“The President discussed how the current tone and culture in Washington made it more difficult than it has been in the past to work in a bipartisan fashion. In particular, he singled out Republican Senators who are trying to work in a bipartisan fashion even in the context of a vocal minority in their party who doubt that the President was born in the US. In this context about the less productive tone of the debate in Washington, he said he didn’t like to see ‘left wing groups attack fellow Democrats.'”
Suggested next step: Stop bashing insurance providers. No matter how obnoxious their past behavior might have been, they’ve stepped up to the plate to accept critical reforms. In turn, your administration shouldn’t (and doesn’t have to) stoop to simplistic “villains and heros” rhetoric, which is no better (in my humble estimation) than the current tactics of the radical right.
Almost by definition, the people motivated and available enough to show up in the middle of the day to express their outrage about something are not like you and me.
Professional intellectuals surround themselves with likeminded folks and get the idea that they and their cohorts are the norm for their group whereas the crazies on TV are the norm for the opposition. It just ain’t so.
Or, if you’d prefer to heed someone in your own party, Mr. President, try Senator Baucus:
“There are no enemies and villains here,” Mr. Baucus said. “Most Americans want to reform our system. Most companies, industries, want to reform the system because they know we have a lousy system. We have to work together to find out a better solution, which is still a uniquely American solution, which is public and private. We’re not, you know, Great Britain. We’re not Canada. We’re not Netherlands. We’re America.”
Amen to that.