Krugman: "Town Hall Mob" Part Of Southern Strategy

New York Times:

That is, the driving force behind the town hall mobs is probably the same cultural and racial anxiety that's behind the "birther" movement, which denies Mr. Obama's citizenship. Senator Dick Durbin has suggested that the birthers and the health care protesters are one and the same; we don't know how many of the protesters are birthers, but it wouldn't be surprising if it's a substantial fraction.

And cynical political operators are exploiting that anxiety to further the economic interests of their backers.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[Indie2008]

Same crowd!-- Birthers, Teabaggers, McCain / Palin voters-- no matter how they want to disguise their feighned outrage- it's just those same sore losers over the election, and they're tapping into an undercurrent of racial prejudice to find their allies.
Since when have "conservatives" gone to such extremes when a Democrat was elected?

[jmundstuk]

I have to say that Mr. Krugman absolutely savaged Obama administration financial plans at the beginning of the administration. As a highly respected member of the progressive side, his constant criticism and expressed disappointment helped contribute to dispiriting progressives, which he now decries.

[SmallChange]

Hey there young men and women of the north I have a southern strategy. Let's go pioneering and repopulate the south to turn those red c0m.mie states blue. The con feds saved so many dixie cups down there that they thought the south could rise again. Let's show em that they were so wrong.

[Bude]

The South has done it again!

[sueinmn]

The south has never let go of their plantation mentality. They will screw themselves over along with the rest of us. IUs it inbreeding or the water down there? How do they maintain the ignoranc ethrough so many generations?

[SmallChange]

I agree, the south is ignorance personified and ossified in their plantation mentality. Shame on them.

[Indie2008]

I don't know where you live, but I suppose you can look up and down the streets of your neighborhood and say- "Yep, all these people think exactly like me!" -- There is a vestige of what you refer to in the South-- but what about the white working class in the north and midwest? Deep pockets of prejudice can be found all over the US. If it were the south alone, it would not be a large factor.

[Kiabell04]

Seeing as Fox News is promoting these angry outbursts, I believe it is time to hurt them in the pocket. We all should write letters to the companies that support Glenn Beck's hatefilled program. If you don't think writing will help, then you're wrong because 3 big time promoters have already pulled their ads from his program...­thanks in part to people who signed petitions and wrote letters.

The following companies support Glenn Beck:

UPS, BOWFLEX, NUTRISYSTEM, GERBER, ORBITZ, VONTAGE, AMERITRADE, and VERIZON WIRELESS.

I will definetly give them my two-cents. I believe in the1st amendment, but I donot condone race-baiting comments from Glenn Beck and Fox News.

[whit4brains]

I've decided I will no longer purchase from any company that promotes Faux Noise. I am sending each company a letter to let them know. Since money is all that matters I realize that my wallet is the only way I can make my voice heard. I hope more people will join me.


http://foxnewsboycott.com/fox-news-sponsors/

[treetracker]

Actually, I was thinking the other day that it would hysterical to call in on his radio station and yell 'get of the air, you pinhead!"

Just think what his show would be like if dozens did it day after day. Of course, you'd have to use different phones or Skype so they couldn't track the numbers and block you from calling - but I'm sure there are thousands who would be willing to participate. After a couple of days, he'd have to end his call in segment for awhile, but every time he started it up again, hello!!

[Newsmonger]

I see alot of disorderly conducts in these town hall meetings, why is there no "disorderly conduct arrest"?

[PlainBread]

Where's the southern hospitality LOL. All I heard is yelling and screaming. One even yelled,"don't want govmnt change my medicare!" WTF? you're against "socialist government" but you been using medicare? This is the result of watching Beck, Hannity and listening to Limbaugh.

[Whinger]

Ain't nobody going to force health care on Joe Six Pack types, they can take it or leave it.

Going private is always an option for discerning rich folks!

[Avanti2]

I think Krugman has totally missed the point. People are scared about these health care proposals.

The Administration and the Democratic Leadership have done an absolutely terrible job of explaining to the common folks what this huge health care reform means to them.

The Dem's must convince Joe Six Pack that the Health Proposals are good for Joe. At the moment, Joe doesn't see any benefit in totally changing the system. In fact, Joe fear that it will cost more and that he will get or benefit less than what he has right now.

What seniors particularly fear is that ALL the plans they have learned about raid the Medicare pot of money to support the new proposals. $300 Billion per Waxman and Obama. They have not heard one word as to how this will help there medical needs coverage. Without the support of middle aged and seniors, the proposals, as presented, will not pass.

[NoSillyName]

Then "Joe Six Pack" is just plain ignorant; that's why he's a member of the Party Of Fear and No.

I'm middle aged, a "'senior" by some designations, on Medicare due to health problems and I welcome change from the current inequality in health care in America, the only Westernized Industrial country to NOT provide health care for its citizens. I am not alone; .AARP is pro-health care change.

Americans need to realize, a healthy populace is a productive populace.

[zeezan]

They could try listening to facts about the proposals rather than swallowing all the false information being put out by the insurance and pharmaceutical lobbyists and the far right wing. Unfortunately, Joe Six Pack seems to believe Fox News uncritically.

