industry?
The more people get to know democrats, the bigger the Republican gets.
thanks, y’all!
Brad Steel
August 6th, 2009
5:19 pm
The Palin nomination seems to be a watershed moment for republicans’ distinct lack of leadership or strategy. (Of course, who wouldn’t be a little lost after the Bush/Cheney disasters). They seems to be getting even better at reverse-psychology tactics that promote the democrats agenda. Weird.
DebbieDoRight
August 6th, 2009
5:20 pm
Well the dems are on the offensive too. I got this email in my inbox not too long ago:
debbie (name changed to protect the innocent) –
Members of Congress have been home for just a few days, and they’re already facing increased pressure from insurance companies, special interests, and partisan attack organizations that are spending millions to block health insurance reform.
These groups are using scare tactics and spreading smears about the President’s plan for reform, trying to incite constituents into lashing out at their representatives and disrupting their events.
The goal of these disruptions is for a few people to get a lot of media attention and hijack the entire public discourse. If they succeed, all Americans — Democrats, Republicans, and Independents — will continue to struggle under the broken status quo.
It’s up to us to show Congress that those loudly opposing reform are a tiny minority being stirred up by special interests, and that a huge majority strongly supports enacting real health insurance reform in 2009.
Your representative, John Lewis, has been fighting hard for real health insurance reform. Can you call the local office in Atlanta? Let the person who answers know that you’re a constituent.
I Report :-) You Whine :-(
August 6th, 2009
5:20 pm
President Obama tried to convince lawmakers in his own party that America’s “crisis” in health-care financing would turn to catastrophe if Congress did not radically expand government power over health care by this month. He failed. Despite huge Democratic majorities, neither house of Congress passed any such legislation by the Obama deadline.-Taranto, Nazi
Yeah, just vote on it, you kowards.
electrician
August 6th, 2009
5:21 pm
JAY..why do you hate Americans? we have now come to the point that disagreeing with the government makes you the enemy,though we have probably been at that point for some time,dissension now makes you the MOB,change indeed.
George American
August 6th, 2009
5:22 pm
Well I’d rather have smart, influential, well-spoken radio hosts as leaders than an illegal Kenyan-born community organizer and his socialist cronies.
I Report/ Health Care Industry Plant/ Nazi :-) You Whine :-(
August 6th, 2009
5:24 pm
Let’s see, for the mathematically challenged dimwitocrats, you have enough Congressman to pass health care without any Republicans, duh, so let me guess, this means some of your people are against it too, those stinking health care plants!
George American
August 6th, 2009
5:25 pm
Another fine example of anti-American journalism. Why does the AJC promote hatred of Real Americans?
I Report/ Health Care Industry Plant/ Nazi :-) You Whine :-(
August 6th, 2009
5:26 pm
Aahhh, yes, astroturf democrats for Limbaugh, we got it.
Number1ninja
August 6th, 2009
5:26 pm
“JAY..why do you hate Americans? we have now come to the point that disagreeing with the government makes you the enemy,though we have probably been at that point for some time,dissension now makes you the MOB,change indeed.”
Huh, who said “If you’re not with us, you’re against us”? Which side labeled a war hero a traitor? I don’t think you should go there.
DebbieDoRight
August 6th, 2009
5:31 pm
Obama is not a Kenyan!!! He’s a Muslim from Indonesia!! Get your stories straight!!! Dang!!
electrician
August 6th, 2009
5:40 pm
Number1ninja..this is not about”sides” its about ALL of us.
RW-(the original)
August 6th, 2009
5:43 pm
The White House and its allies have tossed around accusations of “astroturfing” — fake grassroots movements — at the opposition to ObamaCare with gusto, as town-hall meetings erupt in anger and acrimony towards elected officials who don’t bother to read bills before voting for them. They claim that powerful forces have pushed these overdressed people into these meetings, and that their strategies are coordinated from on high, rather than representing a truly sincere opposition.
Say, isn’t this Astroturfing?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good thing I read on after Jay B’s “If you cave” paragraph because at first I thought he had been kidnapped again and the impostor was telling us not to cave in to Harry Reid’s attempt at bullying.
Mike "Hussein" Smith
August 6th, 2009
5:44 pm
Back off bullies. Pelost must be right. See rightwing protester holding hand-drawn swastika in slam against Obama: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/06/anti-obama-protester-comp_n_252815.html
Pokey
August 6th, 2009
5:48 pm
Sounds like someone is desperate…keep believing it Bookman!!
This travesty has nothing to do with reform…it is about forcing a single payer plan on us that the vast majority of Americans do not want.
JB, why does BHO insist on misrepresenting what is in the House bill??
I Report/ Health Care Industry Plant/ Nazi :-) You Whine :-(
August 6th, 2009
5:49 pm
There’s just one problem. NowHampshire.com contacted Shaheen’s office who confirms that the senator is in Washington and will not attend the town hall meeting. Staff will field questions in Grafton instead.
