Here's what's alarming: all of us in the cheap seats are actually reading from the bill and using that to ask questions. None of these politicians are reading from the bill to show how our read of the bill was wrong. You know why? Because we're right about the language of the bill and that language is indefensible when given sunlight.
Anybody who trusts politicians and bureaucrats in government is dangerously naive, but mostly to themselves. The rest of us are reading and getting educated fast.
The insurance lobby didn't pay these people to show up.
All of them showed up in the middle of a huge rainstorm and worked the meeting agenda for 2½ hours because they love this country and they're sick and tired of watching politicians ruin it.
And by the way... next Sunday's meeting will be even bigger.
What did we meet about? It was a brainstorming session, comprised of business owners, engineers, salespeople, airline pilots, IT directors, and retired folks. We're out to defeat the direction of this Congress and roust them out of office next year.
As opposed to the other side, which has to find the unemployed through Craigslist.
You tell me who has a better shot.
No wonder the other side of this is throwing every spitball they can.
P.S. If the media buys into Obama's BS that this is all astroturf, then as our neighbors watch us congregate and work together, the media looks like idiots who can't gather facts (as do the politicians, for that matter). I'm good with that.
I don't know that I have the labels right, but here's the thought...
Self-determination is a liberal trait. Self-reliance is a conservative trait.
The only people I've met who resisted the idea of self-determination - the complete freedom to choose one's direction in life - were either religious or communist. Someone else drives the decision-making for the individual.
The only people I've met who resisted the idea of self-reliance were either socialist or liberals. They believe that we all share a responsibility to ensure the welfare of others.
The strongest society, in my opinion, craves in equal proportion self-determination and self-reliance. The culture champions both.
Those who scoff at self-reliance will your erode your freedom of self-determination. I recall during the presidential election that Obama ridiculed the "ownership society," saying "You're on your own," as though it were a laughable concept. But I remember when people used to say with pride, "I'm on my own." It was regarded as an achievement.
If I do not seek to be accountable for my own life, then I make others accountable instead. Those responsible for the outcome seek to control the outcome. Thus comes the erosion of self-determination. By lapsing my self-reliance, I dilute my freedom of self-determination. It becomes a trade-off. Says the state, "If I am going to provide for you, then you have to do as I say. It's in your own best interest."
And so, a final comparison, which I think sums up well why so many in America are getting active. We're losing America as defined by Jefferson and Madison and the rest of them.
ETC: Another thought on this, which I tweeted: "Self-reliance drives productivity, which is why Obama's America will never reach its potential."
I'm not a community organizer. I don't want to be a politician. My realm, where I thrive, is the realm of ideas and action. I love solutioning.
It might seem like I would enjoy government, then. Some people might say that government is a realm of ideas and actions. We certainly have a lot of people who fancy themselves "solutioners."
The difference is that if I have an idea and act to make it reality, it's your choice to take part in what I've created. Only if it helps you are you attracted to it.
If a politician or someone else associated with the government has an idea and acts to make it reality, they can require you to take part in what they've created. They can make you pay for it as a "service." It doesn't matter what your opinion of it is - you're stuck with it.
There is no freedom of choice in a government solution.
So we have all of these government solutioners working hard to create solutions in Washington. Because they can mandate my participation, I now have to devote part of my life to being their watchdog. I have to work to become a community organizer. I have to get involved in politics. They're creating too many requirements of me and my family, now and further down the road, to feel secure to pursue my dreams as I otherwise might.
When the government forces me to do something I don't choose to do, it's a form of tyranny. The etymology of tyranny is the Greek turannia, which conveys rule by one who is a leader in battle. And that's about it... I'm in a fight, whether I chose this fight or not is immaterial.
It pisses me off that I'm pulled into this fight instead of being free to pursue my life and its natural course of interests. There are far better things to do than to cast off parasites.
And then I went to Tom Harkin's town hall on health care. I brought a sign, so I couldn't go inside, but I stood outside and cheerily welcomed people.
My sign read: "Keep Your Hands Out of My Kid's Pockets"
Tim's sign read: "Astroturf This!"
As people came into the event, by my count, about 60% supported my little protest. I gave my video camera to a person I know who was going inside. I'll catch up with her later to discover how it went inside the building.
Oh - and one of the local news channels interviewed me. What's funny is that a woman who was watching me get interviewed then scolded the TV reporter.
"There's only four of them out here, and you give them face time."
I smiled. I wonder if she was shocked to find a much greater number inside the event.
Surprise!
ETC: A report from someone who was inside at Harkin's event:
That was quite a meeting. The building we were in had no air conditioning or fans! Nice planning. Then come to find out that the building is being turned into a medical clinic and pharmacy thanks to that wonderful stimulus package. There was some yelling and screaming by some concerned citizens. At various points during the question and answer, people were actually yelling at each other. You had SEIU folks there. You had supporters of the plan there and you had people opposed to the plan. It made for one hell of a meeting!
But, here's what I got out of the whole thing. Harkin and the rest believe that the insurance companies, doctors and hospitals are making too much money. Congress wants to control or suppress the profit. When Harkin was asked whether he believed in Capitalism his answer was,"well it depends on what your definition of Capitalism is, insurance companies have a right to make a profit but not the kind of profit they've been making."
This is purely a socialistic or progressive posture by Harkin and anybody who supports the House and Senate versions of the Reform Bill. Their true colors are starting to shine. Having these town hall meetings is the best thing since peanut butter. People are concerned, prepared and ready to take on anybody who get's in their way. They are not going to let these "life time politicians" get away with any more lies or mis-direction.
This reminds me of the talent of my friend, Kelly. He's the guy who first introduced me to the instrument being played here, the Chapman Stick. Kelly is also the most talented musician I know.
Highlight: my representative, Leonard Boswell, took "thousands" of calls on Cap and Trade objecting to the bill. Nonetheless, he voted for it because we all "need air to breathe." Yes, of course... everyone knows that making energy more expensive will allow all of us to continue breathing.
Representative? Not in the least.
Oh, and as shown in the video, voting "yes" is just part of the process.
I was at both tea party events here in Iowa. I was a speaker at the first, and the emcee of the second. To my recollection, I was the only one who wore a suit.
If you're looking for the Brooks Brothers Brigade, you'll find them over there - on the Left.
