Turnout was robust around the country, although some protesters were met with harrassment and profanity. Michelle Malkin and Glenn Reynolds have reports. Plus, at Pajamas Media TV, Amy Kremer of TeaPartyPatriots.org (see, "Nationwide Protests Target ObamaCare: The People Say No to Gov't Run Healthcare"). Also via Instapundit, "Bureaucrash at the Healthcare Freedom Tea Party Protest" (YouTube).
For the Democratic pushback, see Gateway Pundit, "McCaskill's Office Locks Doors, Pulls Blinds, Calls Cops & Forces Obamacare Protesters Off Public Property." And The Rhetorican, "The Great Tea Offensive."
I attended a protest rally at Democratic Representative Loretta Sanchez's office in Garden Grove. That's me with the House GOP's "Organizational Chart of the House Democrats' Health Plan." Megan Barth is with me in the second photo. She organized the event and created the awesome protest signs. (Essay continues below ... but notice our little right-wing extremists in the third shot down!)
The group first turned up at the door of Rep. Sanchez's office. As Megan reports, "Loretta's office was not too kind in letting us stand by the doors." The group took the event out to the main entrance to the office complex. After an hour or so, we were met by Mr. Chris Clark of The Abbey Company. He said protesters were illegally parked, and ordered that we move our cars. A number of members of the group left the event to find street parking (myself included). My hunch is that Sanchez's staffers called property management, who probably weren't too happy with a bunch of activists marching out in front of their facility.
But check this out from The Chicago Boyz, on Senator McCaskill's office, "Their Fear Tells Us a Lot":
Honestly, they called the cops on these people? What did they think, that a church’s ice cream social had got out early and now the participants were roaming the streets in a sugar and milk-fat induced frenzy seeking to drink the blood of leftists?Okay, elsewhere: In Los Angeles County, local organizer Jonathan Wilson welcomed 70 protesters to the Pasadena event, "Pasadena Patriots Speak Out on Health Care Reform."
I make a point of the protesters being white because it feeds into the same perception that I touched on in the Neo-Nazi Boogyman. A lot of leftists have heaped abuse on various tea party protesters as being racist and violent based on no other criterion than that they were non-leftist whites. Clearly, these people have wildly exaggerated, hysterical fears of politically active non-leftist white people, and they lump all of these ordinary people in with the racist, left leaning, white-supremacist micro-minority.
Somehow, I don’t think that if a bus load of leftist, African-American protesters showed up that the first response of the staff members would be to close the blinds, lock the doors and call the cops. Even though I know absolutely nothing about Senator McCaskill, this little incident tells me a lot about how the people in the Senator’s office, and therefore the Senator herself, view their fellow citizens.
Plus Kenneth Davenport reports, "Breaking! Fort Collins, CO Anti-tax Protest!" (about 100 demonstrators). And 250 people turned out in Asheville, North Carolina. See, Silent Majority No More, "July 17th Nationalized Healthcare Protest."
Also, from Florida, Naples News, "Small Local Group Protests Obama's Health Care Plan." From Washington's Bellingham Herald, "Bellingham Tea Party Protests Health Care Reform." More from Houston's KHOU-TV, "Houstonians Against Health Care Overhaul Hold Tea Party Protest Downtown."
Also Atlanta's 11Alive.com reports that "The 'Tea Party Patriots', as they call themselves, staged 254 similar protests across the nation, 37 in Georgia." See, "Tea Parties Protest Health Care Bill."
I'll post updates if things develop. But don't forget: Every voice against Obamacare counts! See, the New York Times, "Democrats Grow Wary as Health Bill Advances." And the Washington Post, "Obama Urges Bolder Action to Shrink Costs: Some Democrats Protest Surtax on Richest Americans." Plus, USA Today, "Discord Grows Over Public Health Care Plan."
Also, check Memeorandum and Instapundit for updates.
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UPDATE: Instapundit links!
