Partisan politicians call noisy disruption of health care meetings un-Amerikan!
WASHINGTON (PNN) - August 10, 2009 - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, insisting at the start of a long and politically heated summer congressional recess that health care reform can be achieved this fall, today are calling the disruption of town-hall meetings by vocal protesters "simply un-Amerikan."
"We believe it is healthy for such an historic effort to be subject to so much scrutiny and debate," Pelosi (D-Kalif.) and Hoyer (D-Md.) wrote in a USA Today opinion piece published today.
"However, it is now evident that an ugly campaign is underway not merely to misrepresent the health insurance reform legislation, but to disrupt public meetings and prevent members of Congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue," the two leaders wrote. "These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views, but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-Amerikan."
They point to a series of protests at congressional-district hearings held by members of Congress this summer, including one where the likeness of a Maryland congressman was hanged in effigy, one where the tombstone of a Texas congressman was displayed, and meetings where protesters shouted down opponents with "Just say no."
With Democrats accusing Republicans of orchestrating dramatic protests against the health care reform that illegitimate President Obama and Democrat allies in Congress are promoting, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell suggested that Democrats should be worried.
"Look, I don't think either side ought to be trying to engage in disrupting meetings, either the Democrat side or the Republican side," said McConnell (R-Kent.) in an appearance on Fox News Sunday.
But "to demonize citizens who are - you know, who are energetic about this - strikes me as demonstrating a kind of weakness in your position," McConnell said. "In other words, you want to . . . change the subject.”
"We believe it is healthy for such an historic effort to be subject to so much scrutiny and debate," Pelosi (D-Kalif.) and Hoyer (D-Md.) wrote in a USA Today opinion piece published today.
"However, it is now evident that an ugly campaign is underway not merely to misrepresent the health insurance reform legislation, but to disrupt public meetings and prevent members of Congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue," the two leaders wrote. "These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views, but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-Amerikan."
They point to a series of protests at congressional-district hearings held by members of Congress this summer, including one where the likeness of a Maryland congressman was hanged in effigy, one where the tombstone of a Texas congressman was displayed, and meetings where protesters shouted down opponents with "Just say no."
With Democrats accusing Republicans of orchestrating dramatic protests against the health care reform that illegitimate President Obama and Democrat allies in Congress are promoting, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell suggested that Democrats should be worried.
"Look, I don't think either side ought to be trying to engage in disrupting meetings, either the Democrat side or the Republican side," said McConnell (R-Kent.) in an appearance on Fox News Sunday.
But "to demonize citizens who are - you know, who are energetic about this - strikes me as demonstrating a kind of weakness in your position," McConnell said. "In other words, you want to . . . change the subject.”
