Posted on 08/10/2009 5:21:21 AM PDT by Red in Blue PA
Imagine it's four years ago and an aide to President George W. Bush posted a blog on the Whitehouse.gov Web site that bemoaned Internet criticism of the Iraq war, then continued: "These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain e-mails or through casual conversations.
Since we can't keep track of all of them here at the White House, we're asking for your help. If you get an e-mail or see something on the Web about anti-war protests that seem fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."
Substitute the words "health insurance reform" for "anti-war protests," and you get the exact wording of a blog posted by Macon Phillips, the White House director of new media, on Tuesday.
"I can only imagine the level of justifiable outrage had your predecessor asked Americans to forward e-mails critical of his politics to the White House," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, wrote in a letter to President Obama. "I suspect that you would have been leading the charge in condemning such a program."
No lie.
Now I don't think Obamaland was working on an "enemies list" - as some conservatives have charged. But I do want to note how deftly the left has abandoned its old rallying cry, "Dissent is patriotic."
Democratic leaders have taken to dissing health care dissenters who show up at town-hall meetings conducted by members of Congress visiting their districts - and not just for the boorish behavior of the loudmouths.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, dismissed protesters as "AstroTurf" - artificial grassroots support. On MSNBC's "Hardball," Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., exhorted the media to investigate town-hall protesters, as "This is just all organized."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
What’s really funny is they’re too STOOPID to realize that their pushing only increases our impetus.
A bunch of folks of all age groups and backgrounds and occupations, showing up with hand lettered signs and their own understanding of the issues at hand
vs
a bunch of fat union thugs on a bus with the same T-shirts and attitudes and the identically printed signs.
Yes, which is “astroturf”?
Yes, and isn’t it interesting how they’ve not only ditched, but demonized expression like “dissent is patriotic”. How about “speaking truth to power”? All those flowery buzzwords have fallen by the wayside because they have their (false) Messiah in office.
You’ve got to hand it to the left....they never overestimate the intelligence of the electorate. They are able to contradict themselves because the MSM will cover for them and most people are too dim or apathetic to call them on it.
If the Blue person hits the Red person, the Red person cries out ‘unfair’
So when the Red person hits the Blue person, it is the Blue persons job to cry out.
Don’t expect the Red person to carry your water for you.
The author of the article is being very honest in this article and I think that we need to comment on this honesty. I wished more people were this honest. I lost a good friend some time ago who was very liberal, very honest, and very fair. He lived by the golden rule. I realize that the term “honest liberal” is an oxymoron, but so was my friend.
And we know he is not forwarding those names to ACORN or Unions because????
Pray for America
You are right and it also happens to be how I judge people personally. There are honest liberals who do not spin the facts but still see the answers within a liberal world view. Then there are dishonest liberals, like most on MSNBC, for example (except Mika B. IMHO) who will spin or lie to fit the talking point of the day and simply win the argument of the moment rather than seeking the larger truth.
The same is true of conservatives, of course. True of all groups of people, in fact.
But you raise a really important distinction. Reasonable (honest) people can disagree and debate but dishonest partisans can only fight.
Those in the 0bama administration, starting at the very top, are lying leftist partisans. This is a serious problem for the Republic.
Precisely.....and why I posted it.
In reality, there are few (very few) honest liberals.
I work in the space program and there are not many liberals where I work, but the ones who are, are very honest. My cubicle mate, my supervisor, and the person I work directly with are very liberal, but very honest. Maybe I’m just fortunate to work with so many honest liberals. Oh course, we never discuss politics at work, that is an unwritten law in our office.
Maybe that’s why you consider them “honest” - you never talk with them about the topic that they’re inherently dishonest about.
Democrats complaining about Astroturfing is like Barry Bonds bitching about people using steroids. And the worst part is, the truth is it is the Democrats who are hiring the rent-a-thug protesters. Plays right out of the iron curtain playbook.
Pelousy needs to be kicked out on her Astro-Turf.
Did flag@whitehouse.gov even get any play on the Sunday talk shows?
From what I understand, the main topic of the health care debate was whether opponents were organized, and who was doing the organizing.
sorry, but I will not let somebody denigrate my friends, liberal or conservative. They are honest even when discussing politics. They truly believe what they say they believe and that is all I ask and that is also all they ask.
We don’t discuss politics the same reason we don’t discuss religion, they are hot button topics and we aren’t paid to discuss those things in lieu of working.
By using your logic, we don’t discuss the topic of religion because the religious are inherently dishonest about it. Sorry, it doesn’t make any sense.
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