Conservative Community Organizing
[Guest post by DRJ]
Law Professor Glenn Reynolds, the Instapundit, points out liberal hypocrisy when it comes to conservative protests like the Tea Party groups:
“Remember: When lefties do it, it’s called “community organizing.” When conservatives and libertarians do it, it’s “astroturf.” But some people are noticing the truth. As Mickey Kaus notes, “If an ‘astroturfing’ campaign gets real people to show up at events stating their real views, isn’t it … community organizing?” Why yes, yes it is.
As someone who’s been following the Tea Party campaign since the beginning, it seems to me to be the most genuine outbreak of grassroots popular involvement in my lifetime. People have been turning out, in the tens of thousands at times, because they feel that Obama pulled a bait-and-switch and is moving the country much farther to the left than he promised during the campaign.
More significantly, most of these people are turning out to protest for the first time in their lives, and they’re planning for future political involvement in years to come. Perhaps that’s what’s got the critics worried.”
I think another thing that worries Democrats is these protesters aren’t being lured by promises of perks or giveaways. They are turning out for principles.
— DRJ
It’s not just the Dems that are seriously freaked, it’s also their handmaidens in the MSM. They’ve done no type of actual reporting of any value until recently, preferring instead their usual MO of repeating DNC talking points. I don’t know if they realize it even now, but whatever shred of credibility they had is now completely vanished, never to return. They ignored a real and spontaneous outpouring of political activism happening in their own backyards.
Dmac (21311c) — 4/19/2010 @ 2:11 pmThe dirty socialists are The Man now.
They’re not adjusting to that very gracefully I don’t think.
happyfeet (71f55e) — 4/19/2010 @ 2:12 pmI can’t be the only one who noticed the at the social con element is largely missing from the Tea Party movement. At least I’m not seeing it in my area. They’re not pro or con, just not focusing on that due to the critical matter of national solvency.
For years libertarians have wished the religious right would go away so we can concentrate on fiscal stuff, and now we have a movement that does just that.
cassandra in MT (5a5d33) — 4/19/2010 @ 2:25 pmsocail con backlash in 4.. 3.. 2..
happyfeet (71f55e) — 4/19/2010 @ 2:40 pmFor years libertarians have wished the religious right would go away so we can concentrate on fiscal stuff, and now we have a movement that does just that.
🙂 🙂 🙂
Bradley J. Fikes, C. O.R. (a18ddc) — 4/19/2010 @ 4:38 pmI think another thing that utterly baffles
sherlock (8fe9d6) — 4/19/2010 @ 5:04 pmworriesDemocrats is these protesters aren’t being lured by promises of perks or giveaways.If a man won’t sell out his principles, how can you trust him?
AD - RtR/OS! (2f7dee) — 4/19/2010 @ 5:39 pmGood points. The Obama Dems are used to Cornhusker Kickbacks, Louisiana Purchases and Stupak Sidewinders. People who stand on principle scare them.
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (9eb641) — 4/19/2010 @ 6:16 pmSo many issues, so little time. Over the last 24-48 hours there have been numerous items popping up, too many to keep track of.
Already some on the left have turned to page 2 of the play-book, if you can’t destroy them, co-opt them. I think even Barbara Boxer and the one have found ways to say good things about the Tea Party and how much they share in common.
But as there is no reason a liberal needs to be logically consistent, they are practicing the hypocrisy move to heights seldom seen. Not only is it “astroturfing” when the right does community organizing, but yesterday with Joe Klein and others the idea has sprung that when the left criticizes it’s patriotism, but when the right does it, it is called sedition. Yep, that’s right, H. Clinton could scream in a shrill voice that to criticize was being a patriot and get cheers, but the idea that Beck and El Rushbo and Palin can criticize gets jeers and are now being called seditionists. The one undermines a Constitution he swore to protect and the ones calling him on it are guilty of sedition. Orwell must be beside himself looking at the twisting of language going on.
And by the way, I heard a clip of the one saying the following, “…and whether we like it or not, we have to realize that America is a superpower and keeps getting dragged into these regional conflicts…”. I haven’t seen much mention of this, but that’s part of the plan, foment chaos so logical thinking is pushed aside in the confusion of the moment. Well, apparently he doesn’t like it and has been seeing what he can do about it: cancel anti-missile defense research, cancel anti-missile defense deployment with our allies (“how’s that ‘working with our allies and not being a cowboy’ thing working out for ya, Mr. President”?), cancel the F-22 fighter program, which was virtually guaranteed to maintain our command of the skies for another decade at least, narrow our options to respond to WMD attacks, tell our allies they can’t take out shipments of long range missiles being placed at their borders. I’m sure I’m missing some things.
Thank you for the space.
