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8/27/2009
Was Kagen rally a campaign event?
You tell me. Organized by left-wing “advocacy groups, unions, faith-based coalitions and other progressive groups” with Representative Steve Kagen apparently the invited guest. Not a listening session. But a rally.
A rally at which Kagen compared the public option to his public education. A rally at which opponents (Kagen constituents would be the safe assumption) had to hold up signs penned on notebook paper to get their message across.
Jim Steineke, founder of the conservative-based Fox Valley Initiative was startled to see two armed officers, one on either side of the approach to UWGB’s student union. Just before the armed officers was a “so-called ‘Truth Table’ – literally labeled as such – that contained the “typical pro-government health care handouts.”
After passing through the very serous security I was immediately struck by the sight in front of me. Standing at the doors were nearly 20 union members (identifiable by their various union t-shirts), some as part of an obvious security detail for the event. Attendees (the public) were only allowed in after 5:30 when the room had already been filled with union members and their guests. As you approached the doors there was a clearly written sign that said “no signs allowed inside.”
That seemed innocuous enough until I reached the room and noticed every union member and guest holding pro-public plan signs, wearing "Health Care Now!" stickers, and waving signs saying "Thank You!", apparently for supporting the health care legislation. No opposition signs were allowed.
The staging was great, with rows of union members behind the speakers holding their signs of support. In various reports this had been promoted as an informational session, a listening session, or a rally. It was definitely the latter of the three.
It began with a video, condemning United Health Care and their rich CEO and the many houses he apparently owns. It was followed by a couple of touching stories regarding failures of the system. Tragic stories, felt throughout the crowd. Unfortunately it was never followed by any explanation as to how a public option would help. No details, just talking points and fluff. Jim concludes by sharing that Kagen arrived and shared a few remarks. The rally wrapped up quickly after that, with no questions or debate allowed. What he observed was a “mostly scripted, rehearsed and staged production for the media.”
So you tell me. Did taxpayers or campaign contributors pay for Kagen’s transportation and staff at the event? I’ll try to find out.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
Here's a Wikipedia definition of the recent Kagan love-fest:
"Propaganda is communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience.
Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented.
The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda."
Correct me if I'm way off-base here, but according to the above definition Kagen and his astro-turfers are (by omission) liars.
I'm SO glad he'll be leaving us in the November 2010 bloodbath!

Duke (Thu Aug 27 07:58:52 2009)
Jo, could you please define "faith-based coalitions" for me? And perhaps give an example.

David (Thu Aug 27 09:33:06 2009)
Jo,
Is a copy of the video about United Health care online? I would like to see it.
This entire matter seems so wrong.

David (Thu Aug 27 09:54:07 2009)
David - you should probably ask that question of the writer of the article from which the quote was taken:
Malavika Jagannathan
mjaganna@greenbaypressgazette.com

Duke (Thu Aug 27 09:55:35 2009)
Here is the list of national and Wisconsin coalition members (about 175 total) of Health Care for America. Wow. What a collection. Even the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance and the National Beauty Culturists' League. And many others - ACORN, Planned Parenthood, AFSCME, AFT, AFL-CIO, SEIU, WEAC, One Wisconsin Now and Citizen Action of Wisconsin. Geesh. Quickly reviewing it, I suppose the following might be termed "faith-based."
- Adventists Community Services
- Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good
- Clergy Strategic Alliances, LLC
- National Council of Jewish Women
- Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
- Union for Reform Judaism
- Wisconsin Council of Churches
I don't know anything about any of these organizations. Would have to research to understand the faith on which they are based.

Jo (Thu aug 27 10:41:45 2009)
My husband and I were at the rally last night because we support reform, especially insurance reform, with or without a public option. The videos can be found at www.sickforprofit.com. A man approached me outside the hall and started yelling questions at me so I attempted to have a bit of debate with him. However, he continued yelling and ranting and then turned and walked away. I was left wondering about his mental state! The event was just a rally, no more, no less. Kagan has town halls scheduled for Monday night at SW High in GB and North High in Appleton. I am sure those events will have room for more diversity of opinion. Oh, and by the way, the security was extremely low-key last night, despite the impression Jim S. received.

