Physician, Heal Thyself: Where The Hell Is The Left?
As a disclaimer, I am one of those laid-off people who worked hard and played by the rules.
I have no health care. I am a diabetic. I had no health care when I did work last. The last time I did have insurance, 2 years ago, the insurance company reserved the right to change my prescriptions at their will, which they did twice. I found better control paying full cost for the insulin which I knew I needed, and which was cheaper.
My beef is this.
For more than two weeks now, I have eaten dinner each night and watched handfuls upon handfuls of sound bites from those organized opponents to the President's plan on health care.
I have seen angry, sometimes violent Americans who are pointing a finger at the administration we elected in November, and calling them everything from Socialists to Nazis. I have seen more angry middle aged white people in the last month then when O.J. was aquitted for Nicole's Murder.
Then we had a man bring a gun near Obama's town hall. Then, assault rifles at an event a few days ago.
There is outrage and anger, fear and villification, and above all highly executed assembly, free speech, and organization behind all of this. No doubt some of these are expressing their personal well formed opinion. But likewise some of these people listen and fear from what their leaders predict, whether they be Senators or Radio hosts.
There is misinformation being spread and repeated and heard loudly. It is a message that is working, lies or not.
But I am not angry. I am not outraged. Not over this.
What I am outraged at is how the left has left Obama out there to do the work. To carry the fight.
Where in the Hell is the left? Where are the organized troops that brought the first black man in America to the Presidency? Where in the Hell is the outrage, the anger, the movement?
Right now, it is with, of all people and of all times--with the Right.
Why?
It wasn't so long ago we had Bush, Cheney, Rove. We had the controlled, limited, covert, censored America. But that is over.
We have everything going for us, don't we? The right should have no reason to be on cable, tv, radio--spreading their message. They lost the entire New England region. They still have the lowest following politically and the lowest poll numbers. They were soundly defeated in 2008, and we have 60 senators in Congress. All we do not have is control of this issue. They do.
So I grow angry and outraged when I hear media on the left criticize Obama. He has been the one out there, since he was elected. He has been the one forcing this issue. He is the one that has been out there on the stage, calling us out to move. Calling us out there to bring it. To speak out, get up, and be heard.
I am downright pissed off that this issue has been left to him only. No troops. No organizing. No public outcry for Health Care Reform Now!
We are not helping him win this fight. We must think that once we elected him, he can do the rest by himself. As if he were dictator.
If this fails, we have no one to blame but ourselves. And then, we will have handed the Right a major victory to go forward into 2010 with.
We have been letting the Right lead the news, and the debate, as though we had handed them the microphone, and sat down and shut our mouths. Maybe Bill Maher was correct when he called Americans "stupid."
God damn America if we sit down, lay back and relax any longer.
Who me? Trying to find a Howard Dean sign.
August 19, 2009 7:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
The media outlets on the "left", in general, just as those on the "right" are spending their resources reporting the "ground game", as TPM put it on its front page a few days ago.
Have you read any reporting here or at other "left" leaning media outlets which made an effort at explaining the content of the prevailing "reform" proposals? I haven't.
Getting all lathered up about folks carrying weapons outside of town hall meetings and Tom Delay's latest inanities is apparently more satisfying than is equipping TPM readers with facts with which to combat the lies of the desperate opponents to health insurance reform.
The lurid sells better than does the informative, as apparently TPM folks have discerned.
August 19, 2009 9:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Unfortuantely, much of the "left" is collectively holding up a giant, neon, pro-public-option sign just to the left of the news cameras. They are there, you just can't see them on the tee-vee. Thus, you have the impression that they don't exist or that they're at home drinking lattes. Then there's the portion of the left that insists on bickering with everyone in sight about everything... mostly you'll find them here at TPM.
Half the left is fighting back the tea baggers and the other half is blogging. That's where we're at.
August 19, 2009 11:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
P.S. Obama is hosting a strategy session tomorrow... I'll be plugged in by landline and am hoping that something productive will come of it. Meanwhile, those of us involved in the ground wars are fighting like hell. This thing is just getting started... not to fret just yet... It WILL turn around... in spite of the screaming meemies and armchair activists. Don't take the MSM seriously... it's pure hype and bluster. Keep the faith.
August 19, 2009 11:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
You might want to read my post recently on how the New Age Movement has killed the left.
This is based on particpating "in the process" and as soon as I get as enraged as the right, members of the left promptly sit on me to "be nice."
I really think this country is on the verge of going postal. Going insane.
Tonite on my local radio station, they reported that BMI, who supposedly represents songwriters, had shut down live music at a couple of really tiny coffee shops here because the shops did not paid "licensing fees" to BMI and BMU could sue them. I mean, my God. Now we cannot even have live music without some, I'm sorry they say they are not corporate but corporate is as corporate does, CORPORATE "non-profit" killing music in our town.
