Today in Washington D. C. - August 10, 2009 - Democrats Call Concerned Citizens Un-American, Political Terrorists, Swastika-Carriers

With members of Congress on August recess, many Democrats are hearing from constituents who are not on board with their proposed government takeover of health care. Yet the more Democrats hear from concerned citizens, the more they apparently feel the need to attack them.

Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of upset folks showing up at town hall meetings, “I think they’re AstroTurf. You be the judge. They’re carrying swastikas and symbols like that to a town meeting on health care.” Today she’s penned an op-ed for the USA Today with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer declaring, “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-American.”

Meanwhile, rank-and-file Democrats continue to "feel the heat" at home, and are increasingly unhappy about it. In a piece profiling the troubles facing Indiana Democrat Baron Hill, The Washington Post notes, “One thing Hill is not doing is holding public town-hall meetings like those at which opponents have heckled members of Congress.” Ask why, Hill explained, “What I don’t want to do is create an opportunity for the people who are political terrorists to blow up the meeting and not try to answer thoughtful questions.” Fox News reports, “The fresh round of debate over the heated summertime sessions comes after a meeting in Des Moines with Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin was interrupted several times by critics in the audience. He drew outrage Saturday when he told the crowd there is a ‘nationally coordinated effort’ to disrupt the town halls. ‘How dare you claim that I’m part of a conspiracy,’ one man yelled, claiming he sent himself to the meeting.”

Asked about this issue on Fox News Sunday, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said, “I think attacking citizens in our country for expressing their opinions about an issue of this magnitude may indicate some weakness in their position on the merits. And I also think it’s particularly absurd for the Democrats, who have over an 8 million e-mail list over at the DNC called Organize [for] America, to be criticizing citizens for being organized.”

The Democrats’ hypocrisy doesn’t end there, though. It was just two years ago that Democrats held the Senate in session all night to debate the Iraq war, only to take a break to appear at a rally featuring MoveOn.org and Code Pink to call on them to pressure Republicans to support a withdrawal. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told protesters at the time, “You will keep the pressure on them. We will keep the pressure on them. And together, you – and we – will deliver the new direction that our troops and all Americans demand and deserve.” Somehow, over the last few years, sustained, sincere protest, has switched from being “the highest form of patriotism” to “simply un-American.”

Their hypocrisy aside, Democrats might want to rethink the wisdom of referring to their constituents and fellow Americans as “un-American,” “political terrorists,” and swastika-carriers. As Sen. McConnell said yesterday, “[T]o demonize citizens who are -- you know, who are energetic about this strikes me as demonstrating a kind of weakness in your position -- in other words, you want to -- you want to change the subject. And rather than talk about the half a trillion dollars in Medicare cuts, let’s talk about somebody at some town meeting who misbehaved. It strikes me that’s missing the point.”

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