The Political Whore

The summer recess of Congress has sent politicians back home into their districts and straight into the guerilla theater that has overcome reasonable discussion about how to reform the nation’s broken health care system.

Witness: Hundreds of angry conservatives and anti-Obamacare people (a few violent) turned up at a town hall organized by state Rep. Betty Reed in Ybor City last night with one mission in mind — some with one mission in mind: disrupt the forum and get headlines.

They succeeded.

Driven by right-wing media nutz such as Rush Limbaugh (who mentioned Kathy Castor’ appearance at the forum during his Thursday radio show, bemoaning that she would be surrounded by “union goons”), the state and local GOP and Glenn Beck’s 9-12 movement, the anti-Obama crowd banged on windows and doors in an attempt to get into the overcrowded Children’s Board meeting room.

10 Connects reported:

As people were asked to leave, several screaming matches erupted between participants. One man’s shirt was even ripped open.

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Organizers of today’s 5:30 pm protest at Media General-owned News Channel 8 in downtown Tampa have released two logos they are putting on signs and T-shirts for the event, playing on the station’s logo and the word “hate” that represents the station’s airing of the anti-gay Speechless Christian infomercial on Gay Pride day.

Here they are:

CL will be staffing the protest and bring you coverage on Twitter and video we’ll post on the blog.

Conservatives have not been shy to voice their concerns about Obama and his stimulus plan, especially with their new fad, Tea Parties. More than  600 Tea Parties are planned nationwide on tax day Wednesday, according to taxdayteaparty.com. There will be around 40 to 50 Tea Parties here in our home state. However, its not clear as to what the concerns over the stimulus really are because the protests are rife with attacks calling Obama a “socialist” or “commander in thief.”

Check out the video from taxdayteaparty.com below:

However, the dumping of tea into rivers and lakes is not only a waste of tea, it’s a waste of an opportunity. I propose an alternative plan which will put that tea to good use:

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From London today, where the leaders of the G20 developed nations are finding themselves in the midst of large, but so far peaceful, protests. The Independent UK reports:

Marches to the Bank of England, in the City of London, were designed to highlight a variety of causes. There were few signs of pinstriped suits as many City workers heeded advice to dress down.

Protesters became excitable outside the Bank of England and appeared to be tussling with police. Objects were thrown towards police photographers – including a policeman’s helmet. And officers were pelted with fruit as a red smoke cannister was let off. But by noon such incidents had been isolated and the Metropolitan Police said no arrests had been reported.

There were reports that City workers were taunting the protesters – waving £10 notes from office windows.

Demonstrators covered their faces with bandanas and handkerchiefs and waved signs such as “Balls to the Banks”, “Abolish Money” and “All You Fascists Are Bound to Lose.”

OK, I get it that people are angry. I’m angry. I get it that in tough times, nationalism is the natural response. I don’t like that, but I also get it.

But here’s my question to the people who go to the so-called Tea Parties: Are you carrying zero debt? Do you have no credit cards, or an equity line, or a mortgage on your home that is in excess of its value?

Because unless you can meet that test, you are PART of the credit crisis/banking problem and have no room to bitch about the government efforts to have us (all the US citizens who caused it by taking on too much personal debt) pay for it.

From the Orlando Sentinel:

…More than 4,000 people attended the Orlando Tea Party, a conservative rally aimed at expressing discontent with Washington.

“This is maybe the greatest single gathering of God-fearing patriots in the history of Orlando, Florida,” local conservative radio host Bud Hedinger, who emceed the event, told the crowd.

Tons of photos from the rally here.

This in from Rise Up Tampa Bay:

St. Petersburg — Peace groups and concerned citizens will be gathering outside of the Baywalk facility in support of the victims in Gaza during the most recent military actions.

“Regardless of where one stands on the conflict, we can all agree that war is not the answer, and the horiffically one-sided casualty counts are a travesty”, said Mike Fox, Rise Up Tampa Bay member and Chair of the Pinellas County Chapter of Progressive Democrats Of America.  “We ask that all who see the Palestinian people as the “Davids” in this “David vs Goliath” struggle join us as we ask that the US government and our fellow citizens support a free Palestine and an end to the slaughter.”

Sat, 1-03 7:30 PM

On sidewalks outside of Baywalk
2nd Avenue and 2nd Street, N
Downtown St. Petersburg

I echo the sentiment here that this kind of political speech is not cool. From a recent Sarah Palin private fundraising event:

via Wake Up America

Wake Up America decries the lack of MSM coverage of such hate speech against McCain-Palin and offers the above photo, which it said was e-mailed to the blog. The shot is fuzzy and taken by a camera phone. As for a lack of MSM coverage, I found it confirmed on ABC’s political blog and reported in the Politico.

It turns out that the duds are being sold online at a blog called Crucial Brutal. Here’s the model shot from the online store:

For sale: gender hate speech

There were good-size protests for Palin’s private fundraiser that day at a Philly hotel. Here’s the raw video (nausea warning: don’t watch this if you are feeling queasy, as the amateur cameraperson can’t hold the shot still for 2 seconds at a time):

And finally, I know just where you people are going in the comments so let me head you off at the pass: Just because John McCain has used the word cunt in the past doesn’t make it OK for you to use it now in reference to a woman politician.

I shot this video at the Anti-War March on Labor Day outside the Republican Convention in St. Paul. I would have posted it sooner but I got the shit kicked out of me and was arrested shortly after the march ended. Very big bummer.

(also viewable on youtube if this isn’t loading for you)