Some Words of Comfort and Support of Free Speech From Obama and the Dems

Lanny Davis, Attorney and Democratic strategist:
"The "shout downs" organized by the Republican right meet one of the classic definition of "fascist" tactics--defined as using shouting and disruption to deprive the civil and respectful debate of ideas. There is literally no defense to these tactics. I don't criticize those who feel genuine anger or fear and show up to meetings to express those emotions. But I do call out the tactic of screaming and disrupting a meeting and the fact that this is a systematic tactic by thugs who want to prevent civil discourse, not promote it.

Let's have the media name names, publish photographs, and do interviews of those responsible for approving, even organizing these techniues. And let's find an investigative journalist - are there many left - to prove these so-called grassroots shouters are, or are not, being paid.

It took a year or more to prove that the so-called grassroots protesters shouting and pounding on the windows of the vote counters in Dade County -- successfully stopping the vote -- were really paid Republican congressional staffers, many then on the public payroll, and from the Republican National Committee and the Bush 2000 presidential campaign staff.

Will that story of paid people to disrupt and block discussion organized by the Republican Party or tacitly encouraged while Republican rightwing organizations organize them at least be investigated?"


Directly from the White House: "There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."


The White House goes 1984 Big Brother and asks citizens to report on each other, and one of the leading Dems wants an investigation. By all means investigate. It will turn out that these are ordinary citizens. Then what?