The “staff” will field rotten tomatoes is my guess.
Mike "Hussein" Smith
August 6th, 2009
5:51 pm
Jay, why not set up your computer system to block all posts that include the sentence: Why do you hate America/Americans? It gets tiresome reading it over and over. Plus it usually falls in a dumb post like the one above from Electrician, who seems to think he has become the “enemy” for disagreeing with the government? And who believes George American is a real American?
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
August 6th, 2009
5:53 pm
Well, I see while I was out fishing this Bosch was all worryed about who was going to deliver his beer while I’m gone. He don’t have to worry, Bob Ed Boggess is taking over my route while I’m out of state. Course, the beer might could be a little frothy. Bob Ed can’t see too good and he hates the glasses he’s suppose to wear to drive legal. He hits every pothole and bump in the road. Sometimes we tell him he needs to go back out again to keep his perfect record because he missed one.
Anyhow, Bosch has more things to worry about than if his beer is going to be there. He was at death’s door in a hospitle just a couple weeks ago and then a big tree fell and split his house in two and killed his cat and almost got him. Sounds like God has it in for him. He’d best hit the floor on his knees and beg forgiveness for whatever he done to make God mad. Then he can worry about beer. It’s probly the librul garbage he spouts on here.
I been a little worryed something could happen to me on this trip that will turn me 180 degrees like Bookman’s trip turned him. For a couple days after he got back he was a great Conservative but pretty soon he went back to being a librul lunatic. I would hate to get back home and start making posts that argue for tax increases and socialized medicine and all that stuff. They would make me move out of Simpsons Trailer Park and maybe all of Forsyth County before I got back to my senses.
Anyways, people got a right to protest the librul Democrats meetings on health care. And if they’re getting paid to do it too, why that’s even better. Ain’t nothing better than raising cane as a Conservative and making money at it too. Have a good night everybody.
Finn McCool
August 6th, 2009
5:56 pm
I Report/ Health Care Industry Plant/ Nazi
You Whine 
Hehehe. Yeah what a tool that guy is. One of the republican’s finest in all of Jay’s descriptions up above.
Funny how those right wing sheep need to spend all day on a liberal blog site because no one else wants to hear them whine and rant all day and late into the night.
Mike "Hussein" Smith
August 6th, 2009
5:59 pm
Convert, the same thing happened to Andrew Sullivan, only much worse. After being away from his blog for two weeks, he came back grouchy as an old bear (both kinds). He even seemed to encourage the birthers at one point. But he did apologize for it after a few days of being hammered by readers. Jay’s swing to the right was nothing compared with Sullivan’s.
electrician
August 6th, 2009
5:59 pm
mike..you have proved my point,if someone doesn’t think like you ,insult their intelligence, then suggest they be censored.
Finn McCool
August 6th, 2009
6:02 pm
Hey, anyone have experience with aircards? Can I get multiple air cards and log them all onto the same system?
Can you get a card for a desktop?
Hey, while were at it: Why won’t Visual Basic 2008 Express run on my old XP laptop from work?
Finn McCool
August 6th, 2009
6:03 pm
Redneck, first things first, what did youse catch in the great outta doors?
Number1ninja
August 6th, 2009
6:03 pm
“Number1ninja..this is not about”sides” its about ALL of us.”
True enough, so come up with ideas instead of scapegoats.
Paul
August 6th, 2009
6:07 pm
It would be nice if, when confronted or responding, Sen Reid and others could instead, tell us just what’s in the ‘bill.’ Seems to me part of the problem. Leadership says there are lots of proposals out there, the President has a soundbite of ‘haven’t read it’ and it provides a fertile ground for opponents (whatever their motivation) to sow disinformation.
Sure, Democratic politicians are now using this to strengthen their position. I hope, though, a consequence of this is not so much uniting Democrats (which is doubtful – the gulf between Progressives and Blue Dogs appears much too wide) as it will be to have Republican leadership grow a spine, assert a vision and lay out a plan to obtain it.
Bosch
August 6th, 2009
6:07 pm
Redneck,
Oh thank God for Bob Ed. I need that beer!
I Report/ Health Care Industry Plant/ Nazi :-) You Whine :-(
August 6th, 2009
6:09 pm
Finn McFool- Yeah man, none of my formerly sneering democrat buddies seem to wanna talk politics anymore, I wonder why that is?
Finn McCool
August 6th, 2009
6:09 pm
Paul, that’s what they’re trying to do with the Town Hall meetings. They’re trying to explain some of this stuff.
They can’t even hear their own voices. Why bother? Just sign the damn thing.
