LIBERADIO(!)

I just wrote a post about the kind of healthcare debate our Democratic representatives should be having while Republicans are crunching numbers. If I had just listened to that little voice inside my head that heard Ralph Bristol on WTN this morning discussing with his listeners their plans to disrupt health care town hall meetings and said to myself, “He’s talking about this for a reason. There is a movement afoot to bully lawmakers into not even having a discussion on healthcare,” I wouldn’t have wasted my time.

And then I remembered also reading in Politico that certain town hall meetings were being canceled because some elected Dems were fearful and then Bristol saying “ha ha ha isn’t that funny that they’re afraid of you, my harmless little fuzzball listeners.”

Think Progress put it all together this afternoon:

This morning, Politico reported that Democratic members of Congress are increasingly being harassed by “angry, sign-carrying mobs and disruptive behavior” at local town halls. For example, in one incident, right-wing protesters surrounded Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) and forced police officers to have to escort him to his car for safety.

This growing phenomenon is often marked by violence and absurdity. Recently, right-wing demonstrators hung Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) in effigy outside of his office. Missing from the reporting of these stories is the fact that much of these protests are coordinated by public relations firms and lobbyists who have a stake in opposing President Obama’s reforms.

Then they printed the leaked memo from the FreedomWorks website Tea Party Patriots that details exactly how to unmistakeably disrupt a health care town hall that I’m sure was faxed to every two-bit Teabag and right-wing radio station across the country.

– Artificially Inflate Your Numbers: “Spread out in the hall and try to be in the front half. The objective is to put the Rep on the defensive with your questions and follow-up. The Rep should be made to feel that a majority, and if not, a significant portion of at least the audience, opposes the socialist agenda of Washington.”

– Be Disruptive Early And Often: “You need to rock-the-boat early in the Rep’s presentation, Watch for an opportunity to yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements early.”

– Try To “Rattle Him,” Not Have An Intelligent Debate: “The goal is to rattle him, get him off his prepared script and agenda. If he says something outrageous, stand up and shout out and sit right back down. Look for these opportunities before he even takes questions.”

The memo above also resembles the talking points being distributed by FreedomWorks for pushing an anti-health reform assault all summer.

“Try To “Rattle Him,” Not Have An Intelligent Debate?” Well, this certainly makes the following Teabag Party signs suddenly very ironic:

These next two aren’t relevant but, OMG! Really?!?

Ouch. Callous, much?

Does this mean what I think it means? Seriously, dude, don’t make us have to have another beer summit. Poor Elbert couldn’t take it.