Danger Lurking in Divisive America?

Experts who track hate groups across the U.S. are growing increasingly concerned over violent rhetoric targeted at President Obama, especially as the debate over health care intensifies and a pattern of threats emerges.

The Secret Service is investigating a Maryland man who held a sign reading "Death to Obama" and "Death to Michelle and her two stupid kids" outside a town hall meeting this week. And in New Hampshire, another man stood across the street from a Presidential town hall with his gun on full display.

Los Angeles police officers apprehended a man Thursday after a standoff with him inside a red Volkswagen Bug car in Westwood, CA – the latest disturbing case even though officials said the man had mental problems.

"I don't think these are simply people who are mentally ill or off their rocker," Mark Potok, director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, told ABC News of those behind the threats. "In a very real sense they represent a genuine reaction, a genuine backlash against Obama."

Experts say a sharp growth in so-called militia groups that helped spawn a wave of domestic terrorism in the 1990s – and are now using YouTube, rock music and the Internet to recruit members and spread hate and fear - shouldn't be ignored.

"It's certainly a scary time," said former FBI agent Brad Garrett, now an ABC News consultant. Garrett said the Secret Service "cannot afford to pass on anyone," and he believes "they really do fear that something could happen to [Obama]." - ABC News Story

This has been a concern of mine for the past 8 or so years. I have wrote about it repeatedly and have gotten the raised eyebrow look from many.

As America becomes more and more divisive, and people feeling like they are losing control of the direction of their own Country they get frustrated and angry.

Lately this has been ratcheted up quite intently with one side able to just bully through legislation and ideas without having to answer to the other side. People are very angry and have no outlet.

With leaders like Pelosi and her team out there calling people on the other side crazy and radical, Obama willing to push things through regardless of what people think, and countless other members of the left willing to verbally attack, it has created a very unhealthy atmosphere in America.

I think the Town Halls are a real glimpse into the frustration and anger that exists in America. The problem is that the Left doesn't want to see it for what it truly is. They want to call it an orchestrated attack. It is an attack, but it is not orchestrated other than anger.

Union Uses Vilence and Racial Slur to Back up Health Care Reform?

One day after denouncing "extreme radicals" and calling for a more civil discourse regarding President Obama's plan to overhaul the nation's health care system, members of the Service Employees International Union utilized those same aggressive tactics to spread their own message, critics of the union say.

SEIU Healthcare Chairman Dennis Rivera has blamed radicals and "corporate front groups" for the recent confrontations at town hall events, including one last week in Missouri where an SEIU staffer was among six people arrested for misdemeanor assault and other crimes.

"At the same time that America's families are seeking relief from fast-rising and unaffordable health care costs, extreme radicals and corporate front groups are trying to derail health insurance reform by disrupting public meetings," Rivera said in a statement last Thursday.

"While SEIU and allies across the country are staging more than 400 events to promote a real discussion on the country's need for healthcare reform, these 'Astroturf' organizations are spreading ludicrous, discredited myths designed to scare people away from much-needed reform."

Rivera challenged anyone attending the public meetings to sign a pledge to "learn and contribute" to the public discourse without being disruptive or disrespectful.

But later that day, a St. Louis man was attacked, allegedly by an SEIU staffer and another man, outside of a town hall event with Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-Mo.

Kenneth Gladney, 38, was handing out "Don't Tread on Me" flags for the Tea Party movement, when he says he was called a racial slur and struck. Gladney, who is black, suffered injuries to his knee, back and shoulder. - FOX News Story

Polls Show Majority of Americans Scared of Obama Health Care Reform

After weeks of congressional debate and significant media coverage of the recent town hall meetings being held around the country, more Americans continue to oppose health care reform.

A FOX News poll released Thursday shows that by a 15 percentage-point margin the public opposes the plans under consideration (34 percent favor and 49 percent oppose). In late July the difference in views was a bit narrower, although even at that time more were opposed by an 11-point spread.

For the most part, the public doesn't see the upside of reform. Views are mixed on how the plans will affect the country, with a slightly higher number saying "most Americans" will be worse off (36 percent) under the plans as think they will be better off (34 percent). Some 20 percent say the reforms would not make a difference.

