Musician Kay Hanley (of Letters to Cleo fame) has a great piece on town hall screamers

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

excerpt:
The key to my point here is assessing a normal emotional response to any given situation, including perceived threats and injustices in order to figure out whether someone is full of shit or not. In the last 2 weeks, I have been seriously puzzled by the behavior of a small but very loud group of Americans who have been called to action by another small but very loud group of right-wing entertainers and agitators (notice I do not say Republicans) to angrily and loudly stamp out any public community discussion of health care reform.

Are there really Americans out there that have been so untouched by the unfairness and sometimes cruelty of for-profit health insurance in our country that they would honestly resort to words like “fascist” and “euthanasia” and even the (unfortunately) de-fanged “HITLER!” at the mere suggestion that we go back to the drawing board for a second? Is this conversation so wrought with peril that some are driven to screaming diatribes and violence against their elected officials and fellow citizens?

Personally, I don’t know anyone, nor have I heard of anyone who would say “My health insurance kicks ASS. If I had to change it, I’d be super pissed.” The reason for this is that a statement like that would not come out of anyone’s mouth. If they were being honest. Here’s the thing: Nobody is suggesting that anybody change anything so if you’re stoked about your amazing health insurance company then continue to enjoy the hell out that relationship. But unless your health insurance provider is personally administering the happy ending after that therapeutic “massage” or even just paying the bill for the colonoscopy without making you and your doctor fill out forms for 6 months, I think we could all do a little better.

lots more at:
http://kayhanley.com/lies-damned-lies/

(I post an intelligent entertainer to make up for subjecting you all to the idiocy of Hank Jr. over in GD: Presidential)

[Skittles]

1. the gist of it is

they hate a black Democratic president more than they like their insurance or love their country

[vi5]

2. This line sums up our failure...

"Personally, I don’t know anyone, nor have I heard of anyone who would say “My health insurance kicks ASS. If I had to change it, I’d be super pissed.”

I keep saying that even people that have insurance don't say this. It's sad that elected democrats are so pathetic that they are losing the PR war to insurance companies.

[izquierdista]

3. Statements like that

People are saying things like that. People on Medicare.