How do you marginalize a significant protest against a politician or policy you support? Lowball the numbers, then dismiss participants as deranged and possibly dangerous kooks. In the case of Saturday's massive 9/12 protest in Washington, done and done.
...
We will see more charges of racism and even fascism from those instinctively revolted by the sight of white limited-government activists protesting a black big-government president. Every stupid sign saying, "Hitler gave great speeches, too," will be seized on even more than the "BusHitler" banners were back when people still protested the Iraq war. (There are few political hypocrisies richer than the hilariously inconsistent way both left and right treat public protests.)
But even if the National Mall had been empty on Saturday, the Obama administration would still be facing an uncomfortable truth: Poll numbers clearly indicate an increasing public alarm about government spending and debt. New York Times columnists may be able to dismiss a large, coherent and peaceful anti-government protest eight months into Obamanomics, but you can bet that the administration sure doesn't.
Entire column: Dissent you can believe in
No comments:
Post a Comment