[Jenjohnson]

Some southerner­s..( I have to say not all)... are really begining to exhibit the signs of inbreeding in their communities. their stupidity is unbelievable

[timberdoodle]

The good thing about the south is anyone with half a brain can go down to these states and set up a con game and bilk these backwoods peckerheads for all it's worth.

Just say you're a preacher and start up your own religious cult and spin your own fairy tale and these morons will swallow it hook line and sinker and take em for all they got which likely isn't much but there are so many of them it will add up in the end.

[HST]

I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK! I want my country back! In my day we had segregation. Waaaaa! Waaa!
No socilaist government healthcare and keep yours hands of my social security and medicare!-LOL

[1SpecialLady]

Most of them don't even know what they're protesting, sad but true!

[amalfedup]

I think since it is a free market and a free country, they should be free not to receive any of those services. Those who are protesting should be required to sign a contract stating that they will refrain from using any socialist government programs such as medicare and social security. Think of the money we would save. I doubt many of the protesters contribute much to those programs anyway but they sure as heck have their hand out when they need it.

[taddles]

These sad pathetic people who hardly make ends meet don't even realize they are being used by big Pharma and the Repubs and the Insurance companies to kill their own health care...whe­n the insurance companies deny their life saving care, I really hope a Lib is there to laugh in their faces.

[Deja Peterson]

the funny thing is, they don't give a sh*t about healthcare, its all about their hatred and dislike towards obama.

Barack Obama won fair and square, GET THE F*CK OVER IT!

[russelld]

Hey, sometimes it's not easy being right, and right you are.

[Avanti2]

I have lived in the south for 26 years. You are absolutely wrong about this being about Obama. It is about fear of what the Fed's are going to do to me and my healthcare.

This is the fault of the Democrats. They have pushed this 1000 pages of legislation without telling people how it will benefit them. The Democratic leadership have acted like used car salesmen. Sign here now (we must pass this now) while the proposal is hot (will show you the car AFTER you buy it (we will tell you about how the bill affects your health care AFTER you buy the legislation).

[JeffmChicago]

Avanti2 just keep it short & sweet. I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK! lol

[PlainBread]

without telling people? Maybe if you learn how to listen and shut your mouth for a moment. But what has been done is screaming and yelling. When you scream and yell, there's no way you can listen other people talking.

[salkoc]

i could actually respect these town hall protests if they made sense .

first of all if you are a SENIOR CITIZEN .....STOP protesting ......you are on single payer program of the goverment . it makes you look insane when you rail against a program you are using. there is an out here .....sign something saying you are opting out of medicare .......cri­ckets.
i
f you are a war vet and get care from the VA ....STOP protesting you are on single payer ....the goverment pays your way .
i
f you are a state / federal employee ....stop protesting you are receiving FREE GOVERMENT HEALTH CARE .
if you are a politician ....WELL YOU GET IT .

the only people having a stake ...people that receive coverage from a corporation at reduced rates .....to you i say , you can very easily be on the other side of the fence if you get fired ...be careful .

this is just a big joke when SENIORS are complaining .

I HAVE A SOLUTION ...ABOLISH MEDICARE . everybody pays . how would that look ?

[blues101]

Agreed - i've been saying this for weeks. I have to remind seniors i know that they're on the take from the government so shut the cakehole or give up the goodies. Even my own family members and friends - they get social security, medicare, some get gov't pensions, disability, health care from their companies upon retirement after so many years of service, some folks get unemployment benefits - they have absolutely no clue - or don't want to admit - they've been on the take for years and the government has been the giver. They really don't put 2+2 together and get 4. Which is another discussion about the education ratings of the reddest and loudest of states and rethugs. The only thing they will understand is plain and simple speaking by the democrats and proponents of health care - telling them either shutup or giveup - all the government dole. Then we'll see who thinks we should reform health care.
I'm sure that a lot of these ignorant hillbillies are being paid a Walmart gift card for disrupting meetings and for screaming their racism against via anti-health care reform riots.

[JeffmChicago]

Excuse me salkoc you almost had a brilliant post but you are wrong to state that state/federal employees get free government health care. They do not.

[stateretiree]

I am a retired state employee and pay nothing for my healthcare. Granted with the shape the state is in, I may be paying in the future, but I'm getting pretty close to medicare age. I guess I could be like our repub politicians and say "I got mine, and I don't care about you", but unlike them I do care about other people. Also, we are paying for the uninsured now, everytime they use the emergency room, those people with insurance pay a higher rate. Also, what has happened to our "Christian Nation", that we don't care about our fellow man.

[NoSillyName]

Most of the members of the Town Hall Mobs appear to be healthy, young middle age and younger. I haven't looked real closely to the pictures, but I haven't seen that many "seniors".

[zeezan]

You really haven't looked closely. I have seen a LOT of senior citizens at these rallies, most of them yelling.

[1SpecialLady]

You do have a point though and I wonder what these crazy people would say if it was said that we would just do away with Medicare since it's govment run and the govment does not know how to administer anything.

Any poor older person that does not have much money certainly needs the govment when they're lying in a nursing home. I'd like to know who they think pays for that care.