GOP Boehner's Boner: Biggest Threat to Freedom?

I know, I know... I hate this Rep-vs-Dem battle. It's a distraction and useless. Personally, I believe we need to dump BOTH parties immediately and purge the political system of 100% of incumbents. From DC down to your own town hall.

However, some people, being exceedingly short-of-memory, think the NEW answer is to switch loyalties BACK to the Republicans. Seriously people... open your eyes.

Anyway, yesterday House Minority Leader John Boehner was addressing the tea party gathering on Capitol Hill. During that address he made the incredible claim that...

"This [healthcare] bill is the greatest threat to freedom that I've seen in the 19 years I've been in Washington."

link

Seriously? That being the case, what exactly were the Patriot Acts? This is the sort of clarity of thought that we're being fed. And the saddest part is that people actually BELIEVE this crap. I don't care what your psoition is on the 2,000 page healthcare bill. We're getting screwed by both sides. These people don't give a crap about OUR freedom. Wake up.

reply to post by jtma508

Rabble rousing in it's simplest pandering form.

This is as you hinted at just an extent ion of the left right we're against it you're for it demagoguery.

I'd like to see them attack the bill for it's actual faults and not use scare tactics and buzzwords.

He and his cronies are trying everything they can to scare the people away from health care. It's funny, really.

During that same rally, he quoted from the Preamble to the Constitution (and actually quoted the Declaration of Independence) He was reading notes, too! Is he smarter than a fifth-grader?

"We hold these truths to be self-evident..."

House Minority Leader Boehner Confuses Declaration and Constitution



[edit on 6-11-2009 by Benevolent Heretic]

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
During that same rally, he quoted from the Preamble to the Constitution (and actually quoted the Declaration of Independence)

He was reading notes, too! Is he smarter than a fifth-grader?

Reading notes? Come on, BH, you can do better than that. You defend Obama relentlessly on the board, and that's fine, but even you have to admit that you're being disingenuous here. Your guy reads everything from a teleprompter and even then, he occasionally thinks there are 57 states.

Otherwise, I do not disagree. The GOP is laying it on a little thick with the whole 'greatest threat to freedom ever' stuff, even if I have major disagreements with and oppose the health care bill itself.

[edit on 6-11-2009 by vor78]

Originally posted by jtma508

Seriously? That being the case, what exactly were the Patriot Acts?

You're supposed to like liberty dying to keep you safe from terrorists and dislike liberty dying to give gov more taxing authority, more regulating authority and more blatant and obvious say over who lives and dies than it has now (because anyone with open eyes knows it already can do all of these things it's just polite enough to lie about it so you don't feel scared).

I's say it's good to highlight the hypocrisy and that the more it's done the more people will wake up to the fact that there is one authoritarian party constantly whittling away at true liberty for it's own power and financial gain but nobody cares. Nobody will ever care. Even when we're all chipped and pushed into drywall boxes in urban centers living off of rationed everything and laboring for no personal gain whatsoever the majority will still be more than happy to play the game while the rest of us being shot for being "uncooperative" or hanging ourselves in public with "slave" etched into our chests in a futile last-ditch attempt to get the point across.

Why do you care about the rubbish that is left or right, op has it right, they are both rubbish.

Just do not bother voting, and they make up the votes anyway so how will you ever know, lol.

Oh man, this makes me think of an argument with a friend a couple days ago.


Well, for the first time ever, I was called a "Communist" because of my views?!

Which view is that, specifically?

STATE RIGHTS. Apparently believing in them, makes one a "Communist" now, in the minds of Americans today.

I am so not kidding. Believing each state should have the right to implement what they want, as opposed to a blanket one-size-fits-all decision via the Federal Gov't.

I can't believe the way Americans think right now.(or don't?)
It is really not that amazing then, that this is where we are now, since these are the people voting our leaders into power.

[edit on 6-11-2009 by LostNemesis]

Well let's see here..

The govt could be wiretapping people's phone calls without their knowledge

or

Deciding whether or not people are worth of life saving medical treatment.


Which do you think is a greater threat to freedom?

reply to post by jjkenobi


I'm bored, so I'll bite. On the face of it, I'd say that the health care act is potentially more damaging to individual freedoms than the Patriot Act, for no other reason than it forces everyone to be involved at the threat of a hefty fine otherwise. The Patriot Act? I disagree with the concept, but I have no contact with it. But this? This will directly impact all Americans, whether they want it or not.

Originally posted by vor78
Reading notes? Come on, BH, you can do better than that.

You missed my point. Having notes for a speech is not a problem. It's that his notes were wrong. It's not as if he accidentally said "the Constitution" instead of "the Declaration", which would be understandable. This means he sat down beforehand and made notes and didn't even bother to get it right.

And seen from another angle, you can see Bachman in the background shaking her head yes the whole time.

[edit on 6-11-2009 by Benevolent Heretic]

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


No, I understand that, but he's hardly the only one who has ever made a mistake...even WITH notes. Never mind that a staffer probably wrote the notes to begin with, much as happens with that beloved teleprompter.

As for Bachman, well, I've only heard her speak once in an interview, and maybe my opinion would change if I heard her speak more, but my initial impression was that she's a complete idiot.

reply to post by vor78


You're right. People make mistakes. And that was a funny one.

But the fact that he (and that little old lady) claim that the healthcare bill is the greatest threat to our freedom is NOT a mistake. And that's what this thread is about.

Sorry for taking it off topic. That wasn't my intention.

Well his stating it is the greatest threat and then making a simple mistake like that does cheapen the impact of his words.

If you're going to quote from the law and historical references to enhance your point, it does help to quote the correct ones.

This is why policy should not be reduced to soundbites. If he's against it, as I said before, attack the actual bill on the merits and contents. Avoid using political talking points because they open a trapdoor that you can easily fall into, as he has so brilliantly demonstrated.

reply to post by Seiko


I'm clearly biased, but his spray-tan words couldn't be more cheapened in my opinion. I can't believe people look up to this man...

I'm from Ohio so I'll apologize to America for Boehner. He is a total idiot. I think the biggest thing to keep in mind when looking at politicians stance on healthcare is that govt run or public option will dilute the profits of the insurance companies and take away their monopoly on it. That's who is making the opposition and when you see a politician against a PO you know who they serve.