How much more corporate fascism do you want in this country?
Then the freaks who bring guns because our president ONLY wants to get them health care but
these same freaks are apparently fine that AIG just gave themselves bonuses with our tax dollars.
GOP set out to gut public education decades ago and by God, they did and now we are reaping the rewards of being a nation of ignorant morons.
Where is the left? Killing the left. Where is the right? Killing the left.
Thanks for your post.
Dt
August 20, 2009 12:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
My greivances are not with people like yourself, who even after he was elected, still see that the victory has not yet been won. People like you know that our civic duty goes beyond getting the door open every 4 years. It requires the will constantly push the envelope to effect change once he's there.
August 20, 2009 12:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Standing on a corner alone. With my sign.
While the red pickup truck throws a half full can of Budweiser at my feet and shouts something at me I cannot understand.
Yup. I'm holding down the fort.
August 20, 2009 12:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why is the right the only ones being shown/ If we are there, why can't I hear US? How is it that the "republican minority" is overpowering the liberal media airwaves?
I want to know why the ones on the right, who were always nuts, and always pro-gun, and always partially populated with racist bigots--are throwing the left off balance after we overwhelmingly beat the crap out of them, and why polls show not enough of US supporting this damn bill Obama has staked everything to. If you are showing up, then bring some god-damned friends along for God's sake, and say something smart enough to get on TV or to at least shut the Right the Hell up, which WILL get you on TV. If this is all we've got, if this is all we are capable of, then why isn't McCain fucking President?
Sorry for being so forthcoming with my rage. How dare I. If we have a majority, then force a vote, and let the chips fall where they may--on either party. 2010 is an election year. If no one in Congress will stand with my President who is the leader of the party, why re-elect the MF-ers? Or, how about we get behind this issue like we did Civil Rights, or AIDS, or getting rid of Bush? Fuck excuses. Where the Hell are our protests, forcing Washington to do something???? That is my point.
We are a Fucking majority. So why the fuck would I blame the minority if this fails????
August 20, 2009 1:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
I bet most of you have either health insurance or medicare. I bet at least half of you are happy with it, if not moreso.
I however have no insurance and have not had more than maybe one full year of coverage in the last 10 years. Why? Is it because I hate health insurance? No. Is it because I'd rather pay full price? NO. It is because I can't afford it the way it is, I leave jobs or are laid off and lose coverage, get fired and lose coverage, or they change or won't cover my prescriptions, of which I have a handful. The system doesn't work for the people like me who need it the most. ANd a broken system for me is no system at all. It will kill me.
I had to call the emergency 911 three weeks ago. Why? Because my glucose level is out of control, ever since I had to start paying for strips, and monitors, and Apidra, and Lantus and needles, and lancets. Why? Because I lost my coverage, right when I needed the most help. So the ambulance came, I was 500 glucose level, which is nearly comatose, but I had to drive myself to the Hospital because they told me how much an ambulance ride would be without insurance.
You all should be out there screaming over those dumbass Americans screaming about guns rights, and illegal immigrants, and nazi ideas--and tell them about me and how I want to live to see my two month old baby graduate college.
Scream louder or stand silently in dfront of them. But get the Hell out in front, and like quick.
August 20, 2009 1:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wanna channel that rage and do something creative for health care reform?
Try this in for size:
http://billionairesforwealthcare.com/BillionairesForWealthcare.html
More from Daily Kos:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/8/18/768893/-Billionaires-For-Wealthcare
August 20, 2009 2:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
That was hilarious....what a fine idea!
August 20, 2009 2:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Joe Wood, you are absolutely right but to hear the Left tell it, Obama left them first.
The Left has gotten complacent. They constantly claim that Obama should be able to move heaven and earth because he has the Senate, the House and is the President. That's clearly not the case. Especially within a party that proudly claims they don't follow their leader in lock step like the Republicans.
I'm sick of the arrogance and giant egos around this side of the Blogosphere. Obama has been doing interviews, press conferences, town halls and negotiations behind the scenes every day. Then you have his Organizing for America that has been begging for help since forever. Does anyone actually think that what they've done compares to what Obama has done so far? And I want to say this to all the amateur politicos and pundits on this side of the Internets calling the Obama team stupid and naive: If It's Obvious To You, It's Obvious To Them- If You See It, They See It, If You Know It, They Know It. You are not more politically savvy and wonkier than Obama's team.
August 20, 2009 7:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Let's spread some information.
http://deathpanels.org/thepropoganda.shtml
August 31, 2009 3:42 PM | Reply | Permalink