And when asked about how the plans would affect their own family, by a much wider 15-point margin more Americans think they will be worse off than better off, while just over a third (37 percent) say the reforms would not make a difference to their family.

Moreover, nearly half of Americans feel "frightened" (31 percent) or "angry" (17 percent) about the government being more involved in their health care, while about one in four feels "indifferent" (27 percent). Less than one in five Americans feels "reassured" (19 percent).

Americans say the noisy protesters at town hall meetings are expressing authentic outrage. Some 52 percent think it is real outrage by concerned citizens -- significantly more than the 29 percent who think the protesters are fake mobs planned by lobbyists and other opposition groups. More than a third of Democrats (34 percent), most Republicans (74 percent) and nearly half of independents (49 percent) think the meetings are an expression of real anger.

And what about the Obama administration's request for people to send emails with information they see about health reform that seems fishy? A 57-percent majority disapproves of the White House asking people to do this.

Fifty-three percent think the horror stories they hear about what happens in government-run health care systems in other countries could happen here under the proposed plans, and if they were seriously ill an overwhelming 88-percent majority says they would rather receive medical care in the United States than in Canada. That includes large majorities of Democrats (86 percent), Republicans (92 percent) and independents (88 percent). - FOX News Story

Town Hallers are Being Heard

Key senators are excluding a provision on end-of-life care from health overhaul legislation after language in a House bill caused a furor.

Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, said in a statement Thursday that the provision had been dropped from consideration because it could be misinterpreted or implemented incorrectly.

A health care bill passed by three House committees allows Medicare to reimburse doctors for voluntary counseling sessions about end-of-life decisions. But critics have claimed the provision could lead to death panels and euthanasia for seniors.

The Senate Finance Committee is still working to complete a bill. - CBS News

Republican Chairman Laughs at Sen. Specter Claim

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele burst out laughing Wednesday after watching a clip of Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) insisting that the town hall protesters are “not necessarily representative of America.”

Asked to respond to the clip during an interview with Fox News’ Neil Cavuto, Steele had to gather himself just to answer the question.

“I’m sorry, I’m laughing, I’m sorry,” Steele said as he tried to respond to Specter.

“Not representative of America? Well, then who are they representative of?” Steele asked. “This is part of the craziness that we’re hearing from the left on this issue. They’re trying to obfuscate the fact that the American people ticked off, as one of the participants said yesterday, and they’re very concerned.”

Steele then turned his fire on President Barack Obama and the White House, whom he accused of stacking a town hall audience in New Hampshire Tuesday with supporters.

“You’ve got the president, who has a town hall meeting, and we applaud him for that, and then [White House press secretary Robert] Gibbs comes out and talks about how peaceful and respectful it was,” Steele said. “Yes, it’s great when you stack the room. I mean, it’s not the hardest, it’s like you have this line that you have to get into to get in.”

As the RNC chairman was accusing the White House of stacking its audience, he also dismissed charges from some Democratic lawmakers that the GOP is guilty of the same.

“Anyone out there who says that the Republican Party or state parties or Republican activists are out there doing that are flat-out lying. They’re wrong,” he said. “We are not bussing in folks like the Democrats are with SEIU members. We’re not coordinating the messaging and trying to disrupt these processes.” - Politico Story

The Back-up Plan on Health Care Reform

The town hall brawls over health care reform are already driving down public support for the effort – but that’s not the worst of the danger to the White House.

They could also give cover to some big business players, who’ve shied away from challenging the White House, to turn their guns on the reform agenda and kill it — just like they did more than a decade ago.

And if you read between the lines of the industry’s messages, it’s pretty clear they are keeping that option on the table despite a public alliance with President Barack Obama.

Some drug and insurance companies, along with business groups, are working furiously behind the scenes to shape reform in their image – but failing that, they’re preparing a Plan B that includes going negative.

Already there are signs of strain.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday launched a multimillion-dollar ad buy criticizing Democratic reform plans for raising taxes and expanding government control over health care. But the Chamber stopped short of outright opposition – instead urging viewers to tell lawmakers to slow down and do health reform right. - Politico Story

Pharmaceutical Industry Funding Fight for Reform?

A new coalition on Thursday is launching $12 million in television ads to support President Barack Obama’s health-reform plan, in the opening wave of a planned tens of millions of dollars this fall.

