Category | Op Ed

The new patriots

Published on August 18, 2009 by Tony Sarrecchia

Glee is the most precise word to describe how I felt.

On the television, I watched as sleeping pensioners and geriatrics awoke with a vigorous activism worthy of a radical half their age. They shouted down an AARP representative who, upon seeing her former sheep turn into wolves, stormed out of the meeting like a petulant child.  Soon, PTSA soccer moms and degree-holding NASCAR dads also awakened and joined the spontaneous uprising against congressional representatives who refuse to represent.

Atlas, ladies and gentleman, is beginning to shrug.  Americans are tired of listening to liberal double speak, and are refusing to support the looters of the left.  No longer will productive Americans huddle in the dark, afraid to speak out because the ruling class will marginalize them: the producers are into the light and taking ‘Consent of the governed’ to heart.  The next American Revolution is beginning, and it fills me with glee.

In the past few weeks, we have seen Americans standing up to their congressmen in town hall meetings around the country.  The voters are demanding answers from their congressmen, and they are not accepting political spin.  In other words, we are no longer helpless children forced to go along with whatever scheme the trolls in D.C. decide. Much to their chagrin, congressmen are discovering they serve at the will of the people.

Lest you think that partisan politics blinds me, I have been calling for the electorate to rattle congressional cages since the first bail out under George W. Bush.  Before President Obama, Bush was possibly the most economically irresponsible president we ever elected.  I would have preferred these protests against government sponsored looting start 10 months ago, but I will take what I can get.

I would however, suggest the following changes in tactics to make the conversation a dialogue rather than a shout fest:

1. Shouting is fine outside the town hall. Wave your signs, use your megaphones, have a blast; but keep it peaceful.  If you are thinking about doing harm, you’re wrong and should stop.
2. Inside the town hall, show respect for proponents and opponents.
3. Ask pointed questions, and continue to ask the question until you receive a satisfactory answer-not political double speak. Shouting down the speaker does not help your case, nor promote dialogue.

Still though, these are not community organizer-trained activists-these people have (or had) real jobs, so some roughness around the edges is expected.  I am incredibly proud how my countrymen are beginning to channel the spirit of Thomas Jefferson.

But what of the Democratic congressmen whose approval ratings are dropping faster than Perez Hilton in front of Polo Molina? Have they decided to take another look at their unsustainable health care scheme? Unfortunately, no. Rather than waking up from their dreams of a socialist paradise, the democrats have opted to marginalize and ridicule the American voters.  In the past week, the Dems have called protestors angry old white folk, Astroturf, evil mongers, unpatriotic, political terrorists and insurance company shills.

Nancy Pelosi said Americans who would dare exercise their liberty ‘un-American.’ Perhaps Nancy should read the Constitution instead of using it as a bookmark in “Audacity of Hope.” The left is so accustomed to drones slavishly following the party line of “take from the producers and give to the looters” that it cannot imagine individual thought and moral imperatives dictating behavior.

For the record, most Americans use a little thing called critical thinking and do not require talking heads on cable to think for us.  And that critical thinking is beginning to take hold.  According to the latest USA Today/Gallup survey, “More Americans disapprove (50 percent) than approve (44 percent) of the way U.S. President Barack Obama is handling health care policy.”   Instead of trying to demonize the common person with whom you disagree, try listening-it may save your job.

Perhaps most disheartening to the Democrats are the protests are beginning to work. According to the Financial Times, Frank Kratovil and Tom Perriello-two freshman Democratic congressman are “wavering” in their support for the Obama Health Care bill, but they haven’t ruled out voting on a “revised version.”

America, this is not the time to lighten up on your congressmen.  Keep your protest signs high, your e-mails going and fire the uncooperative representatives in 2010 and 2012.  You people out at the town halls are the new patriots.  Dissent is an American tradition and expectation.  As Hillary Clinton said in 2003:  “I am sick and tired of people who call you unpatriotic if you debate this administration’s policies. We are Americans and have the right to participate and debate any administration.”

Mrs. Clinton’s words are as true today as they were back then.  Fight on new patriots fight on.

Agree disagree?  Join me on The T-Files 9 p.m. Tuesday nights on ksuradio.com. I would love to hear from you.