Oh, almost forgot. Since this thread is fresh, is getting the traffic, and has to do with leftist hypocrisy and the hypocrit in chief, I’ll toss in something else here. That thing about the President signing something about hospitals needing to allow visitation by gay partners, etc? Totally beside the point and useless in my opinion, except that somebody thinks it wasn’t. Unless I’m missing something, during the entire time of my medical career typical legal rights are maintained in hospitals like elsewhere. If you have a joint bank account, either one can draw money out. If you don’t, they don’t care how many years you’ve been together and say how much you love him or her, you ain’t going to make a withdrawal. And if you are the long lost disenfranchised brother, you’re not going to make medical decisions for the comatose patient over the wishes of a parent.
Have there been times when there has been no written and legal documentation saying John wants Bob to make medical decisions and not John’s parents, so Bob gets pushed out of the way? I’m sure of it. And you know who is telling the hospital to do that, too- the hospital legal counsel that tells them the hospital will be subject to litigation if they don’t go by “what’s documented and legally binding”. I’ll be happy to back down if someone can tell me why same-sex marriage is necessary to ensure medical visitation rights, etc., rather than a simple medical POA documentation.
MD in Philly (59a3ad) — 4/19/2010 @ 8:01 pm“these protesters aren’t being lured by promises of perks or giveaways”
DRJ – They were always out of the free stuff when I showed up at those Free Tibet or Free Mumia or Free Darfur rallies, so I stopped going.
daleyrocks (1feed5) — 4/19/2010 @ 8:02 pmAnother last thing on the general topic of ridiculousness in presenting information. Last night I stumbled upon CNN where the fellow showed a clip of Ann Coulter saying the “they said the n-word, etc.” was a lie, that she would give a reward if anyone could show a video or audio clip of it. Well, they went on on how much Coulter was lying and misrepresenting the facts and how dare she call into question the integrity of Rep. Lewis, and then ran the clip we’ve all seen many times of the one person yelling with his hands cupped around his mouth as “proof” of the n-word calling, etc.
There has to be a way to litigate or prosecute journalistic malpractice. (Though even if there isn’t, the next step is for them to make one up for people who are reporting in such a way as to undermine the confidence of the American people in their govt., yeah, that’s it).
MD in Philly (59a3ad) — 4/19/2010 @ 8:22 pm> I think another thing that worries Democrats is these protesters aren’t being lured by promises of perks or giveaways. They are turning out for principles.
“Worries”? I think they’re rapidly running out of underwear lacking large brown stains.
IgotBupkis (79d71d) — 4/19/2010 @ 8:36 pmI never got the right wing disdain for community organizers.
imdw (842182) — 4/20/2010 @ 4:27 am“I think another thing that worries Democrats is these protesters aren’t being lured by promises of perks or giveaways. They are turning out for principles.”
Like keeping the government out of medicare.
imdw (2d0308) — 4/20/2010 @ 6:21 amLike keeping the U.S. out of bankruptcy.
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (9eb641) — 4/20/2010 @ 7:06 amI few on the LSM fringe have started to notice that the vast majority of TEA party participants are regular people; interested in a smaller government. Will that fringe be marginalized by their colleagues; will they become the token reporter – to offset the overwhelming press created against the movement; or will these reporters become more common – moving the LSM back toward some semblance of normalcy?
I don’t hold out much hope – the recognition of what is happening has been too slow.
Corwin (ea9428) — 4/20/2010 @ 8:01 am“I few on the LSM fringe have started to notice that the vast majority of TEA party participants are regular people; interested in a smaller government. Will that fringe be marginalized by their colleagues; will they become the token reporter – to offset the overwhelming press created against the movement; or will these reporters become more common – moving the LSM back toward some semblance of normalcy?”
It’s similar to the sort of freakout that we got when clinton was president. That’s how regular they are.
imdw (72206b) — 4/20/2010 @ 9:01 amimdw-
You know as well as the rest of us, had any other male executive or professional in the US been discovered acting with subordinates as President Clinton there would have been a virtually unanimous call for tar and feathers. But somehow he was “too big to fail”. When the expectations of a civil society are suspended because of power it is shameful.
Will you please try to give thoughtful differing opinions instead of knee-jerk yapping for the sake of being irritating? There is too much important to discuss. Most of us respect and listen much more to people who are willing to show good faith and agree when agreement is warranted, rather than finding an obtuse way to snipe.
MD in Philly (59a3ad) — 4/20/2010 @ 9:11 amGetting a blowjob from an intern was not all that was involved in the freakout over clinton.
imdw (8222e7) — 4/20/2010 @ 9:27 amYes. He overtly lied under Oath while President of the United States.
JD (9f2abc) — 4/20/2010 @ 9:42 amComment by imdw-
Correct. He was disbarred for perjury. It was only later that the consequences of his inaction against (foreign) terrorism, encouraging policies leading to the subprime lending crisis and economic meltdown, and failed policies with N. Korea got the attention they deserved.
