Quite right.

There is an alternative & better dimension, where Obama was faced with resistance to two of his insider nominees (Geithner and Daschle), and choose to throw Geithner, and keep Daschle.

In that world, the bailouts are less insular, and the health care debate passed on the same lines as Sotomayor — moderate Republicans in favor, conservative ones opposed.

I agree that there was no better ally for him on this. His plan he proposed w/ Bob Dole & Howard Baker was better than the President’s and light years beyond anything the GOP has proposed thus far.

Still, that was the chance Obama had. He had, what, 70% approval? If Health Care is as important to him as it seems, that was the time to get the nomination through. Obama has bigger problems than Daschle, but it’s hard to imagine a better ally.

The only violence I am aware of is by unionish thugs who attack the protesters. The only fake democracy here is the use of “town hall meetings,” which are scripted and controlled. The only hypocrisy are Senators, like Specter, who tell people to get out, and then praise them for being a demonstration of democracy.

Certainly these protests may backfire. They seem to be working now. Obama was on the verge of having a really great health care proposal. But he dumped Daschle, delegated the bill to the Congress, and is now floundering. [1]

Lexington,

Thanks! I haven’t had this weird an impression formed about me since I debated atheist-evolutionists during high school. Then everyone kept thinking I was a creationist. Now I’m some sort of wacko-leftist!

[1] http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

I concede your point. At the same time, all it leads to is even more scripted events, a false impression of widespread populist rage, and a PR win (probably) for Obama b/c the media (even conservative outlets locally) are often portraying them as flashpoints of disorder, paranoia and focusing on the Nazi talk, the not so veiled threats of assassination for tyrants, and the entry of what appear to be many out of district troublemakers into what are supposed to be local affairs.

What you will end up with is an even more artificial relationship between a congressmen and his constituents.

Of course, I would not ask for bloodshed or any sort of pagan fertility ritual

I for one would be delighted if Arlen Specter dropped some canvas and revealed Christopher Lee, a giant wicker statue, and a nubile virgin [1].

It would be the end of Specter’s political career (I can see the attack ads now: Do you trust a Senator who knows Christopher Lee?), but it would be a delightful end.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wicker_Man_(1973_film)

I’m afraid I’m going to have to take the side of the Joker on this one.

These town hall meetings have moved beyond whatever purpose they may have served and have become well-planned, choreographed advertizing events. As long as everything goes “according to plan” people are pretty happy, pat themselves on the back for asking what amount to rote questions (citizen participants) or answering with predictable, canned responses (politicians.)

Keeping up the illusion of concerned civility requires suppression of the oddball yet passionate opposition and a lot of kumbaya amongst those who remain sedate in the little get-together once the odd-balls are escorted out.

Of course, I would not ask for bloodshed or any sort of pagan fertility ritual, but I do think the limitations on the format — largely set by the politician’s coterie in order to advance his agenda — is mock democracy at best.

No American is un-American.