Monday, August 29, 2005
Question time with a wingnut.
The Progressive has yet another example of a right wing politician forcing those who disagree with them from a public event. In this case senator Rick Santorum's staff saw to it that several people who did not agree with the senator were booted from a Barnes & Noble bookstore holding a book signing by senator Santorum.
This brings to mind the case of the "Denver Three." This involves three people who were forcibly removed from a Bush "town hall" meeting on Social Security reform simply because the car they were driving to the event had a bumper sticker on it that didn't comport with the wingnut view of things. The person who removed them identified himself as a member of the secret service, which turned out to not be the case. It is well known that members of the public who attend these "town halls" are vetted for correct political thinking and no one who disagrees with the wingnut point of view are allowed in. This was even taken to the extreme during the 04 campaign of having people who attended Bush campaign events sign a loyalty oathprior to admission to the events.
The parliament of Great Britain has an awesome tradition called question time. This is held every Tuesday and Thursday, and it is a given time in which the Prime Minister is peppered with questions from both sides of the aisle. Can you even imagine what would happen if Bush were to be subjected to this indignity?
Senator Ted Kennedy: "Mr. President, how do you resolve the seeming contradiction between your previous statement that whoever leaked a CIA operatives name to the press would be fired, and your most recent statement that any member of your administration guilty of a crime would be fired."
George Bush: (after sighing and contorting his face 3 times during the question) "This matter is currently under investigation so I cannot comment on it. Also, if someone is exposed because they disagreed with me is that actually a crime? As they say in Texas fool me once shame on you, fool me twice and... we wont... get fooled again."
Senator Hillary Clinton: "How do you answer the polls showing a large majority of the American people do not support your plan to privatize Social Security?"
George Bush: (sweat popping on his forehead with teeth clinched to keep it together) "Which polls are you talking about?! The polls I see taken at my town halls show overwhelming support for this! I just dont get it!!"
All fun and giggling aside, this trend from the wingnut side of the spectrum to hush dissent is truly troubling to me. This is what makes it impossible for George to talk with a grieving mother who doesn't agree with him. It's the cocoon of yes men surrounding these people that means the rest of us dont have a voice. It sure will be nice if one of these days our leaders are capable of facing someone who disagrees with them and not melting down. Lets bring question time to America!
This brings to mind the case of the "Denver Three." This involves three people who were forcibly removed from a Bush "town hall" meeting on Social Security reform simply because the car they were driving to the event had a bumper sticker on it that didn't comport with the wingnut view of things. The person who removed them identified himself as a member of the secret service, which turned out to not be the case. It is well known that members of the public who attend these "town halls" are vetted for correct political thinking and no one who disagrees with the wingnut point of view are allowed in. This was even taken to the extreme during the 04 campaign of having people who attended Bush campaign events sign a loyalty oathprior to admission to the events.
The parliament of Great Britain has an awesome tradition called question time. This is held every Tuesday and Thursday, and it is a given time in which the Prime Minister is peppered with questions from both sides of the aisle. Can you even imagine what would happen if Bush were to be subjected to this indignity?
Senator Ted Kennedy: "Mr. President, how do you resolve the seeming contradiction between your previous statement that whoever leaked a CIA operatives name to the press would be fired, and your most recent statement that any member of your administration guilty of a crime would be fired."
George Bush: (after sighing and contorting his face 3 times during the question) "This matter is currently under investigation so I cannot comment on it. Also, if someone is exposed because they disagreed with me is that actually a crime? As they say in Texas fool me once shame on you, fool me twice and... we wont... get fooled again."
Senator Hillary Clinton: "How do you answer the polls showing a large majority of the American people do not support your plan to privatize Social Security?"
George Bush: (sweat popping on his forehead with teeth clinched to keep it together) "Which polls are you talking about?! The polls I see taken at my town halls show overwhelming support for this! I just dont get it!!"
All fun and giggling aside, this trend from the wingnut side of the spectrum to hush dissent is truly troubling to me. This is what makes it impossible for George to talk with a grieving mother who doesn't agree with him. It's the cocoon of yes men surrounding these people that means the rest of us dont have a voice. It sure will be nice if one of these days our leaders are capable of facing someone who disagrees with them and not melting down. Lets bring question time to America!
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