And, in my inbox, Gathering of Eagles, N.Y., "AAR: Hands Off Healthcare Friday":
We started the day outside Rep. Carolyn McCarthy’s office in Garden City ...We were joined by tenants and employees from that building! Security wanted us gone, and when we didn’t immediately comply they called the police ...
Also, Ace of Spades HQ, "Hmmm: Obama Implicitly Abandons August Deadline for Health Care, Moving Goal Posts to End of Year?"
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UPDATE II: Skye at Midnight Blue has a post with lots of photos, "Philly Hosts a HealthCare TeaParty."
And, in my inbox, "Cleveland Tea Party Patriots, "Health Care Tea Party After-Action Report."
Plus, from Gila Courier and AZ 8th (A forum for the conservative point of view on Arizona politics), "Photos of Protest at Giffords Office."
Also, from the Los Angeles Examiner, "TEA Party Patriots: Update - July 17 Simultaneous Health Care Freedom Rally"; Danville News, "More Protest Health Care Reform at Tea Party"; Contra Costa Times, "Tea Party Targets Thompson's Office"; The Greenville Sun, "Davis Strongly Supports Tax-Protest 'Tea Parties' " (on former Congressman David Davis).
Plus, from The Desert Sun in Palm Springs: Tea partyers to Mary Bono: "You're fired!", "'Patriots' lead demonstration outside Bono Mack's office: Group concerned about taxes, the nation's debt and the ‘cap and trade' bill."
Don't miss, PoliGazette, "Anti-Obamacare Protesters Take the Streets, Democrats Panic."
Related: Darleen at Protein Wisdom, "ObamaCare: Pushing the Taxrate Over 50%"
39 comments:
"What did they think, that a church’s ice cream social had got out early?"
LOL-If it had been an actual church group, they probably would have turned the fire hoses on them.
-Dave
More and more of this to come. The news can avoid it or downplay it all they want but those who are getting the short end of the deal are going to realize sooner or later that they are being robbed.
//Clearly, these people have wildly exaggerated, hysterical fears of politically active non-leftist white people, and they lump all of these ordinary people in with the racist, left leaning, white-supremacist micro-minority.//
I think not. This is the Left's typical Alinskyite tactics: Attack and smear your opponent. They'll play the Godwin Card next, -you're all fascists. Be prepared to hear much worse from them as the situation heats up. When they do so, take heart. It signifies we're getting to them and gaining ground.
Keep up the good work!
I stood -- once again -- with DanNY and my fellow citizens at Sen. Schumer's and Sen. Gillibrand's Long Island offices. As the pictures show, it was a sight to behold.
While I had to get back to the office, many of my fellow citizens turned this into a Traveling Tea Party ... heading east, to Rep. Steve Israel's office in Hauppague, then on to Rep. Tim Bishop's office in Coram.
If nothing else, our Congressional delegation knows we mean it when we say ... SILENT NO MORE!
And, as Glenn Beck says, we are not alone ... in our disgust with and opposition to the arrogant elitists who think they have a birthright to rule as our "betters".
We surround them.
And that is becoming more and more evident, with each Tea Party, as the numbers increase.
Contrary to what some of the naysayers state, this is not about a bunch of old, fat, white guys on the fringe ... ordinary people from all walks/shapes/sizes of life, many of whom have never before stood in the streets in protest, are now standing in the way of the clown car of DC stupidity.
We're not going to let the statists turn our normal civility against us in an attempt to frame the debate, any more. It is not "hate" to stridently speak out in support of sound principle ... OTOH, it is the statists who are closer to hatred, for they stridently speak out in the support of foolishness and imprudence.
SILENT NO MORE!
Indeed.
We had a protest in Centreville, MD at Rep. Kratovil’s (D-MD) district office. The rain held off so our parade around the one block in town to Mr. Kratovil’s office was uneventful. The police kept us off the road bed even though the office was on a low traveled side street. That caused the group of 100+ to be compacted in the mid 80 degree and humid weather. The office manager came out and he was strongly engaged. The protesters were reasonably civil considering that no one had admitted voting for Mr. Kratovil when the crowd at the rally assembly point was asked. So it was a very partisan crowd.