The new group, funded largely by the pharmaceutical industry, is called Americans for Stable Quality Care. It includes some odd bedfellows: the American Medical Association, FamiliesUSA, the Federation of American Hospitals, PhRMA and SEIU, the service employees’ union.

The ads start airing at about 11 a.m. ET Thursday.

The group is likely to be the biggest spender in support of health reform. The campaign will serve as a counterweight to the critics at town meetings, which are getting saturation news coverage while Congress is out of town.

In a reversal from former President Bill Clinton’s 1993-94 health-care debacle, the group’s campaign is likely to mean that White House supporters keep the upper hand on the airwaves.

PhRMA’s participation is key, because the group has promised to kick in as much as $150 million for advertising and grassroots activity to help pass the president’s plan. - Politico Story

It makes you wonder what the hell is going on? Obama and the Democrats are out their bashing the Insurance Companies, the Pharmaceutical Companies, and claiming that they are evil and the problem. Yet, some of them are backing his plan?

You have to wonder what the backroom deal was? This can't be good for America.

Party Switching Specter - Not Even Democrats Like Him

Uncomfortable town hall meetings are just the tip of the iceberg for Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter. He now trails Republican Pat Toomey by double digits in his bid for reelection next year and is viewed unfavorably by a majority of the state’s voters.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Pennsylvania voters shows 48% would vote for Toomey if the election were held today. Just 36% would vote for Specter while four percent (4%) prefer a third option, and 12% are not sure.

These figures reflect a dramatic reversal since June. At that time, before the public health care debate began, Specter led Toomey by eleven. - Rasmussen Reports Poll

Obama Favorability Rating Below 50% and Falling

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 29% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-seven percent (37%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -8 (see trends).

Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter is feeling the heat of the health care debate. He now trails Republican Pat Toomey by double digits in an early look at the potential 2010 race. Two months ago, Specter led by double digits. Most Pennsylvania voters oppose the Congressional health care reform effort. Also, Specter’s lead is shrinking in his Democratic Primary match-up with Congressman Joe Sestak.

The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m. Eastern (sign up for free daily e-mail update). Updates also available on Twitter.

Overall, 47% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. That’s the lowest level of total approval yet recorded. The President’s ratings first fell below 50% just a few weeks ago on July 25. Fifty-two percent (52%) now disapprove. - Rasmussen Reports Poll

Obama - Open Mouth, Insert Foot - Ooops!!!

It’s hard to know why President Obama said what he said at Tuesday’s health-care town hall in New Hampshire. He actually stated, “If you think about it, UPS and FedEx are doing just fine. It’s the Post Office that’s always having problems.”

Oops. Freudian slip? Subliminally speaking, was the president inferring that private health insurers are doing just fine?

Government insurance is what’s in trouble today. Medicare is in the hole by about $40 trillion on a discounted present-value basis over the next 40 or 50 years. And if we’re going to equate government care to government mail, according to Steve Hayes of the Weekly Standard, the U.S. Postal Service is going bankrupt with a $7 billion net loss this year. With 633,000 career employees, the Post Office won’t be able to make $5.4 billion in retiree health-benefit payments. How many of these federal employees will populate the new government-backed insurance plan if it passes?

So it’s something of a mystery why the president went down the FedEx/UPS/Post Office turnpike. Perhaps the inner Obama is a free-enterprise guy. Maybe in the heat of battle his private-sector FedEx/UPS endorsement kind of, well, slipped out unconsciously.

Some will be skeptical of this reasoning. But having once had dinner with the man, along with other conservative pundits, and knowing how carefully he parses his words, it’s hard to understand how he let this free-market blessing slip out. Perhaps he’s secretly competing with Joe Biden to win the hoof-in-mouth-disease contest.

Obama’s health-care gaffes are mounting. At a press conference a few weeks back, the president let fly with an attack on doctors who remove tonsils instead of handing out allergy pills. Since doctors are very popular in America, and with many Obamacare protesters opposed to putting government central planners between doctors and patients, this was a big mistake. Worth noting, at that same presser, Obama also put his foot in it by attacking the Cambridge police officer at the center of the Henry Louis Gates affair. More hoof-in-mouth. - Rasmussen Reports

Health Care Reform Support Continues to Fall

Public support for the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats has fallen to a new low as just 42% of U.S. voters now favor the plan. That’s down five points from two weeks ago and down eight points from six weeks ago.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that opposition to the plan has increased to 53%, up nine points since late June.

