For the past eight years we were told that debate was the highest form of patriotism, but over the past nine months -- since Barack Obama's been in power -- it seems that debate and dissent aren't in vogue anymore. Republican opponents and dissenting members of the media are regularly left out of the discussion. And when they do voice their opinions, they're accused of being racist, or worse -- perpetrating a hate crime. Republicans Stuck Outside
Republicans are being locked out of the debate figuratively and literally. Last week, Fox News reported, the Democratic chairman of the House committee responsible for government oversight locked Republican members out of the hearing room, following a dispute over a mortgage loan controversy. "Kurt Bardella, spokesman for ranking Republican Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said Chairman Edolphus Towns, (D-N.Y.) had the locks on the Republican entrance changed Tuesday," the report said.
Media Left in the Cold
There's also been an effort by those in the White House to "lock out" opposition coming from those in the media as well. White House communications director Anita Dunn declared war on Fox News, saying they will treat Fox as they "would treat an opponent." It appears to have backfired, however -- Fox News has seen a 10 percent ratings increase since Obama's administration came to power.
The "Race Card" Problem
It's one thing to show some attitude with congressional opponents, or to get all whiny with those in the media who write or broadcast unflattering things --- or even to sic your White House operatives on them -- but the strongest weapon being used against those who dare speak out against the current administration has to be the race card.
We were told this would be a post-racial presidency. That might have even been true for a week or so, but recently many of those defending the president have become obsessed with race, using it as the default explanation of any opposition. To Obama's credit, he has stated that most of those opposing him on health care and other issues are not doing so on the basis of race.
Even so, people like Jimmy Carter, Maureen Dowd and Janeane Garofalo have been all too eager to treat disagreeing with the Democrats as a hate crime.
Debate and dissent are still just as patriotic as they were before Barack Obama took office -- at least they will be if they can survive the current oppressive administration.
Lorie Byrd has been political blogging since 2004. Read more from her at Wizbangblog, Townhall.com and AmericanIssuesProject.org.
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Wednesday 28 October
By Brittany
My boyfriend sent me a Chia Obama-he grows his very own chia AFRO! Now is that racist or what?
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Wednesday 28 October
By chia
no
Thursday 29 October
By Nicholas
Debate is as patriotic now as before Obama was elected, but the idea that Obama is chilling free expression is wrong.
First, the author's understanding of the "locked out of room" story is bad, like the author might not have read it. Republicans were not locked out of the room; *one* door was locked, making Republicans use the entrance everyone else uses to get into the room. (The Fox News link provided by the author conveniently neglects to mention this detail.)
Second, fighting Fox News is not quelling debate, but taking part in debate. Fox News has every right to criticize the administration--but the administration has every right to criticize Fox News, too. The White House is not supposed to be silent regarding its critics: we get more news and transparency from our government when it is responsive to criticism. And when criticism is unfair or simply false, the public benefits when government sets the record straight. Also, an article on the Huffington Post pointed out that Obama still wins from the controversy no matter how many new viewers Fox News gains because fighting Fox endears Obama to the progressive left, makes him look more progressive than his policies might actually be.
Third, the author says race is used to deflect criticism of the White House. But no one in the administration uses that argument, no examples of the White House using that argument are given, and certainly no examples of actual chilling of criticism are offered. The best evidence the author can offer is that Jimmy Carter (not in the administration, not relevant), Maureen Dowd (not in the administration), and Janeane Garofalo (not in the administration) use race this way. We could give that evidence to the author hypothetically, and that still would not prove that Obama was silencing any dissent. The author has only proven (well, claimed...) that *some* sideline players are making an argument that might not be stopping criticism anyway ("Uh oh--Jimmy Carter doesn't like my argument! I better hide under the bed!")
Conclusion: the author is just another hack who thinks that having the right to debate must mean a right to win debates. The author's stance, "ironically," could only be fixed if... the White House stopped debating its critics: it is the author who wants to quash opposing views. I thought Lemondrop was above this kind of unproven nonsense.
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Thursday 05 November
By raymond
Irregardless of how much people who voted for Obama protest , his suppossedly white house staff are backing his socialist/marxist agenda . I hope the people who voted him and his cronies into office wake up and admit they made a mistake.Jimmy Carter and his asinine statements about calling anyone who dis-agrees with Obama a racist only feeds a racist point of view. Jimmy Carter was the worst president this country ever had and his pacifist standards resulted in a lot of un-necessary Americans lives to be lost..
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Thursday 05 November
By Skip Paradine
Thursday 29 October
By Nicholas
"Debate is as patriotic now as before Obama was elected, but the idea that Obama is chilling free expression is wrong..."
Keep drinking the Kool-Aid... Sooner or later I hope you wake-up to his socialist/Marxist agenda. Or are you just on the government hand-out program and don't want to lose your golden goose.
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Friday 06 November
By drew
what kind of right wing propaganda is this crap?
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Saturday 07 November
By Kate
@Raymond - You do realize that socialism and marxism are two completely different things, right? I love the people who use terms they don't understand in order to get their ignorant points across and to sound more intelligent. Yes, there are two sides to the health care issue, both with valid points. But if you are taking the side against it, please at least know what you're talking about, and use actual facts, instead of just repeating what you hear other ignorant people say.
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