"It's well documented, dontcha know? This accusation of of astroturfing coming from the Soros/Moveon/ACORN crowd is hilariously hypocritical!" youngservative

Thomas Schaller wrote about the links between corporations and protestors (also some Republican actors!) 2 days ago on the very War Room where you're posting today. Here's the link if you're interested:

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/08/12/read_addie/index.html

You may have been too young to remember, but anti-Iraq-war protests were a little bit bigger than a few code-pinkers. Here are the estimates on the February 13, 2003 Iraq War protests across the globe:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_15,_2003_anti-war_protest#New_York

Approx. 800 cities in 60 countries were involved for an estimated worldwide total of 8-10 Million (possibly as high as 30 M), with an approx. 3,000,000 in Rome and 2,000,000 in London alone. Major protests occurred in many U.S. cities - New York being the largest with a crowd of between 300,000-1,000,000.

I remember vividly that the media spent about one-day on this protest, and never lavished attention on other protests that followed (especially given the huge outpouring of world-wide sentiment against the war from the get-go). Cindy's vigil was the one good "story" with legs, albeit shaky ones.

What most people are saying now is that the town halls are largely eventless across the country, or at least civil. The media is picking on some of the more contentious examples, as the media will. (This is why the media doesn't bother with peaceful war protests, regardless of the numbers.)

Also, it's a given that the American public usually does not side with protestors, especially if they threaten violence or harm. Bums them out. That's why Nixon was elected, after the tumult of the 60's, if you recall (or care to look up).

You get an extra big star today for taking on all comers (and, yes, the Central Committee will be sending you super-special compensation later this month). You must be bushed (but not "beat"!).

I especially liked when they got all Atticus Finch on you, and you just Gregory Pecked them back. Good show.

for the great post. I saw Kathleen Hall Jamieson of FactCheck.org on Bill Moyers' PBS show last night discussing this very event (and what an amazingly savvy woman she is!). Her point was that media that actually print photos of these outdoor events do an incredible job in breaking through the hardened spin of the debate. The more we can see the faces of those left behind by the current system - and see them being helped - the more we can agree that SOMETHING must be done.

I know Salon doesn't do photos so much, but please keep publicizing the faces and stories of the millions who need this, and keep talking about the bills themselves, as they get honed into the final.

Jamieson also had a very interesting point. She'll be looking for four major indicators of the "health" of the final health bill - whether the AARP, the Concord Coalition, the AMA and the nursing associations stood behind the bill - telling us that the basic parameters would help, not harm, us all; that they could be paid for; and that quality of care would not be diminished.

If Congress is smart, satisfying those groups will be its mantra, and healthcare reform will make perfect sense to almost anyone.

Salon's alumnus Steve Benen also had a terrific piece on Huffington yesterday, an outline of sorts of the major groups opposing healthcare reform, and their reasons. Kind of took the fear factor out of the screaming and obfuscation. Some people have legitimate questions and concerns - that's part of the making of the Bill. Some are simply misinformed. But those doing the misinforming are the culprits - corporate interests who stand to rape us less, and Republicans simply using the debate to check Obama, rather than address a runaway problem that affects us all, left and right.

Benen is wonderful, clear and sharp as they come, and I wish Salon could bring him back on a permanent basis.

anybody who cares about real healthcare reform, now is the time - today and tomorrow - to both call and write ALL your representatives to keep the Public Option in the bill. We are a millions miles past a Single Payer Plan, unfortunately, which is absolutely the best solution. But it's gone, at least for the time being. Maybe we can argue that through after we at least shake up the system - just like we got more and better environmental protections after the first bills. Once people see that their heads don't explode with good healthcare (those whose heads haven't already!), they'll be more and more receptive to the facts as opposed to the lies being shopped around these last few weeks.

The Public Option is our best hope right now to provide real coverage for people left behind or facing bankruptcy or absurd choices/costs, and to force the insurance cartels to be efficient and competitive - for ALL of us. It's non-negotiable for REAL reform, and to positively affect the economy.

The White House is putting Sebelius out there today to test the waters - to see if they get meaningful push-back on keeping the Public Option. Today, tomorrow, this week are the times to act. Just Google any of your Congresspeople, and there will be info on sending emails. Both President Obama and Secretary Sebelius take phone messages, starting tomorrow morning.

For all of you who don't care, the good news is you don't have to do anything you're not doing already. So relax and enjoy your Sunday.