I would have liked the office manager to have had an opportunity to speak without being interrupted. Because of the small area for the protest, I stayed outside of the crowd, but I was told he gave talking points that were unacceptable as to why Mr. Kratovil voted for the cap and trade bill. But he was “brave” enough to face the crowd. Obviously our presence intimidated the staff since a lady there with children said she was afraid to leave the office. It’s a shame our congresspeople don’t feel a bit the same way.
We are planning an August 11th protest at his Bel Air Office from 4-6 pm. I have picketed this office at the end of June and two groups are planning more routine picketing. We need to picket every working day and on Saturday utilizing the tactics of MLK.
Anon: This blog generally does not allow anonymous comments. I'm indulging you here ... last one though ...
Great work, Donald, and I enjoyed the pictures. It angers me that the MSM either ignores the tea parties or maligns them! Even Fox News only gives them minimal coverage. Sooner or later though, as these protests grow larger and larger, as they surely will, they won't be able to ignore them.
I think it is great that people are standing up for what they believe. I too joined the first round of tea parties and need to get active again. In the past, I would never take time off of work to participate in "political expression". However, I cannot sit on the sidelines any longer while our country is run into the ground. Those that aren't paying into the system are loving this new administration. As a taxpayer, I'm appalled by the role this government thinks they should play in our lives. We are skipping over socialism and heading for communism.
Oh my God, like several hundred people are protesting! I think this qualifies as national news.
Like maybe in a very small nation.
Like San Marino, perhaps.
Joseph -- try thousands, not hundreds.
And if a few dozen ACORN astroturfers visiting the houses of AIG execs in protest is worthy of the national spotlight ... than the Tea Parties across the nation should be deserving of at least the same ...
... especially considering the that the Tea Partiers were neither astroturf, nor inclined to see protest as a form of partying like so many on the Left see it.
Here an idea, lets have the president put a CZAR in charge of this, as a matter of fact, since CZARS dont need to be confirmed, or even proven not to be ACORN .... I mean ACRIMINAL ( SAME THING)why not have CZAR on every corner, 24/7 365 and we can just take all of our money, personal belongings, Hell.... our children right to the CZARS of the MIGHTY ONE!
Isn't it amazing that the democrats can mock voters and demostrators here in the US and praise their violent demonstrations in Iraq.
Ho hum, another tiny batch of tea-bagger nutters and anti-American anarchists with nothing better to do then spout hate for our country.
Did the usual few gun nuts and fascist tella-fundies come to screech along?
I didn't hear anything about this nonsense in the legitimate press.
Joe, apparently, this media is legitimate enough to grace us with your comment.
Go back to your cage, parrot ... I'll call the Cartoon News Network and let them know that they missed something while they were firing Susan R. for her unprincipled journalistic conduct during a previous Tea Party.
I was at the Chicago Tea Party and saw Susan R. in action. She walked around and tried to find the most controversial person there to stand in front of while filming. We all laughed because it was so pathetic. In addition, this person said nothing and funny...left when she did. When a young father and his son were open to an interview she proceeded to attack him, cut him off, etc. I guess that may be the liberal idea of "legitimate press" but the average american begs to differ. We are all well aware of the media blitz of BS that is providing cover for Obama. However, the truth always comes out.
Unbelievable... In a nation of 300 million you believe that a thousand protesters countrywide represents the majority of Americans... You people need to get a clue...
Here is an idea for all you protesters... why don't we put this healthcare thing to a national referendum... just like we vote for president... let the American people vote for healthcare... majority wins.... Would you agree to that?
Probably not because a majority of Americans want healthcare! Protest all you want that is your right.. But don't presume to speak for the American people because the numbers clearly show your views to be in the minority... If the American people really believed your views there would be millions out protesting, not a thousand or even ten thousand...