More significantly, 44% of voters strongly oppose the health care reform effort versus 26% who strongly favor it. Intensity has been stronger among opponents of the plan since the debate began.

Sixty-seven percent (67%) of those under 30 favor the plan while 56% of those over 65 are opposed. Among senior citizens, 46% are strongly opposed.

Predictably, 69% of Democrats favor the plan, while 79% of Republicans oppose it. Yet while 44% of Democratic voters strongly favor the reform effort, 70% of GOP voters are strongly opposed to it.
Most notable, however, is the opposition among voters not affiliated with either party. Sixty-two percent (62%) of unaffiliated voters oppose the health care plan, and 51% are strongly opposed. This marks an uptick in strong opposition among both Republicans and unaffiliateds, while the number of strongly supportive Democrats is unchanged. - Rasmussen Reports Poll

Recession Ending - Did Obama Save US?

Is the recession over? Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal say yes, and they suggest that's a big reason why Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke should stay.

The Journal reports that the experts are overwhelmingly in favor of President Obama asking Bernanke to stay on for another four-year term when his current term ends Jan. 31. Bernanke has been a key figure in the government's efforts to reverse the country's economic meltdown, a role that has earned him some criticism but also praise for handling of the crisis.

Economists date the start of the recession to December 2007 -- defining much of Bernanke's term, which started in early 2006 -- and a majority agree that the recession is coming to an end.

Bernanke "deserves a lot of credit for stabilizing the financial markets," Joseph Carson of AllianceBernstein told the Journal.

Obama said last week that the "worst may be behind us," and the Labor Department on Tuesday seemed to bolster that notion, reporting that productivity surged in the spring by the largest amount in almost six years while labor costs plunged at the fastest pace in nine years.

Productivity is a key ingredient for rising living standards because it means that companies can pay their workers more with the wage increases financed by rising output.

However, in the current recession, companies have been using the productivity gains to bolster their bottom lines in the face of declining sales. Many companies have been reporting second-quarter earnings results that have beaten expectations despite falling sales, due largely to their aggressive cost cutting.

Many economists believe the current recession is on the verge of ending. If the economy starts to grow in the second half of this year, companies are expected to switch from layoffs and trimming workers' hours to boosting employment as demand for their products increases. - FOX News Story

As more and more good news comes out about the economy, Doubt Not that Obama will be front and center taking credit for saving us all from that Evil Doer George W. Bush. But is he really the Savior that he and his supporters will make him out to be.

The economy couldn't turn around on a dime, and it certainly wasn't the acts of Obama that has moved us into ending the recession. He and his Administration have admitted as such when they told all of us that the Stimulus Spending would not be felt until the end of the year and into next year, for him to claim it's role in saving the economy would be total nonsense at this point.

The bigger question is will the Economy continue it's climb out in spite of Obama and the Massive Debt that he and the Democrats are compiling?

TARP Never Bought Any Troubled Assets?

Signs abound that the worst of the recession is over: Stocks have been surging, the rate of job losses has slowed, so it seems that the economic apocalypse has been averted.

Government programs such as the $787 billion stimulus and last fall's $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program have so far been successful, the Obama administration says.

Except, the Congressional Oversight Panel warns in its August report, TARP never actually bought any troubled assets. "It is likely that an overwhelming portion of the troubled assets from last October remain on bank balance sheets today," the panel's report says

Those bad assets are still there, rotting away on banks' books, making banks reluctant to ratchet up lending, and maybe, the watchdog warns, paving the way for another financial meltdown.
"We are now 10 months into TARP," the panel's report notes, "and troubled assets remain a substantial danger to the financial system." - ABC News Storyhttp://http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=8296946&page=1

AARP Cancels Town Halls

DALLAS — After a passionate forum in Dallas, the AARP has suddenly cancelled its series of town hall meetings across North Texas dealing with health care reform.

The senior advocacy group said outside organizations are, in effect, hjacking their meetings and deliberately trying to stir emotions.

