White House Isn't Concerned by Health-Care Protests (group seeking to create "manufactured anger")

Source: WSJ

WASHINGTON -- The White House isn't concerned that increasingly vocal protests around the country are frustrating its push for health-care legislation.

Briefing reporters Tuesday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs suggested that the opposition is being organized by a small group seeking to create "manufactured anger."

"I hope people will take a jaundiced eye to what is clearly the AstroTurf nature of so-called grass-roots lobbying," Mr. Gibbs said.

In recent days, administration officials and Democratic members of Congress have been shouted down by angry protesters at town halls in Pennsylvania and Texas, an uproar that could grow when lawmakers return to their districts for the August recess.

Mr. Gibbs compared the protesters with the "Brooks Brothers Brigade" that he said appeared in Florida after the 2000 presidential election.

"I seem to see some commonality in who pops up at some of these things," he said, without elaborating. "You can see quite a bit of similarity between who shows up where."

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124939676158504833.html

Worry instead about the real grassroots 'single payer' movement.

They mean business. ;)

How would they ever sell a complete government take over of healthcare? Seriously, how?

Some might even say, it was designed to fail.

However, there is no selling Medicare... It already exists. Extending it to cover everyone would be the only modification required.

How is it, you think 'single payer' is necessarily 'all government'... That would be Universal Healthcare. (My favored option.)

It is a lot of government and I do not think anyone, even Obama, can sell "single payer" to the country right now...The GOP is having huge success selling fear into the people right now and the proposed reform has nothing to do with government take over. Just because many here on DU like single payer does not in anyway mean it can be sold to the people.

very different things.

Health care is whether your doctor tells you you need surgery or drugs or nothing more than exercise. It's whether he prescribes Nexium or Prilosec. No one is talking about affecting health care or getting government into the health care field. Rather, it's about whether health insurance costs you less next year than it does now, or whether it will cost you more next year.

Democrats are much worse at selling stuff than are the Republicans, i'll grant you that. Not sure if that's intentional or not.

I see Swift Boat all over again!

is abolishing the idea that insurance companies can refuse to cover pre-existing conditions. If they emphasize that they have to do everything else in order to make sure that when you go to the hospital you walk home with no bill or a relatively predictable deductible, then people will be pleased. That is the thing that needs to be changed most urgently. Also, if, at the very least, everyone can get insurance. That is no one is turned down, then people will begin to trust reform.

The problem is going to be that the coverage will be too expensive. They have not done enough to cut costs. That would single payer does. It cuts costs. But many people need to see how successful these first steps are before they will be ready to go on to the next discussion about single payer.

I fear we are losing the message battle! Despite the fact these so-called grass roots folks screaming at these townhall meetings are being organized & bussed in by right wing groups they are planting fear and doubt in a lot of people! Something has to be done to counter this or it will be shown by the MSM as a true uprising against healthcare reform.

I, too, fear that we are losing the battle. What are people talking about? The town-hall disruptions, the "killing old people" crap.

The Democrats need to get people talking about the personal stories of people who lost their health insurance, lost their houses to pay for medical care, etc. Not just the disheartening statistics, but the real people behind them. Get a few Joe/Joan Six-packs (or, dare I say it, even a REAL Joe the Plumber) out there to make people think about what the human costs of our current system are (and how easily any of us could become one of those cases...)

I was insured with Principal Insurance for several years via my wife's employer...I was a full time student and worked part time for a criminal defense attorney and then had a spinal cord injury. The insurance was fine as it paid for both my spinal surgeries and my 3 months of in house hospitalization and in house rehab. However, I was left with this INSANE Neuropathic pain that was literally driving me MAD! So I was enrolled in a top of the line pain clinic which was approved by my insurance but once the cost of the testing and medical trials I was going through hit they dropped me! I was left with a $500 a month medicine bill and no further test for relief of my pain.

My doctors put me on an extremely high dose of Lyrica to help take the edge off my pain but this too cost me $250 a month.

So, I am stuck at home in pain and broke! My wife and I had to get divorced so that I could qualify for entry into Medicare without having to pay a huge penalty...And so that I could qualify for other programs offered by the drug companies. It is pure madness!

The Insurance companies know if they drop you that you can't get private insurance and you are then forced into Medicare! This is corporate welfare!

My wife (still my wife regardless of what we were forced to do) and I are one step away from losing our house...I feel so helpless and weak because my wife is working to support me and our house and I can't do a thing to help! Other than my $1000 Social Security Check a month...We have said that will pay our house note regardless of what happens but what is killing us is my $500 a month medicine. I wish I could go without but I would not be able to walk and I would be in pain that really would be unbearable!

My wife is so strong and AWESOME!! She could have left me after my injury but she is sticking it out with me! I am very lucky!!

they aren't going to shut up long enough for you to tell your story. that is the whole point.

healthcare reform supporters in the audience need to confront these assholes. in numbers that match their own.

they need to realize that they will NOT control the show.

standing in front of a microphone begging for a chance to speak ain't gonna work because they have no intention of giving you that chance.

dems will never learn. we HAVE to fight fire with fire.

we don't have to lie. there are enough ugly truths about them that americans will respond to. we just have to point it out loudly and often, not "play nice".

We need our teams spread out through the crowd who use applause or boos to drown out the mostly eldery who are causing such fake chaos...What really erks me is the new poll that came out that shows most who oppose Obama's healthcare reform proposals are above 50yrs old...Kinda ironic that those about to be or are already on government healthcare are opposed to proposed reform that is not even anything close to a government take over of healthcare. However, this is due to the Republicans campaign to tell old folks that Obama is going to kill them.

I hate to say this as most of these people screamng "I'm Mad" at these townhalls are not bright enough to know any better and are being used by the Repugs and the Insurance Lobby...But if they get up and scream and yell like that they ought to be omitted from using Medicare!

It reminds me of all the Bubbas in the trailer parks with 5 babies from 5 different women who are all on welfare food stamps and medicaid because Bubba is a meth head does not work and he blames minorities for the country's problems.

They need to be reminded what this is all about.

In the midst of all your misfortune, you really are fortunate to have such a wonderful wife. It's a shame you had to legally divorce, but you're more married than most legally married people I know.

I wish you and your wife all the best. :hug:

:shrug:

by right wingers..