JeanMarie Hinds (Thu Aug 27 10:53:48 2009)
I was there. Yes, it was a rally, but that's what it was billed as -- a rally. We got there, stood in line, never encountered any "security" check, and my observation was that the formation of the line and our admittance to the room was not handled in any inappropriate way. It was a union event, pretty well staged by union activists skilled in this sort of thing. Stickers were handed out, videos were pure propaganda, "friendlies" were positioned behind the speakers in front of a large American flag ... the sort of thing any good rally does. The one thing that I believe was "foul" was the posting that signs were not allowed, yet advocacy signs were provided inside the event (anticipating this, I brought only small signs that I could bring into the room inside a portfolio -- we used them without any confrontation or resistance). So, it was "their" event and they staged it reasonably well.
Now, having said that, we need to congratulate those on our team who attended -- it's not easy to walk into a room of those who oppose you and make your position visible, but our patriots did that. And, I'd say our mission was accomplished: the ten o'clock news on the most-watched channel presented the event as a display of disagreement between crowds with differing views. This was certainly not the union objective of getting press that would portray overwhelming support for government health care. THANK YOU to those who had the courage to attend -- you made a difference! Keep the faith!
One aside ... I noticed that "our" events usually start with the Pledge of Allegiance. "Their" event dispenses with the Pledge in favor of a moment of silence for Teddy Kennedy....

Tom (Thu Aug 27 11:13:21 2009)
JeanMarie Hinds,
Either you attended a different rally than I did or you are so accustomed to the level of security on display at the rally and no longer see it as anything out of the norm.
Both sides of the room were lined with union "security". In addition numerous union "security" people were filming the audience throughout the evening especially people in the audience who did not tow the party line.
The atmosphere of deliberate union intimidation was palpable and filled the room.
I have never experienced anything quite like it.
How, I ask you, could you be so utterly blind to what was going on in the room around you?