"There were elements that had been organized not to come and dialog and discuss the issue, but clearly just to come and disrupt the meeting,” said Tim Simmons, of Texas State AARP. “Unfortunately, when members tried to speak or ask questions, they were shouted down; they were yelled at.”

Edited video posted on YouTube.com from a one meeting showed the exasperated moderator trying to maintain control.

“You are not running the meeting, sir," an unidentified woman said. "So, I'm going to go ahead and continue."

Video showed audience members arguing with the moderator. Eventually, the moderator shut down the meeting and unplugged the microphone.

“This might be fun for you,” she told the audience. - WFAA Story

I have to tell ya, I don't think that there is any way that these disruptions are a coordinated effort of the Republican Party. I wish like heck that it was, that would mean that the GOP is very Organized and ready to go for the upcoming 2010 elections. However, we all know that it just isn't the case. The GOP is disorganized and couldn't put anything like this together.

The good thing is the Democrats and Obama and taking care of rallying America for the Republicans. All the GOP has to do is sit back and watch them bury themselves.

I have to admit, this is definetly CHANGE!!!!

Town Halls Tough Ride for Democrats

Sen. Arlen Specter held a town hall meeting this morning in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and the proceedings were relatively civil – with one notable exception.

Angry that he had not been among the roughly thirty people who had been given the opportunity to ask the senator a question, one man began yelling – at which point he was pushed by another attendee and it appeared a fight might break out.

Specter intervened in an effort to calm everyone down. The man, waving a piece of paper, then turned to Specter and complained that he could not influence the senator because he is "not a lobbyist with all kind of money to stuff in your pocket." He also referred to Specter as "crooked."

"One day, God's gonna stand before you," the worked-up man said as the senator looked at him without expressing emotion. "And he's gonna judge you and the rest of your damn cronies up on the Hill -- and then you will get your just desserts."

Specter, who called the outburst "a demonstration of democracy," faced some other hostile questions at the town hall, with many speakers complaining about Democratic health care reform efforts. Most of the questioners were polite, however – even one woman who wore a "member of the mob" t-shirt, a reference to complaints from Democrats that Republican operatives had dispatched "angry mobs" to disrupt town hall events.

"This is about the systematic dismantling of this country…you have awakened a sleeping giant," a woman named Katy Abram said to Specter, reading from a prepared statement. She later appeared on Fox News, which covered the Specter event along with the other cable networks.

The senator, who switched from the Republican to Democratic Party this year, remained calm throughout the meeting, telling attendees that he would not support the health care bill if it would add to the deficit. Crowds of people who did not get into the meeting gathered outside, some clutching signs warning of socialism. - CBS News Story

Funding for Congress' Private Jets Dropped

WASHINGTON -- House Democratic leaders said Monday that they will not force the Pentagon to buy four new passenger jets used to ferry senior government officials.
Democrats have been criticized for adding $330 million to the Air Force's 2010 budget to buy the jets even though the Pentagon didn't request the money.
Two of the planes would be the C-37 -- the military equivalent to the fancy Gulfstream 550 -- and cost taxpayers $130 million at a time when lawmakers have made villains of bailed-out auto executives who rely on corporate jets to travel.
"If the Department of Defense does not want these aircraft, they will be eliminated from the bill," said Rep. John Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat who chairs the panel that approved the additional spending.
A spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she supported the decision, which was expected to face resistance in the Senate. - FOX News Story

Obama Pitches Health Care

President Obama rallied support for his health care plan at a town hall meeting on health care Tuesday as opponents of reform legislation confront lawmakers about the plan at forums across the country.
"Your health insurance will be there for you when it counts, not just when you're paying premiums," Obama said to applause at a local high school in Portsmouth, N.H.,a state renowned for its independent streak on many issues.
Obama used many of his talking points to address concerns and objections expressed by opponents of his health care plan.
"This is not about putting the government in charge of your health insurance," he said. "I don't believe anyone should be in charge of your health insurance decisions except you and your doctor."
"I don't think government bureaucrats should be meddling but I don't think insurance company bureaucrats should be meddling," he said, drawing thunderous applause.
The White House was readying a fresh pitch designed for those who already have insurance. - FOX News Story

I am sure that everyone is sold that Government won't be making decisions about your health care and that this isn't going to turn into a bureaucratic mess. This is the Government we are talking about. Everything is a mess.

