Jennifer Foster: Forgive the mobs; they’re just fed up

After U.S. Senate leaders announced they wouldn’t move on health care reform until after the August recess (news, by the way, that was a welcome relief to millions of Americans, including yours truly), the White House political apparatus mobilized like the well-oiled campaign machine that it is, targeting those who oppose the current version of health care “reform” now working its way through Congress as obstructionists who oppose reform generally.

That characterization is as patently false as anything could possibly be.

So angry, frustrated citizens are greeting congressmen returning to their districts and flowing into town hall meetings on health care. Taxpayers are confronting their lawmakers, demanding answers to their questions about what “reform” is going to mean for them and their families and how the government proposes to pay for it without either raising taxes on the middle class or exploding the deficit.

Several of these meetings had already gotten ugly before the Democratic National Committee made things worse by referring to these constituents as “mobs” and insinuating that they are being organized, coordinated and funded by insurance company lobbyists.

I often lament apathy in politics. Most of what happens in politics and public policy happens because we, as citizens, allow it. We tolerate it. Oh, sure, we complain. Sometimes we even complain loudly for a long time. But we willingly suffer whatever happens (or, in the case of perennially-promised-but-never-delivered PAC-to-PAC reform here in Alabama, whatever doesn’t happen).

Perhaps it’s because most Americans want to be left alone by Washington as much as possible that they try to ignore Washington as much as possible.

Not anymore.

CNN reported Thursday that 83 percent of Americans are happy with their health care; 74 percent are happy with their health insurance. In its 200-days special, fully 49 percent of viewers – CNN viewers – gave the president an F on health care reform.

And yet, he continues to barrel ahead with this approach.

Yes, costs are high. Yes, there are 50 million uninsured Americans. Yes, folks are being excluded from coverage because of pre-existing conditions.

But just as doctors don’t treat a broken ankle or torn knee ligament by amputating and replacing the entire leg with a prosthetic, there is a middle ground between doing nothing and scrapping the entire American health care system.

Why don’t lawmakers get that?

I said about a month ago that I believe that things have gotten nasty in large part because President Obama has failed to show any leadership on any component of any reform package. That is still the case.

Congress is filling the gap with ... well, anything they can think of, regardless of how and even whether it is or can be properly conceived, designed, implemented, executed and paid for.

I bet that most of these angry constituents have written their fair share of letters and e-mails and made at least a few phone calls to their congressmen over the years.

In all but the rarest cases, their polite letters have drawn bland responses on official letterhead; their e-mails have generated automated replies; their phone messages have been taken by well-meaning, but powerless, dutiful young staffers.

Congress has kept right on being Congress, and average Americans are fed up. If constituents have given up on disagreeing agreeably, it is in no small part because their Congress has given up on listening.

So forgive folks if they’re feeling a bit mob-ish. Their means, while regrettable, are accomplishing their long-pursued ends: They finally have their lawmakers’ attention.

I love the First Amendment. Don’t you?

Jennifer Foster is a political enthusiast who lives in Auburn and writes a column for the Opelika-Auburn News. She can be reached at