I mean, she almost starts crying, but not quite. (Hat Tip: Hot Air)
Most Conservatives have reacted to this by pointing out the obvious that violence over health care has come from the Left, not the Right.
What struck me though, was that I don’t remember Conservatives getting as worked up about Lefty protests. I could be wrong, and please correctly if I am. But did Bush condemn Berkely University for inciting domestic violence over Iraq? I’m not really trying to to play the sanctimonius card, I think the issue reveals a deeper distinction.
I don’t care if you oppose my political agenda and cry til you’re blue in the face, it’s your right, go ahead, no matter how obnoxious you are. Conservatives didn’t say that Liberals were worsening the quality of debate or reaching dangerous levels of histeria over Iraq, they just kinda shrugged and said “do what you want, here’s our rationale for our actions” (not that Bush all that good at actually explaining himself…).
I’m not sure that the Left is playing the outrage card because they think that Conservatives are racist or uninformed or radical, rather, I don’t think they want a real debate. The decision for what’s best for us has already been made, and their grassroots supporters aren’t contributing to the debate, they’re just passing along the talking points.
As the state grows, the need for us to keep talking and caring diminishes. Note how Pelosi says everyone needs to “curb their enthusiasm.” If I was in Congress, I’d be thrilled to see people actually caring about what was going on. Shouldn’t we want the populace to be worked up and engaged?
I know I’m being idealistic. But I can hear the ghost of Tocqueville whispering.
When I went to vote for the 2008 primaries, I talked to an Obama supporter outside. Your stereotypical middle age ex hippie lady. She gushed about how it was so great the Obama could “bring everyone together.” That I might think the greatest thing about Obama was how much he scared some people and actually reawoke the populace to something faintly resembly civic discourse and debate, was completely lost on her.
September 19th, 2009 at 7:49 am
I’m pretty sure there was a lot of grumbling about how liberals weren’t interested in discourse, how they were destroying it, etc…
But that was from people like me and Horatius. Not from the Speaker of the House (or any elected official, for that matter).
One of the most bizarre conversations I ever had with an Obama supporter was as follows: the guy had originally been a Hillary supporter, until his wife ‘and he’ decided they were supporting Obama. I kid you not, this is what he said to me: “Once you let go of your reservations and just believe, it’s not so hard; I really love the guy.”
I don’t know about the rest of you, but that’s how I feel about God.
September 19th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Tocqueville is rolling in his grave…
What I find really amazing is that this is so blatant: everyone knows that democracies thrive and depend upon an interested, involved demos, and Nancy wants that interest and and involvement to stop. What, then, does she want? Baby steps to the door…Baby steps to tyranny…