Health Care Reform has little Support from Voters

Public support for the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats has fallen to a new low as just 42% of U.S. voters now favor the plan. That’s down five points from two weeks ago and down eight points from six weeks ago.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that opposition to the plan has increased to 53%, up nine points since late June.
More significantly, 44% of voters strongly oppose the health care reform effort versus 26% who strongly favor it. Intensity has been stronger among opponents of the plan since the debate began.
Sixty-seven percent (67%) of those under 30 favor the plan while 56% of those over 65 are opposed. Among senior citizens, 46% are strongly opposed.
Predictably, 69% of Democrats favor the plan, while 79% of Republicans oppose it. Yet while 44% of Democratic voters strongly favor the reform effort, 70% of GOP voters are strongly opposed to it.Most notable, however, is the opposition among voters not affiliated with either party. Sixty-two percent (62%) of unaffiliated voters oppose the health care plan, and 51% are strongly opposed. This marks an uptick in strong opposition among both Republicans and unaffiliateds, while the number of strongly supportive Democrats is unchanged. - Rasmussen Reports Poll

Obama Approval Rating Struggling to Stay at 50%

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 30% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-seven percent (37%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -7 (see trends). Forty-five percent (45%) give the President good or excellent marks for leadership.
Rasmussen Reports will release new polling data measuring support for health care reform at 10:30 a.m. Eastern today. Premium Members can get an advance look at the results. Data released yesterday shows that 51% fear the federal government more than private insurance companies. Thirty-two percent (32%) favor a single-payer health care system for the U.S. while 57% are opposed.
The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m. Eastern (sign up for free daily e-mail update). Updates also available on Twitter. -Rasmussen Reports Poll

Hillary Clinton Blasts Student Question

Results of Jackson Autopsy to Remain Sealed

Jackson Autopsy Results To Remain Sealed
The Los Angeles County coroner's office says it has finished its probe into what
killed Michael Jackson but will not release the results yet.

MORE DETAILS: <http://www.wisn.com/tu/5IVNdZ9nO.html>

Harry Reid Has a Challenger

As JMart first noted over the weekend, Danny Tarkanian – son of the famed UNLV basketball coach – announced Friday that he’s running against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

Tarkanian, who currently runs a real estate business, doesn’t quite have the winning touch of his father. In 2004, he lost a state Senate race and followed that up by losing the 2006 race for Secretary of State in Nevada.

He recently won a court victory on defamation charges against his state Senate opponent who accused him of bad business practices during the campaign.

As Nevada political guru Jon Ralston wrote: “Tarkanian, who has never won a race, must think he has no baggage and can suddenly become a U.S. senator. His bizarre announcement -- 916 area code? -- is below” - Politico

I don't know how anyone can look down on him for running. This Congress isn't doing any good, and people are ready to make sweeping changes due to the disaster that is taking place.

Hell, Minnesota elected a Comedian for God's Sake.

Newt Gingrich - Let them Get it Out

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) said Sunday that lawmakers must weather the rash of angry constituent outbursts that are headlining town hall meetings across the country this month.

“Members ought to go back home, hold as many town hall meetings as you have to, let people get it out of their system and by September we could have a genuine dialogue in this country," Gingrich said on ABC's "This Week."

Voters are furious over heavy government spending, the tanking economy and the Democrats' rush to pass a massive health care reform bill this year.

“People are very, very upset,” said Gingrich, who recalled facing an angry mob of 800 machinists during his time in office. “They have this sense of a machine running over them.” - Politico

Finally! Someone who actually gets it.

It isn't orchestrated as much as the White House and Dems would like everyone to believe. People are down right pissed off. They are having all of this rammed right down their throats and they are very, very, very upset.

Is calling the protesters at your event "un-American" the best political path?

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer think so, with their op-ed in this morning's USA Today saying that "drowning out opposing views is simply un-American."

They're obviously pushing for a more civil debate, but this is one of those phrases that could backfire.

More from the top Dem leaders in USAT:

"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. These tactics have included hanging in effigy one Democratic member of Congress in Maryland and protesters holding a sign displaying a tombstone with the name of another congressman in Texas, where protesters also shouted "Just say no!" drowning out those who wanted to hold a substantive discussion." - Politico

It is UnAmerican to stand up for what you believe? It is UnAmerican to hold your Representatives accountable?

