Why are activists on the left allowing the right to define the health debate?

[WI_DEM]

All we hear about are democratic representatives being heckled and shouted down at town meetings by right wing activists. Where is the left? Don't GOP representatives have town meetings? Where are our people not shouting them down like the people on the right but asking pointed questions and demanding answers?

I hate to say it but once again the right with the help of the bought and owned media is defining the debate.

[villager]

1. Or most other debates, really...

n/t

[NashVegas]

2. Because Activists Want Universal Health Care, While the Higher-Earning Progressives

Who voted for Obama over Edwards or Kucinich are comfortable enough in their assets to think the issue doesn't really apply to them, anyway.

You can't expect activists on the left to come to your defense if you aren't going to throw them any real bones.

[Echo In Light]

7. *

[Warren Stupidity]

10. All the 'higher earing progressives' I know want single payer

In fact everyone I know, regardless of income level, who supports health insurance reform, wants single payer. You must hang out with some other set of 'higher earning progressives', whatever that divisive term really means.

The problem isn't some division between 'activists' and 'higher earning progressives', the problem is abject corruption in washington and a well funded fascist right.

I supported Obama after everyone to the left of Obama failed.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. Lack .. Of .. Leadership

A bully pulpit is a terrible thing to wsste.

The argument(s) against our side metastisized into the cancer of the public square with which we are now faced far faster than anyone on our side reacted.

Placidity is not a defense.

[WI_DEM]

6. True, however I don't think it's too late

I believe the president needs to address the American people directly on health care in a prime time televised oval office speech--not the prime time pressers he has been doing. He needs to go over the heads of the media and debunk what the right is saying and explain clearly what he is looking for in a health care bill including a public option. He should also explain about how the insurance companies are fighting so hard to defeat this and ask the people why they think that is? and that there is already somebody in the room with the patient and the doctor and it's the insurance companies and a public option actually is a step towards stopping that.

[Stinky The Clown]

8. I agree ..... it may not be too late ........ but it sure as hell is a steeper hill to climb .......

..... than it needed to be.

This was the easiest, most promising opening we have had on this issue in a lifetime. And we not have it again for the rest of our lifetimes.

I have to say ..... I am VERY angry about the waste of opportunity on this issue.

[Tumbulu]

4. I have wondered the same thing....

my repug congressman holds telephone only town hall meetings...so I guess I would just get hung up on.

[peace13]

5. Hello...it's the media.

Over 500,000 folks met on the Mall to protest *'s "Surge". Did you hear about it? Not unless you had CSPAN on for the ninety minutes of coverage. This is the exact same scenario. Why do you expect others to waste their time and risk their safety out on the corner with these medicare sucking FOX addled folks. I think you would be surprised at how many sane people continue to contact their Representatives on the subject of health care. You will never win the spin wars as a Dem, that is the simple truth. It doesn't mean people aren't working on the problem.

edited to add - Most of the people who would be out on the streets spent over a year getting Obama elected, using money and time to accomplish this. At some point one has to get on with the business of trying to keep their own jobs and life in order. Really, it is time for those who have been watching to get up and do something.

[Warren Stupidity]

9. We have no media outlets or corporate sponsors.

How are we supposed to stop the right, with its well funded national megaphone, from defining the debate?

[doc03]

11. They have MONEY on their side,

talk radio, most of the corporate media and we have morons like Nancy Polosi on ours. When she made that statement about it being UN-American to question our leaders it just fueled the fire. She needs to go like a year ago.

[emulatorloo]

12. Pelosi said it was un-American to try to shout people down. Media allowed that to be

spun by the usual GOP crowd.

[loyalkydem]

13. A better question

Where are all the young people?

[peace13]

14. Our peace line looks like the restroom line at the assisted living facility.

I'm 52 and the youngest one out there. People drive by and yell...'Get a job!' and most of us are retired. We have a college in town and every once in a while we will get one young person from up the hill. We had a Cub Scout cross the street once on food drive Saturday. He told his dad that he would rather stand in the peace vigil. That was very sweet. As for the young and the heath care issue, most of them they just haven't had that as a problem yet.

[loyalkydem]

15. In all fairness

I did not plan to be put on medicare at the age of 28. That was when I was initinally approved to be on medicare. It's just something that you just don't plan for. I'm really surprised the young people are not out in force on this issue.

[Lagomorph]

16. Go volunteer at a senior center...

you'll have your answer in a couple days....

They're so damn contrary, it's hard not to love 'em.

[readmoreoften]

17. 1) In part because Democrats are not "the left" and are they not necessarily "activists."

Leftist activists are fighting for *actual* health care reform like single payer. They've been in the media for over a year now. The thing is, because the Democratic party is not 'left' and doesn't support single payer, they're not going to come to the rescue of Congress. Let's be real. The majority of activism is done outside of the Democratic party milieu--with (regardless of how you feel about them) the ANSWER coalition, WCW, CodePink, and the ISO/SocialistWorker/Haymarket crew doing the lions share of the grunt work with their involvement in the IVAW, immigration rights support, join the impact/march on Washington, justice for Iran, Viva Palestina, CEDP, etc. etc. With the exception of UFPJ (which has demobilized the antiwar movement if anything) the majority of work is done by various factions on the FAR left. And social democrats are the far right of the far left. Most Democrats insist they don't want to be represented by them anyway.

2) Private media defines the debate. Whatever is good for those who own it is what gets promoted. Obama is very useful to them in certain ways (continuing and expanding wars, bailouts, etc.) and for that reason he is promoted. But the highest bidder wins. I suspect in the healthcare debate the highest bidder was the FOXNews connected think-tank that funds these teabaggees.

3) Democrats organize in terms of voting, not protesting. How to GOTV, who they threaten to withhold their vote from (then they vote for them anyway.) They tend to "handle things" through the electoral process. Operations that relied on the support of Democrats to function (The Campus Anti-War Network, MoveOn, etc.) have imploded since Obama's election. The majority of Democrats feel that they've won and now is the time to reap the benefits.

[Doctor_J]

18. Because the media is owned, run, and staffed by ultra-rightists

and because we're weak and appeasing.

[loyalkydem]

19. Turn on MSNBC

Check out that awesome intrview.