The last bastion of ignorance the Republican'ts are at it again whining because a couple hundred nut jobs aren't on the six o'clock news. I can't believe one of you yahoo's actually quoted Glenn Beck. There is a great American mind. When will you people realize that the Republican't party is not serving your interests. They are the ones who have raped and pillaged America on behalf of multinational corporations. Now, when someone actually does something to help the American people, they are against it. If you don't think your healthcare is being rationed now you are high or completely ignorant. Insurance companies sole purpose in life is to deny you care. Who will force them to be responsible .
Obviously you don't get it. If all Americans were on board with this plan...it would be done. The ones who want it are the ones that won't be paying for it. If what you say is true, Congress would be skipping through the halls to get this done. Whether you understand basic concepts...Congress is elected by the people, for the people! Obviously they have reservations that their positions will be in jeopardy if they push this through. Democrats have the majority..what's the problem?
Here is an idea for all you protesters... why don't we put this healthcare thing to a national referendum... just like we vote for president... let the American people vote for healthcare... majority wins.... Would you agree to that?
I'd agree to it....as long as the only ones allowed to Vote actually pay Income Taxes....don't pay income tax, no vote
You can see the New Hampshire protest with photos at http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090718/GJNEWS_01/707189872
Several paid volunteer employees of a political health care group tried to disrupt the protest.
You mean there are other organizations that attend protests like ACORN?
For every one protester out their , their are 10s of thousands that have yet to be heard in support of the protesters. This will grow until the masses have heard the truth and most will reject Obamacare. Know the truth and we will stay FREE follow the lies and be enslaved.
Hey anonymous July 18, 2009 3:35 PM it sounds to me that you're the one that needs to get a clue. The majority of people would like to see health care reform NOT Nationalized Obama care.
My suggestion would be that you gather up your family and all the illegal aliens that are getting and wanting free healthcare to go to Canada.
That would save us TAX payers over a 11 billion a year in healthcare in California ALONE!
So the 70% or so of Americans who want the public option shouldn't get it? Stop being idiots - the public option is competition, and if the insurance companies lose out to the government, what does it say about them?
Zach, have you ever been in a competitive busines situation? If your key competitor writes the rules that you have to follow...what do you think happens? Not to mention the government hasn't done the best job of regulating their own agencies. The only way Bernie Madoff got caught was because of a whistleblower...not by the agency that should have been overseeing his activities.
Tell me one government agency that has been efficient? When the postal service needs more money,they raise the cost of the stamp. When local and federal governments poorly manage something...they just raise taxes to cover their shortfalls. Not once to you ever see efficiencies gained. And, when they do automate something (like online car registration) the costs are NOT passed back to you and me. Is that what you want for your healthcare?
When will the voters wake up? We've been duped by the liberals long enough. It's time to vote these people out of office, stop increasing the federal debt and reduce the size of the federal government. Common sense is clearly lacking at this time.
Zach, the public option is competition ... NOT!
First, it is as susceptible to political mission creep as Social Security ... which originally was insurance, but now is an entitlement.
Second, no other insurance company can match its ability to spend beyond its means.
Third, the same people who see the public option as a political tool are the ones writing regulations for the private options ... and you can count on this: they will compel the private options to match the public one benefit-for-benefit ... even if it means that the private options can't do so and remain solvent.
Fourth, the people above have an institutional and ideological bias against private-sector efforts ... they consider the profit motive a force for evil, unless they can control the process.
BOTTOM LINE: Institute the public option, and soon it will be the ONLY option.
Right now, you still have some options if your health-care coverage is inadequate ... change jobs, compel your employer to change group coverage, even charitable assistance (Big Pharma does a lot of this).
Institute the public option ... and all these options (along with the drive to innovate and develop new solutions for our ills) go away ... and you will be left to the tender mercies of government bureaucracy to decide what treatments you are worth getting.
Probably irrevocably, since the pols will be able to keep it alive like any other gov/political program.
The public option will end up making today's status quo look like a smorgasboard run by Libertarians.
