While I’m generally in favor of people exercising their First Amendment rights—it typically yields good comedy when it comes from the political arena—it’s hard to take seriously the folks (aka “Tea baggers”) showing up today in Washington D.C.
Yes, it stinks to lose a presidential election. Welcome to the Democrats version of Hell, 2000-2008. It’s fine to protest policy choices, though a little civility is always nice. Even Rep. Wilson, who had the bad form to shout, “You lie!” at the president, had the good sense to apologize. There should be a clue in that.
Two points are truly vexing, though. First, where were you people during the Bush years? It’s one thing to complain about deficit spending, the burgeoning size of the federal government, and massive increase in the debt, but this was all brought on by the last president. One can argue (and I do) that the financial and auto industry bailouts were a gigantic mistake, but both were programs started under the previous administration. This economic mess is the Bush’s, not Obama’s, and pretty damn late in the game to be mad about it now.
Second, protesters seem to have no positive agenda of their own. It’s one thing to tear down another’s ideas. It’s different matter altogether to offer an alternative. So far, protesters are against Obama, Obama’s healthcare proposals, and, oh, just generally anything else associated with Obama. That’s fine. Give me an alternative to embrace and I’ll happily consider it. Right now we’ve got 46.3 million uninsured people, so the status quo is untenable.
And in the meantime, don’t be surprised if the rest of America—which by the way is not only most of America, it’s also the future of America—thinks that the goose-stepping lunatic fringe on display in D.C. today looked like uncivil, hypocritical know-nothings.
I’m just saying. You know, First Amendment and all.