Mike "Hussein" Smith
August 6th, 2009
6:11 pm
Jay, thanks for that update: **Oh, and spare me the sanctimony. Yelling and screaming are not expressions of opinion. They are tactics designed to prevent others from expressing an opinion. There is a very big — and important — difference.** What you said was so obvious that I have to wonder why so many people hadn’t thought of it before.
Bud Wiser
August 6th, 2009
6:12 pm
I guess Jay doesn’t remember Obowo’s “get in the face of…” quote during the campaign. It sort of puts him at the front of the cracker chasing line, yu know.
Also, this probably won’t fly (by Jay the Omnipotent…..Censor), but I have hereby, for brevity reasons, sort of altered the English language to fit the case, but do now hereby dub Obowo’s cracker chasers as the KKK – Kooky Krackerchasing Kooalition!
K – Kooky: no problem with identification of personality types there
K – Krackerchasing: well, this is a bit of a stretch, from cracker chasers, but I allow myself latitude here
Koalition – obviously from coalition, a favorite Demwit party word.
KKK – take it for what it is only, the morons that expound on another connection after this thorough definition and explanation are, well, idiots.
As expected.
And I could tell you who the first ones will be, but let us all watch as they expose themselves as KKK members!
RW-(the original)
August 6th, 2009
6:12 pm
About that HuffPo swastika picture……..
I did a little more digging and found over 130 high resolution photos of the event in this gallery. If found the right where she should be (Pic 1, Pic 2). I looked through all 133 pictures with a fine tooth comb for the lady with the sign that someone sent to Sam Stein.
Guess who is missing?
Now she might be there and they somehow missed getting her in any picture, but if I’m holding the camera there’s no way that babe is the only one that doesn’t show up.
Who You Gonna Call
August 6th, 2009
6:14 pm
Too bad the entire Republican party, what’s left of them, is turning out to be such a pathetic lot. I agree, Jay, the Dems are long overdue for pushing back. The little kindergarten Republican bullies have had their play time. Hannity, Rush, Newt, Dick, et al — the new old Republican party. That all you got… left. You’d do better letting IR/YW run the little freak show.
getalife
August 6th, 2009
6:15 pm
“DCCC spokeswoman Jennifer Crider issued the following statement in response to Rush Limbaugh’s outrageous comments comparing Democrats to members of the Nazi Party and use of the Nazi swastika:
“Rush Limbaugh’s comparison of the Democratic Party to the Nazi Party in World War II is as disgusting as it is shocking. Limbaugh’s use of the Nazi swastika in attempting to make a tasteless political comparison has no place in the public discourse.
“Just this past weekend, Minority Whip Eric Cantor said that the GOP ‘needs’ Mr. Limbaugh. He should immediately condemn Limbaugh’s hateful rhetoric in the strongest possible terms and encourage Republican Members to do the same.
“At a time when families need real solutions to rebuild the economy and make health care more affordable, Rush Limbaugh is attempting to sidetrack the important debate through his use of symbols that are synonymous with murder and intolerance. Americans deserve better.” TPM.
Too funny.
Paul
August 6th, 2009
6:16 pm
Finn
Good point. But they lost the momentum early on. People said “what’s being reformed?” and the leadership said “Oh, we’re gonna insure all the uninsured and it’s gonna cost…. WHAT?!? over a trillion dollars?”
Insurance pools, dropping preexisting prohibitions, all that got lost in the publicity.
Then people started asking “wait a minute, 1000 pages to do what? Why the 300 page last minute amendment? Who pushed that and what’s in it?” and the answers were “ummmm.”
So I give them credit for getting out there and trying to explain. But dang, this is something the leadership should have been doing weeks ago.
RW-(the original)
August 6th, 2009
6:17 pm
UPDATE: Oh, and spare me the sanctimony. Yelling and screaming are not expressions of opinion. They are tactics designed to prevent others from expressing an opinion. There is a very big — and important — difference.
You realize the memo that supposedly proved this big astroturf campaign said to be respectful but just try to get the politician off their talking points so they would answer real questions. Of course only ten people had seen that memo before it got offered up as proof that all across the land phonies were using it as a guide.
Bud Wiser
August 6th, 2009
6:19 pm
Oh, and by the way, I called it spot on yesterday when I predicted that the cowardly Democratic congresspersons would suddenly announce out of the blue a radical curtailment and cancellation of these alleged “town hall” meetings, when these asses found themselves confronted by an upset constituency.
Cowards.
All of them.
And suddenly very very afraid of what is going to happen to them in 2010.
But, they are good little doggies, and will do what Obowo and Pelosi tell them to do, and will vote for the plan, because they have already cushioned their impending retirement, full of taxpayer money, perks, and their own health care plan, and are laughing all the way to the bank with that one.
Finn McCool
August 6th, 2009
6:20 pm
RW, you really think liberals are sitting around photoshopping swastikas into pictures?