Seriously?!!

Sarah Palin Urges Town Hall Calm

A few days after suggesting that Democratic health care proposals being debated in Washington may imperil the life of her son, Trig, Sarah Palin on Sunday urged reform opponents to not give the opposition fodder by disrupting town halls.

Palin's comments, posted on her Facebook page, come after weeks of raucous town halls in which conservatives have shouted down members of Congress.

"There are many disturbing details in the current bill that Washington is trying to rush through Congress, but we must stick to a discussion of the issues and not get sidetracked by tactics that can be accused of leading to intimidation or harassment," Palin wrote. "Such tactics diminish our nation’s civil discourse which we need now more than ever because the fine print in this outrageous health care proposal must be understood clearly and not get lost in conscientious voters’ passion to want to make elected officials hear what we are saying. Let’s not give the proponents of nationalized health care any reason to criticize us." - Politico

Teamster Face Strike within It's Own Ranks

The unionized workers on the Teamsters Washington-based national staff are locked in a contract dispute with their own labor organization, and Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa is warning local officials of, as he puts it, the embarrassing prospect of a strike.

And if his own workers do walk out, Hoffa wrote in a letter to Teamster "principal officers" around the country late last month obtained by POLITICO, the national union or International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) will be forced to "make contingency plans to operate."

Continuing operations while its workers are on strike would cause severe public image problems for the Teamsters and place other unions in a difficult position. By tradition, unions keep solidarity by not crossing the picket lines of other unions.

But in his letter, dated July 29 and co-signed by the Teamsters' No. 2 official, Hoffa stated bluntly that "negotiations are not going well" with what he termed "the building workforce."

While praising the Teamster headquarters workers, he wrote that their union, the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), "refuses to acknowledge the current economic conditions and the impact on per capita revenues at the IBT."

Asked about the letter, Teamsters spokesman Bret Caldwell, who is not an OPEIU member, cited the effects of the recession on the national union's treasury.

"In these difficult times and as always, we must remain good stewards of our members’ hard-earned dues money," Caldwell said.

But, softening Hoffa's language, he suggested a strike was unlikely.

"We expect that the ongoing negotiations with OPEIU will be successfully completed at bargaining table," Caldwell said. He wouldn't discuss the timing of any deal, only saying talks are "ongoing." - Politico Story

Obama's New Website to Fight for Health Care

The Obama administration has launched a new Web site to battle what it calls "wild rumors" about the health care reform plans being pushed through Congress -- including an invitation for the public to tattle on any other "myths" they come across.

It comes a week after the White House asked the public to send in "fishy" information about health care reform.

The Web site, activated Monday, uses the same set-up as the "Fight the Smears" page the Obama campaign maintained last year to battle rumors seen as potentially damaging to his candidacy.

The new "Reality Check" site features a half-dozen alleged rumors about health care reform, responding to them with videos of top aides rebutting them.

"We're offering the site and tools to empower individuals across the country to take this content into their own hands and share it among their networks," a senior administration official said.

"That's the sort of bottom-up process that got us to the White House, and it's what's going to deliver meaningful change to the health insurance system."

In one clip, an aide to adviser Valerie Jarrett disputes the claim that health care reform will lead to "rationing." Kavita Patel says rationing already occurs in the form of private insurers determining how to fund clients' health care, but said the notion that government will interfere in health care is "laughable."

In another clip, Melody Barnes, director of the Domestic Policy Council, disputes what the White House calls a "malicious myth" -- the idea that reform would lead to euthanasia for seniors.

That claim is rooted in a provision in the House bill that provides Medicare coverage for an end-of-life consultation every five years. - FOX News Story

Bipartisan Opposition to Multi-Million Dollar Airplane Purchase

WASHINGTON -- Bipartisan opposition is emerging in the Senate to a plan by House lawmakers to spend $550 million for additional passenger jets for senior government officials.

The resistance to buying eight Gulfstream and Boeing planes comes as members of both chambers of Congress embark on the busiest month of the year for official overseas travel. The plan to upgrade the fleet of government jets, which was included in a broader defense-funding bill, has also sparked criticism from the Pentagon, which has said it doesn't need half of the new jets.

