Painting Broadly

Since passing the Health Care bill that most Americans did not want, supporters have begun a tactic intended to discredit the conservative, republican and tea party members who have the gall to protest. They are broadly painting all of us as radically militant in our opposition. You may have noticed what is now reported in the mainstream media.

First, house members Emanuel Cleaver (the reverend) and John Lewis claim that anti-Health Care bill protesters shouted racial epitaphs their direction immediately following the vote. None of the alleged audio was captured on tape. Did it happen? Maybe. Both sides have radical fringes that make unfortunate statements and occasionally act irresponsibly. It is really a brilliant tactic. Nobody can prove the words were not spoken, just as nobody can prove they were. By claiming to a willing subservient press the words were actually shouted, they effectively paint all opposition as racist hate mongers. That means you and I are being painted with the same brush.

Seeing the press pick up the story, bill supporters are now releasing voicemail recordings of unidentified individuals making threats to certain representatives who were instrumental in passing the bill. Again, this is a brilliant tactic. The press dutifully reports the releases as news, painting conservatives as horrible people. But no one knows who is leaving the voicemails. They could be folks who oppose the bill, or they could be supporters of the bill whose actions are now blamed on the opposition. There is really no way to prove who is doing it, yet the press reports it as if it is factual news. Sad. This country is more divided than ever. I thought Obama was supposed to be the post-partisan healer?