In Defense of Mobsters: Why Shouting At Town Halls Doesn’t Bother Us As Much As It Does Pelosi/Hoyer/Gibbs
ByAs many of you know, the White House and the Democratic congressional leadership have been pushing back in mainstream media channels against what they call “the mob,” a very loosely organized group of people who oppose ObamaCare. The most recent media talking point is that “the mob” is anti-democratic and anti-American because they are ruining the noble institution of the “town hall” meeting.
Recently, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said:
“I think what is unproductive … is if somebody tries to come to a town hall meeting and you can’t ask your question or your mother can’t ask her question because somebody else is yelling…”
We dissent. This line of argument is preposterous because most “town hall” meetings and the “town hall” meetings held by President Obama, in particular, aren’t events where normal citizens can go to ask a question and engage in a free discussion with a politician. On the contrary, modern “town hall” meetings are controlled political events. The format usually goes something like this: A politician is introduced by a community leader or staff and then proceeds to speak (or lecture) on a topic for about 15-20 minutes before a crowd consisting largely of local lobbyists, friends, and supporters, who often had to pre-register to receive tickets before the event. Then, the politician answers questions that have been “randomly selected” by a staffer or calls on a few friends and supporters who he visually recognizes and knows will have friendly or fair questions. Usually, the Q&A session is markedly shorter than the lecture.
The fact that “town hall” forums are participatory democracy in name only shouldn’t be news to Mr. Gibbs. President Obama is rarely criticized by the White House Press corps, but even this team of deferential reporters has pointed out on more than one occasion that Obama’s “town hall” meetings are completely fake. Almost without exception the people selected to ask questions of the President are campaign contributors with close ties to the Democratic party and the White House. The process of selecting who will get the opportunity to ask a question is not open for public review and the press is barred from asking questions.
We hope that Republican and libertarian leaders and commentators will make clear that the vast majority of “mobsters” are going to “town hall” events with the hope of being able to make points that they believe congress and other concerned people should understand. For instance, “mobsters” may want to make sure that politicians and constituents understand that the “public option” could devestate private competition in the health insurance market leading to a kind of single payer system. They want politicians to address concerns about rationing and discrimination against the old and sick. Naturally, they are frustrated when the “town hall” turns out to be a propaganda session for a Democratic politician. Since these matters are important to these citizens, you will hear them shout if they are given no other means of making their point or adding to the discussion. It is unreasonable to expect that citizens with serious concerns about dangerous health care legislation are going to be satisfied simply being lectured in self-serving tones by a Democratic politician.
Gibbs and the Democratic party are taking this line because most undecided Americans don’t know enough about the proposed health care legislation to decide one way or the other, but they do understand that being rude, disruptive, and uncooperative is wrong. The line will be effective so long as conservative commentators fail to point out to these people the true nature of the town hall meetings and explain why a few “mobsters” are responding with shouting at the “town halls.”
Note: We don’t have time to compile the historical references, but our understanding is that some of the most important and famous community forums in American history have been raucous in their nature and involved plenty of shouting. This was particularly true in the early days of nation’s founding. In our opinion, it is the Pelosi/Hoyer/Gibbs view of town hall meetings, in which Americans listen intently, respectfully, and quietly to political hot air that is un-American and contrary to Democratic principles. It just seems far too subservient to political power and elites for us. People demand to be heard in our democracy because they are the sovereign not merely the governed.