How dare you blame Obama for the mess our country is in? The fat bloated corporate friendly elephants have put us in this mess and the so-called liberals are doing their best to correct the mistakes you greedy ignornt teabaggers, oops tea partiers, beloved conservatives have made. What you're doing is not patriotic it's treason. I pay taxes and it doesn't bother me because if my home catches fire I like knowing that there are well staffed departments to deal with it. I'm a taxpayer that can't afford healthcare under the conservative program not an illegal alien or canadian, you idiots. Aren't you sick of trying to call a government agency and getting an automated system that rarely helps? Well you can thank downsizing for that. You republicans aren't satisfied that you stole 1 maybe 2 presidential elections. You have one word you use to death, taxes, as you prey on people's greed and ignorance. Most of these people don't realize that most of the tax breaks go to the wealthy. Wake up and smell the coffee America you're getting duped by a bunch of bloated right wing crackpots that are not your friends.
Well, it didn't take long for the angry rant to start vs. having a discussion. Do you feel empowered with name calling when you don't like what you hear? If you want someone to listen to your viewpoints..calm down. The democrats are in control so go rant at them if you want something done.
The public option is going to die in Congress, don't waste the effort worrying abouth that.
What I would worry about is employer paid/subsidized healthcare is shortly going to go the way of pensions and 401k matches. Plan ahead, either way, self paid healthcare or private insurance is very expensive.
Idiots.
So, you have nothing else to do than to protest Health care?
Are You really healthy enough so You do Not need it?
Or actually stupid enough not to understand the country's progressive move?
Idiots!
Go , and work.
And do not watch liars on Fox.
Think, it does not hurt.
Each and every child that dies due to the monstrous miscarriage of justice that is our health care system has their death laid at your doorstep.
Monsters. We are well into the top 5% of Americans income wise, we will not suffer -- but I clearly recognize those that do -- and I reject the pap that people like these spit out and pretend is thoughtful politics.
We will willingly pay our share of the taxes, if you do not want to Mr. and Ms. Conservative -- get out of the country that my great grandfather 12 times removed (Ebenezer Reynolds) died to help found.
Reynolds C. Jones
Schenectady, NY
Can anyone tell me why rushing thru this legislation on Obamace is so important, then why do the federal workers All of them, Congress people, Senators, aides wont have to sign up for it. Just wondering.
Exactly. This isn't a conservative vs. liberal issue. Everyone wants healthcare reform. Obamacare will NOT cover every American. If it's so great...let's have EVERYONE in government a part of this wonderful plan.
And, Mr. Jones, don't insult people by assuming that you are the only one who has lost loved ones in the fight for this country.
It's easy to pass the buck and do the blame game. So far national health care in the United States has been a JOKE for decades. The current system is broken. It cannot be fixed. If everyone here that is against Obama's reform of the national healthcare system believes that the system is fine and just needs a quick adjust here and there are part of the problem and not the solution. Everyone is afraid of change and action, and now we have someone in the office who is no longer of the just sit back and do nothing variety. This is who we voted into the White House and the majority rules, last I heard. The fact that only a doze or so of protesters showed up means it's merely a nuisance call and nothing major that will stop the U.S. government from toppling. Good luck with your efforts and congratulations for exercising your right to organize and protest in this wonderful country of ours.
Pass the buck? Blame game? What are you talking about? AGAIN, the democrats are in power...so get it done! The republicans can't stop this from happening if the democrats want to pass this bill. So, why aren't they? Hmmmm....
The biggest problem with healthcare in the U.S. is that most people can't afford it... because after they spend money on beer, cigarettes, cell phones, cable, lottery tickets, and internet.. there's just not enough left for healthcare.
I was really hoping Obama would nationalize cable T.V. rather than healthcare. I believe in our God-given right to 500 channels. :)
When will americans wake up and realize that we don't need more government, we need less. 40/50 years ago we had less government involvement in our lives and we were better off. Look what they have done to our social security system. If they want social health care so bad then whatever they come up with, they should also have to be covered by the same medical plan as the public. they hose up everything that they touch, where is out manfacturing that made this country great? they and big business have out sourced everything. all they want is to make us all puppets on a string.
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