Tomorrow's WaPo: "Those angry about health-care generally concerned about the country's direction"

[alp227]

Hmm. Although I find some legitimate complaints here, some of them are just parroting right-wing junk media.

The health-care debate has generated intense levels of frustration among the bill's opponents, and those who say they are outright angry almost universally believe that the country is going in the wrong direction -- some say toward an America they no longer recognize.

Of the 26 percent of people who described themselves as "angry" about the new law in a recent Washington Post poll, virtually all also said the country was on the wrong track. In follow-up interviews, many went beyond health care as they spoke of their deep misgivings about the country's leadership and the changes taking place around them.

"I grew up in the '50s," said Hugh Pearson, 63, a retired builder from Bakersfield, Calif. "That was a wonderful time. Nobody was getting rich, nobody was doing everything big. But it was 'Ozzie and Harriet' days, 'Leave It to Beaver'-type stuff. Now we have all this MTV, expose-yourself stuff, and we have no morality left, not even by the legislators."

Pearson and others described a rising concern about illegal immigrants who they say fill hospital emergency rooms and drain public resources. In the follow-up interviews, they expressed a distrust with a government they believe is taking from the many and giving to the few. Nearly nine in 10 of those who are angry about the health-care bill say it represents a major and negative change for the country, with some interviewed after the poll saying they believe the country is moving toward socialism.

What? How can these people be angry about both "taking from the many and giving to the few" and its very opposite, "socialism"???

And...

In the late-March poll, the "angry" population overlapped generally with those who identified as Republicans. They were overwhelming white (94 percent) and conservative (73 percent).

Many of those who listed themselves as "angry" said they felt Congress was operating in a vacuum, removed from the problems encountered by average people struggling against a tepid job market, sagging home values and dwindling retirement funds. About 85 percent strongly disapproved of the way Congress is doing its job.

Much of the language echoed that of the vocal, conservative "tea party" movement, as well as conservative talk radio and blogs.

For this story, two interviewed subjects were Republican, two Democrat (one considering herself a "Southern Democrat" though). Pretty interesting stuff (even if some are parroting Glenn Dreck).

[WCGreen]

1. where was WaPo when the people were spilling out in the streets

to protest the illegal war of aggression against Iraq?

Oh yea, I forgot. WaPo loves them wars, just loves the carnage and freedom missiles.

But a tiny step toward providing some level of health care to people who have none now, well, thems fightin' words...

[frazzled]

2. What the aitch-ee-double-toothpicks does MTV have to do with health care?

"I grew up in the '50s," said Hugh Pearson, 63, a retired builder from Bakersfield, Calif. "That was a wonderful time. Nobody was getting rich, nobody was doing everything big. But it was 'Ozzie and Harriet' days, 'Leave It to Beaver'-type stuff. Now we have all this MTV, expose-yourself stuff, and we have no morality left, not even by the legislators."

MTV began in 1981--some 30 years ago, during which time booty-shaking and revealing décolletage have been staples of television. What does this have to do with either health care or the CURRENT direction of our nation? And I dare say, it was the RNC spending money on bondage clubs, not the DNC (though we certainly have our little moral scandals from time to time). I grew up in the 50s too. I don't know what this man is talking about. You can decry the moral tenor of the times, but it has nothing to do with the economy, the health care legislation, or the direction of our nation.

This reminds me of a rant I received back in 2004 while canvassing in New Hampshire during the presidential primaries. A man met us at his door and said he wasn't going to vote for any of these damned politicians because none of them were going to help him with his problems. What problems would you like to see addressed? we asked him, hoping to convince him our candidate would be the man to fix them. "My son just listens to that awful rap music all day!" was his response. Whoa. We had to explain that while our candidate was not going to censor music, but since the man was concerned about his son's grades and school, we steered him into a discussion of education policy. He seemed much happier when we left. A man a few houses down had a similar disaffection for politicians---he didn't think anyone could solve his problem either. What was that? His wife had left him and taken his young son. Nope, the president is not going to be able to fix that either.

Sigh.

[Jade Fox]

3. I'm sick of hearing how these people are "angry"......

Hey, guess what life's a bitch and then you die!

Seriously: The poor in this country (and all over the world) have a lot more loss to deal with on a daily basis than these whiners. Who is interviewing and profiling the truly devastated in WaPo?

[Enrique]

4. get ready to hear about 'Healthcare queens'

undeserving folks getting medical care, what a nightmare. :sarcasm:

[justgamma]

5. They just love the Republican agenda.

"taking from the many and giving to the few" That's pure Conservatism. What they don't understand is that the 50's was a time of high taxes on the rich. Rules in place to keep the banks solvent. Strong unions. All this with some protection of American jobs. Then they decided that Saint Ronnie should have his way and declare war on the middle class.
They're angry, but they don't know enough to be angry at the right people.

[OHdem10]

6. I can empathize. For eight years under Republican Rule, I KNEW

THE COUNTRY WAS GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

They proved me correct. Two long wars later they us in
a near GREAT DEPRESSION.