Patricia McNaughton (Fri Aug 28 05:44:13 2009)
Sounds like what went on in Montana, when BO visited. He had the "town meeting" at an airplane hangar, with a screen cutting off the view of the crowds protesting. The anti-Obamacare crowd was harassed by the union crowds there; and not much done about it police-wise. Here's the article:
OH BOY!!!!!! What Really Happened Last Week in Montana
This was sent to me by a friend in Bozeman , MT who was there. Why do we tolerate this?
This Hello All, By now you have probably heard that President Obama came to Montana last Friday. However, there are many things that the major news has not covered. I feel that since Bill and I live here and we were at the airport on Friday. I should share some facts with you. Whatever you decide to do with this information is up to you. If you chose to share this email with others I do ask that you DELETE my email address before you forward this on.
On Wednesday, August 5th it was announced locally that the President would be coming here. There are many groups here that are against his healthcare and huge spending so those groups began talking and deciding on what they were going to do. The White House would not release ANY details other than the date.
On about Tuesday Bill found out that they would be holding the "Town Hall" at the airport. (This is only because Bill knows EVERYONE at the airport) Our airport is actually located outside of Belgrade (tiny town) in a very remote location. Nothing is around there. They chose to use a hangar that is the most remotely located hangar. You could not pick a more remote location, and you cannot get to it easily. It is totally secluded from the public. FYI: We have many areas in Belgrade and Bozeman which could have held a large amount of folks with sufficient parking. (gymnasiums/auditoriums). All of which have chairs and tables, and would not have to be SHIPPED IN!! $$$$$ During the week, cargo by the TONS was being shipped in constantly. Airport employees could not believe how it just kept coming. Though it was our President coming several expressed how excessive it was, especially during a recession. $$$$$
Late Tuesday/early Wednesday the 12th, they said that tickets would be handed out on Thursday 9am at two locations and the president would be arriving around 12:30 Friday.
Thursday morning about 600 tickets were passed out. However, 1500 were printed at a Local printing shop per White House request. Hmmmm......900 tickets just DISAPPEARED. This same morning someone called into the radio from the local UPS branch and said that THOUSANDS of Dollars of Lobster were shipped in for Obama. Montana has some of the best beef in the nation!!! And it would have been really wonderful to help out the local economy. Anyone heard of the Recession?? Just think...with all of the traveling the White House is doing. $$$$$ One can only imagine what else we are paying for.
On Friday Bill and I got out to the airport about 10:45am. The groups that wanted to protest Obama's spending and healthcare had gotten a permit to protest and that area was roped off. But that was not to be. A large bus carrying SEIU (Service Employees International Union ) members drove up onto the area (illegal) and unloaded right there. It was quite a commotion and there were specifically 2 SEIU men trying to make trouble and start a fight. Police did get involved and arrested the one man but they said they did not have the manpower to remove the SEIU crowd. The SEIU crowd was very organized and young. About 99% were under the age of 30 and they were not locals! They had bullhorns and PROFESSIONALLY made signs. Some even wore preprinted T-shirts. Oh, and Planned Parenthood folks were with them......professing abortion rights with their T-shirts and preprinted signs. (BTW, all these folks did have a permit to protest in ANOTHER area)
Those against healthcare/spending moved away from the SEIU crowd to avoid confrontation. They were orderly and respectful. Even though SEIU kept coming over and walking through, continuing to be very intimidating and aggressive at the direction of the one SEIU man.
. So we had Montana folks from ALL OVER the state with their homemade signs and their DOGS with homemade signs. We had cowboys, nurses, doctors you name it. There was even a guy from Texas who had been driving through. He found out about the occasion, went to the store, made a sign, and came to protest.
If you are wondering about the press.....Well, all of the major networks were over by that remote hangar I mentioned. They were conveniently parked on the other side of the buildings FAR away. None of these crowds were even visible to them. I have my doubts that they knew anything about the crowds. We did have some local news media around us from this state and Idaho .
Speaking of the local media...they were invited. However, all questions were to be turned into the White House in advance of the event. Wouldn't want anyone to have to think off the top of their head.
It was very obvious that it was meant to be totally controlled by the White House. Everything was orchestrated down to the last detail to make it appear that Montana is just crazy for Obama and government healthcare. Even those people that talked about their insurance woes.........the White House called our local HRDC (Human Resource and Development Committee) and asked for names. Then the White House asked those folks to come. Smoke and mirrors...EVERYTHING was staged!!!!!!!!!!!
I am very dismayed about what I learned about our current White House. The amount of control and manipulation was unbelievable. I felt I was not living in the United States of America, more like the USSR !! I was physically nauseous. Bill and I have been around when Presidents or Heads of State visit. It has NEVER been like this. I am truly very frightened for our country.
America needs your prayers and your voices. If you care about our country please get involved. Know the issues. And let Congress hear your voices again and again!! If they are willing to put forth so much effort to BULLY a small town one can only imagine what is going on in Washington DC.

emily matthews (Fri Aug 28 08:16:36 2009)
Tom,
Do they always film the audience? Do they always wear ear pieces and talk into their lapels? Carry walkie-talkies so you hear garbled calls to each other? Just curious.
I couldn't help but imagine them reviewing their "game films" on Thursday to see who was or wasn't showing appropriate support.
There was a union member sitting among a group of people. When I got there the sign (one had been placed on every seat) was folded small in the person's hand and no support badge on the t-shirt.
When the union guys started directly filming dissenters, this person put on the badge and started clapping and standing up when other supporters did.
I felt sorry for the person to be stuck sitting so close to protesters.
After the single vocal protester was escorted out I started looking straight into the eyes of as many union guys lining the walls as I could. One of them did the "Clint Eastwood" type jaw clenching where you see a small dimple in the cheek moving in and out, when I wouldn't look away.
I was there to bear witness.

Patricia McNaughton (Fri Aug 28 22:03:38 2009)
Patricia: the union staff in their bright vests were very visible, but I did not find myself intimidated by them. This is how the unions do their events, and it was "their" event. I understand if someone came to the event not understanding it was a union-run show, expecting it to be a neutral "town hall", that such a person would have been surprised and perhaps intimidated. As I suggested in my first post, those on "our" side who attended should be congratulated ... it takes courage and detemination to walk into the lion's den.
I also want to note that at one point I saw an advocate of gov't health care cross an aisle to engage one of "our" people holding a sign, and one of the vest-clad security people came forward and asked the man to go back to his seat.Thank you for attending! I think you now have a better idea of what to expect at a union-organized rally. Please keep attending ... don't let yourself feel intimidated!

Tom (Fri Aug 28 13:16:07 2009)
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