Words and Links

Why is civility and decorum being abandoned at the town hall meetings?  On the surface it is definitely genuine and sincere opposition to President Obama’s health care reform initiative.  However, digging deeper into the motives of the protesters shows that the frustration comes from multiple sources, only one of which is the healthcare issue.

According to AP, the protesters are “white, conservative and working class. But they ranged in age and their concerns went beyond health care to deficit spending, taxes, government growth and other issues.”  The issues began rearing their head with George W. Bush abandoning of fiscal conservatism and disregard for personal liberties post 9/11.  The ball was then rolling downhill.  Increased Federal spending, the Iraq war, the near collapse of the financial system, and the massive government bailouts and buyouts of our large private institutions have pushed many people to the point where it was time to begin complaining and being vocal.

Healthcare reform was just the last straw.  As proposed, it is an awful idea that would cause our current system to suffer, and degrade the services available.  And it is virtually guaranteed to cause far more people to be unsatisfied with the health system than are now.

These protesters are frustrated and screaming out to put a brake on government expansion in general.  We still live in the greatest and most free country in the world and these people are screaming out to keep it that way.