Is The Opposition Running Out Of Steam?

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_03/022842.php

DIMINISHING RETURNS.... Right-wing activists, lobbying organizations, and assorted Tea Party groups have been pretty aggressive in organizing events in opposition to health care reform. Some have were fairly successful in generation attention and sizable crowds.

Others, less so.

The national Tea Party effort to turn up the heat on Democratic members of Congress in an attempt to defeat President Obama's healthcare overhaul legislation is getting off to a slow start.

Organizers of the "Take the Town Halls to Washington" effort said they hoped to meet with about 50 House Democrats as they try to kill the kill. So far, Mark Skoda, one of the event's organizers, said he met with three House members.

Two of the three members who met with Tea Party activists? Republican Reps. Steve King of Iowa and Michele Bachmann of Minnesota -- arguably the two most right-wing members of the House, who probably didn't need much in the way of convincing.

So, the "Take the Town Halls to Washington" push intended to reach 50 House Dems, and actually reached one (Rep. Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania). That the far-right initiative is being directly subsidized by the Republican National Committee didn't seem to help.

snip//

As strategies go, there's nothing wrong with keeping the base motivated, but even the most committed activist, after having been told it's time to take time off from work once more to attack a pretty sensible health reform plan, is likely to ask, "Again?"

Just as Democrats are generating some momentum for final passage, it's not unreasonable to wonder if the opposition is running out of steam.

—Steve Benen 8:40 AM

[Clio the Leo]

1. And here is something I'm noticing about this "coffee party" stuff....

.... CNN has done several stories on them in the last 24 hours.

They keep emphasizing "this group wants to stop the hostility...." while making it clear that those involved still aren't happy with Washington. "The coffee party is the opposite of the tea party" is what you get from these segments "and the teaparty is ANGRY!!!"

This is VERY VERY good news.

I'll admit it, I first thought the notion of the coffee party was lame .... didn't understand it and didn't like the "copy cat" name.

But if they can help portray the teabaggers as a bunch of loony, yelling wingnuts, more power to them.

[BlueIdaho]

4. Is the coffee party just another "astroturf" organization?

Just one more corporate front to promote the same agenda - this time spun off to reach those turned off by lunatic teabaggers?

[gkhouston]

13. That would be my guess, which is why CNN is pushing it.

I expect "let's be polite" is a veneer for the sort of "fair and balanced" discussions where we're supposed to accord equal credibility to points of view which may vary wildly in their factual content.

[OmahaBlueDog]

2. No...they think they've won. They think health care reform is dead.

However, it seems to be rising from the ashes... like the Phoenix....or like Frankenstein's Monster...depending on your POV.

[4lbs]

3. They succeeded in delaying passage of any type of HCR by 7 months.

Instead of passage in late-August 2009 like President Obama originally wanted, it's been delayed until mid-to-late March 2010, about 7 months.

Meanwhile, in those 7 months:

26,000 more people have died because they didn't have proper health care due to lack of coverage.

200,000 more people have lost their health insurance altogether and joined the rolls of the uninsured.

Private health premiums have been raised 25% to 100%.



Good job, teapartiers and right-wing opposers! You've succeeded in helping to kill almost 9 times as many people as 9/11 did.

[treestar]

10. I wouldn't give them the credit

That credit goes to Nelson, Lieberman, the progressives and the voters of Massachusetts.

[sam sarrha]

5. doesnt matter... they have an endless supply of BULLSHIT

[saltpoint]

6. When someone like Michele Bachmann or Steve King is a star in your

'movement,' you're in a movement in crisis.

Insane and willful is a bad combination.

I like the thought that the craziness of the town hall disruptor types only gets attention and no traction, at least in the long term.

Recommended.

[saltpoint]

7. The county GOP chairs will have some winning percentages in front of

them for 2012 local and state races, perhaps, but those candidates' fates depend partly on who tops the ticket.

Of the available / likely / possible GOP candidates on that 2012 ticket, I'm not seeing a strong Reagan-like draw. Also I see a savage flesh-ripping knife fight in the alley out back for the nomination, with multiple victims.

Cue Lee Greenwood.

[Beetwasher]

8. The Thing With Running On Hate Is While It May Burn Hot It Also Burns Quick

Now passion, passion burns slow and steady.

[lunatica]

9. They need the town hall setting to be effective

They don't want to talk to anyone. They want to disrupt and oppose and jeer and make as much nonsense noise as they can in front of cameras. Meetings with individual elected Congressperson don't have any of these important things.

[DFLforever]

12. You're hit the nail on the head.

Reason is not their friend ..

And they need the support of the crowd.

[ProgressOnTheMove]

11. Yeah but we don't have to lose the house and the best way keep hold of jobs is to work to

keep the Congress