We’re too lazy for that crapola, man. Sure, we may be really good with Photoshop, and Apple Mac’s (well I dont care for Apple, myself) and such.
But…really, we don’t need to do that kind of stuff. Your ilk do all the heavy lifting for us..we can just sit around and point it out.
Go back and look at the news feeds in florida after the 2000 election. Look for the zanies bussed in by the Republicans. Look at that craziness. We don’t need to photoshop that stuff together.
In fact, maybe we libs need to put us some zaniness together like that…nah, we like sound reasoning instead of lies and misdirection and ruling by fear. We’ll leave the need for that to you republicans.
Bud Wiser
August 6th, 2009
6:22 pm
Oh I don’t know, getaclue, comparing the Dems to Nazis, Obowo and his KKK, what the hell is the difference?
They’re all coming out of the closet on this issue, let them expose themselves.
And don’t be so angry and such a crybaby because your show ponies are trampling all over your rights, your freedoms; don’t be afraid to admit how stupid you were to back these dangerous people, admitting you have a problem and recognizing it is the first step toward recovery.
Bosch
August 6th, 2009
6:23 pm
As I said earlier, just shut up and do it already. All this fussing is getting old.
RW-(the original)
August 6th, 2009
6:25 pm
BD,
As I said I would have taken the babes picture and maybe the photog didn’t, but if you think libs are too lazy to phony up pictures and documents you’re smoking something that should be left only to getalife.
RW-(the original)
August 6th, 2009
6:27 pm
Besides, you guys don’t need a single Republican vote to get your bill passed and signed into law so this is just a smokescreen.
Finn McCool
August 6th, 2009
6:28 pm
Paul writes: So I give them credit for getting out there and trying to explain. But dang, this is something the leadership should have been doing weeks ago.
Well, sure, but they aren’t there yet. Do you want the baker calling you up to come get your cake when it’s only 95% baked? You can’t put together an all-encompassing health care plan in 6 months. I’ll bet my bottom dollar there isn’t an intern in DC who has slept since January. and none of them are taking vacation this month.
I have to think they are fine-tooth combing this thing now and getting geared for the return in Sept.
Sorry, but this thing is not going to die this time. It’s going through – it has to go through.
electrician
August 6th, 2009
6:31 pm
Number1ninja @6:03 It would be great if we truly had a scapegoat,one person that everyone could agree was the single cause of all our difficulty,traditionally that has been the sitting president,if only it were that simple.I think the American people are more divided now than we have been for many years,its the culmination of decades of government distrust,justifiable mistrust,we have devolved into a nation that may never again be able to be unified with each other,instead we will continue to look to our government,to give us answers and to ease our mistrust of our fellow countrymen.that is my idea ,if we can overcome this then we may have a chance.
Finn McCool
August 6th, 2009
6:32 pm
We need…what we need…what would really help us…is:
Some Bachmann love!! Yes, she, and only she can get all the Democrats together going “wtf is this zany person saying?”
“What is she smoking and is it legal in my state?”
Bud Wiser
August 6th, 2009
6:33 pm
stands for decibels
August 6th, 2009
8:23 am
Uh, moron
Bud, you realize I’m not reading beyond that point, right?
So who read the first part to you? You’re nobviously not smart enough to read and comprehend simple English on your own.
Moron.
And, your reference to me as an “old man” shows your apparent stupid bigroty toward seniors….and that despite the fact you haven’t a CLUE as to how old I am, therefore, you show your ignorance and bigotry ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
See everyone?
Fools like this expose themselves for what they are, and don’t even have the brainsa to know how stupid they make themselves to be.
As I said before, I pity you.
Sort of.
Cherokee
August 6th, 2009
6:38 pm
I’m glad Senator Reid is standing up to the crazies. It’s about time.
And isn’t it interesting, when MoveOn opened up their site to their members, and one nutjob posted a video comparing Bush to Hitler, all heck broke loose. The fainting ladies of the right wing were just appalled.
Now, though, when their Dear Leader Rush does it, why, it’s just part of politics.
Hypocrites.
Finn McCool
August 6th, 2009
6:39 pm
Here’s a question for you:
How many of these Reps or Senators are standing there in the town hall when these crazies start in and are thinking to themselves:
—”ok, how many of these folks are packing guns right now?”
—”where are my exits?”
—”where is the closest bar these kooks could have come from and are more on the way?”
—”will I live to see my grand kids graduate college? Dang, I’m just trying to help these people”
jt
August 6th, 2009
6:40 pm
Jay comments-
“If you cave into bullying and intimidation, you guarantee yourself still more bullying and intimidation. If you confront it and defeat it, the bully will slink back into the shadows.”
jt responds-
Things don’t always work out like in Mayberry. Sometimes the bully whups you and makes you his batch.