why people are angry

It amazes me when columnists wonder about why the American people are angry. The answer is clear. The administration and most of those in Congress treat the American people like fungible idiots who exist for the benefit of the State. First, they do not give out the relevant information about the proposals being considered. We had the stimulus bill pass with only a few in Congress having actually read it. No one outside of Congress had access to that bill long enough before the vote so that there was any chance for an informed discussion of it to take place. Certainly, no one had the chance to make his or her views know to Congress on that issue. The bill was sold as an emergency measure for which every hour of delay was critical – then Obama waited 5 days to sign it and six months later we still have not seen even a quarter of the spending included to “stimulate” the economy.

After the Stimulus, we had the budget bill. It was treated much the same way as the stimulus – keep the American people in the dark and tell them that it is a crisis.

On cap and trade, the façade began to crack. Here there was enough information leaking out about the bills contents to allow for a rational opposition. It could not be a rational discussion of the bills contents since the democrats were not listening to anyone outside of Washington.

So after two crisis moves the American people have been able to see the results. Obama promised a maximum of 8% unemployment and we are already at 9.5%. Biden admitted that the administration just got it wrong. The economic news is touted by the media as being “good”. But everyone who listens knows that it is not good, just not as bad as before. In other words, maybe we do not have to fear a depression, but the recession is still going strong.

Then there is the GM and Chrysler stuff. Again, Washington acted to avoid a bankruptcy by these automakers which would be catastrophic for the US auto industry, and then, some 50 billion dollars later, Washington puts them into bankruptcy. Of course, the companies and the republic survive, and the UAW does exceeding well for its members. The point is that Americans watched the administration act to avoid a bankruptcy only to fail miserably. It is not a confidence builder – for sure.

Now we get to health care. This does not affect just Michigan or just the unemployed. It covers everyone. Even those who are retired will be affected. As a result, the interest level is quite high. But what does Washington tell us—not much. There is no proposal from the administration. Every time that something in one or another of the bills is discussed, we hear that it will not be in the final bill (at least that day). Later it comes back. We see video of Obama saying that he favors a single payer system and a public option only to be told that our eyes have deceived us and that video is misinformation. Those who ask questions are vilified. Pelosi calls them Nazis and un-American. Other dems call them racists. The general description in the media is that they are unruly mobs. And this is the same Democrat party and media that glorified protesters like Cindy Sheehan during the Bush years. Indeed, for my entire adult life I have watched anti war or civil rights demonstrations covered as if they were evidence of a Divine presence on Earth. Even demonstration led by people like Al Sharpton who protest for profit are covered with reverence – oh, how truly American they are! Now when a bunch of old folks want to get answers about health care from their elected representatives and raise their voices to do so, they are hooligans. I do not know the word for what comes after hypocrisy, but I am seeing it now from both the Democrats and the media. And I am not alone! Countless people across the country have seen the same thing.

So now the commentators seem concerned that these folks have gotten angry. Imagine, after being intentionally kept in the dark, manipulated through bogus emergencies, insulted, ignored and vilified, these folks are calling upon their purported representatives to pay attention to their views. This is not surprising. What would be surprising is if this were not happening. Americans do not take kindly to being treated as if they do not exist. Our national self image is still comprised for a great many as the land of rugged individualists. Very few are prepared to take on a role of cog in the great machine of the state.