In protest

In the past week, those championing the Kennedy-Obama plan to have the federal government take over the health insurance industry have apparently been stunned by groups of citizens showing up at "town hall meetings" to loudly protest.

Despite the fact the protests pale in comparison to the kind of organized disruptions which are old hat for moveon.org or President Obama's own ACORN outfit, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Thursday accused the protesters of trying to sabotage the democratic process.

Really.

"These are nothing more than destructive efforts to interrupt a debate that we should have, and are having," Sen. Reid said. "They are doing this because they don't have any better ideas. ... It's really simple: they're taking the cues from talk show hosts, Internet rumor-mongers ... and insurance rackets."

No better ideas? Perhaps Sen. Reid won't permit any to be discussed in the Capitol, but how about: 1) Institute "loser pays" tort reform, shutting down the frivolous malpractice lawsuit lottery which adds 25 percent to medical costs as doctors practice "defensive medicine"; and 2) Start getting government out of the medical business -- including mandating what insurers must cover -- rather than further in.

Considering that some Democrats advocate steam rolling a version of the plan into law come fall even without GOP support, it appears Sen. Reid means something quite different than most of us when he uses the word "debate" or the phrase "democratic process."

It appears Democrats mean to ignore the fact that much of the public doesn't want socialized medicine. It also appears that Sen. Reid believes voters showing up at public meetings to peacefully express their grievances somehow "interrupts" this "democratic process."

Furthermore, Democrats have responded to even these minor bleats of protest in the manner of Reichstag thugs. On Aug. 7, a Tampa Bay Tribune story and a video posted to the Drudge Report showed physical assaults on dissenting citizens by union thugs with whom Democrats are now stacking their meetings. In Tampa, union organizers blocked citizens who differed with the White House from entering a public town hall with Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., and scuffled with some of them.

The more people learn of the Democratic plan, the less they like it. Yet Democrats can respond only by demonizing everyday voters, running in professional thugs to attack them, and then trotting out Sen. Reid to accuse them of being anti-democratic for voicing their views.

Pathetic.