MD in Philly (59a3ad) — 4/20/2010 @ 9:45 amThe freakout started even before that.
imdw (8222e7) — 4/20/2010 @ 9:58 amWhy are you folks even chatting with Mr. Non-Apology? He has made his reasons for posting here very clear. He is a dishonest, partisan troll who ran afoul of Patterico.
Then he apologized, partially. But I’ll bet that, like the mature person he is, his fingers were crossed.
No worries. He’ll do it again soon. It’s who he is: a tool.
Eric Blair (0b61b2) — 4/20/2010 @ 10:34 amI missed why the dimwit got banned, and where it “apologized”.
JD (3b62be) — 4/20/2010 @ 10:45 amThat troll lives to be noticed. Better to ignore him/she/it.
how dare she call into question the integrity of Rep. Lewis, and then ran the clip we’ve all seen many times of the one person yelling with his hands cupped around his mouth as “proof” of the n-word calling, etc.
Then why don’t they collect the reward ? And Breitbart’s reward ?
That would sure show them up as liars, wouldn’t it ?
Unless, of course, the MSM are the liars.
Mike K (2cf494) — 4/20/2010 @ 10:45 amThe server behavior is odd. It loads fast at first but now comments take forever.
Mike K (2cf494) — 4/20/2010 @ 10:59 am“… his inaction against (foreign) terrorism…”
And now, courtesy of Dick Morris, we find that the final assault on the Branch Davidian compound was signed-off on by William Jefferson Clinton, 42nd President of the United States, and that Janet Reno blackmailed him into re-appointing her as AG after the ’96 Election, by threatening to reveal his role in the deaths of all of those women and children.
Bubba, is one sick, f…ed, a$$hole. May he burn in Hell!
BTW Mike, I experienced the same problems with slow loadings around 1100 as you did.
AD - RtR/OS! (2a6962) — 4/20/2010 @ 12:19 pmAstroturfing is not the same thing as conservative community organizing. True grassroots movements are not bankrolled by corporations. You could have a liberal-biased group also be astroturfing.
Chris Hooten (842182) — 4/20/2010 @ 1:33 pmWell if dick morris says it…
imdw (017d51) — 4/20/2010 @ 1:55 pmWhere’s that apology, imadouchebag?
Dmac (21311c) — 4/20/2010 @ 2:31 pmI’m sorry, Eric. You’re right, I definitely have better things to do.
Yes indeed, mike K. We know who the liars are. If we practiced our profession with the same integrity as most journalists we would be listed right up there with Mengele.
MD in Philly (59a3ad) — 4/20/2010 @ 2:33 pmSince he WAS in a position to know . . . yeah, “if dick morris says it”.
Icy Texan (484da8) — 4/20/2010 @ 2:35 pmMD, you are a good fellow. I didn’t mean to chide. I dislike trolls very much. As opposed to people with whom I disagree.
But I do think that our little friend needs to be called the Non-Apologist at every turn.
Eric Blair (0b61b2) — 4/20/2010 @ 3:16 pmEric-
I didn’t take it as chiding. On occasion I think there is a point so obvioue that even the most trollish needs to recognize the truth of it… but then I get surprised.
MD in Philly (59a3ad) — 4/20/2010 @ 6:42 pmThere seems to be an awful lot of name calling going on, but it isn’t imdw. I don’t know the whole history of him or whatever, but I do see people repeatedly calling him jackass and other names. P.S. I don’t want to know the backstory, I am just making an observation. I am not sticking up for imdw or whatever he did. However, in this case, on this thread, and other newer threads, it would appear that he was one of the more level-headed commenters. Is that what you really want? imdw is the calm one, and everyone else starts jumping up and down and spewing vitriolic rhetoric and near constant name calling? If you are trying to make imdw look bad, this is not how you do it. Just something to think about…
Chris Hooten (0e1f31) — 4/21/2010 @ 9:54 pmi would also like to pursue a medical career since the pay is good.~-.
Isabel Russell (ee719f) — 7/25/2010 @ 9:20 pmmedical career is one of the highest paying jobs on these days”*.
Adam Moore (201f04) — 9/12/2010 @ 5:34 amthe great thing about medical career is that the payout rate is high'”*
Tub Chair (61cd23) — 10/12/2010 @ 10:28 ami enrolled in a medical school to improve my medical career. i chose a medical career because of the high wage and demand–.
Melatonin Side Effects : (a30dcf) — 10/24/2010 @ 3:47 amwhen i went to college, i chose a medical career because it is high paying job ‘`~
Melatonin Dosage Information (eea931) — 12/14/2010 @ 12:08 pm