Two Missouri senators, Democrat Claire McCaskill and Republican Christopher Bond, said they would oppose funding for the jets when the legislation is taken up by the Senate in September.

"The whole thing kind of makes me sick to my stomach," said Mrs. McCaskill in an interview Sunday. "It is evidence that some of the cynicism about Washington is well placed -- that people get out of touch and they spend money likes it's Monopoly money."

Sen. John Thune (R., S.D.) says the planned purchase "is a classic example of Congress being out of touch with the realities of deficit spending."

The Obama administration had sought $220 million to buy four passenger jets, including two that are currently being leased by the Air Force, to replace a fleet of older planes. Before leaving town for the August break, House lawmakers doubled the aircraft order to eight, at a total cost of $550 million. - FOX News Story

Unions Raise the Bar at Town Halls

One of the country's largest unions has been hit by a wave of hostile calls and even death threats from people upset with its involvement in town-hall health care debates.

The Service Employers International Union was, as one aide put it, "deluged" with calls on Friday after several conservative media outlets accused the organization of trying to assault demonstrators who had showed up to protest Obama's health care agenda. Making it even scarier for union employees, the address of the union's St. Louis headquarters was mentioned on air by conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

Callers who reached both the front desk and the communications department compared the union officials to Nazis, union aides say. On Twitter, organizers of the town hall protest urged people to take pictures and write down the license plate numbers of attending SEIU officials. More alarming than anything else, angry callers and protesters pledged to take up arms against the union.

"If ACORN/SEIU attends these meetings for disruptive purposes, and you have a license to carry....carry," read one tweet.

"I suggest you tell your people to calm down, act like American citizens, and stop trying to repress people's First Amendment rights," one caller warned. "That, or you all are gonna come up against the Second Amendment." - Huffington Post Story

People are very upset about the direction of the Country and the way that this President and Congress are just ramming stuff down our throats. They don't feel like they have a say in what is going on in America and have turned to their elected leaders. However, the Democratic Leadership and the President are too busy playing politics and are now trying to shut people out of this process as well.

I have repeatedly said that the Country is heading down a very dangerous path. The divide is deepening and widening. The more that Democrats think that they can just pass legislation without input from the other side, this is going to continue to drive people to extremes to stop this from happening.

Obama pushed for Change and inclusion and seems to have forgotten that pledge.

Obama Ally Unions to Rally at Town Halls

The nation's largest federation of labor organizations has promised to directly engage with boisterous conservative protesters at Democratic town halls during the August recess.

In a memo sent out on Thursday, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney outlined the blueprint for how the union conglomerate would step up recess activities on health care reform and other topics pertinent to the labor community. The document makes clear that Obama allies view the town hall forums as ground zero of the health care debate. It also uses the specter of the infamous 2000 recount "Brooks Brothers" protest to rally its members to the administration's side.

"The principal battleground in the campaign will be town hall meetings and other gatherings with members of Congress in their home districts," reads the memo. "We want your help to organize major union participation to counter the right-wing "Tea-Party Patriots" who will try to disrupt those meetings, as they've been trying to do to meetings for the last month. ...

(Remember the hooligans - many of them Republican Congressional staff - who harassed Florida vote counters in 2000? We can't let that happen again!)."

A showdown between unions and grassroots conservative organizations could make for an August full of fireworks, with even more dysfunctional town hall meetings. The AFL-CIO is planning to target 50 "high priority districts," in addition to organizing telephone town hall gatherings. - Huffington Post Story

Well here we go. The division in America has grown deeper and wider with the election of Obama, and we are headed down a deadly path.

ABC Joins List Who Want Paula Abdul

ABC is joining the chorus of those seeking to hire Paula Abdul, who said she's quitting "American Idol."

ABC programming chief Stephen McPherson told the Television Critics Association on Saturday that he was "stunned" to hear she'd decided to leave the top-rated Fox series and that he's contacted Abdul, whom he called an old friend.

McPherson told Abdul he'd love to see her at ABC, home of "Dancing with the Stars."

Abdul announced last Tuesday she was leaving as an "Idol" judge following stalemated contract talks with Fox and the show's producers. She said she quickly started receiving "wonderful" offers. - ABC News

Hotel Collapses from Typhoon Rains in China

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