Who's Behind the Angry Town Halls?

(CBS)  For some, their anger is tightly focused on health care reform.

But for others, this issue is simply the final straw as CBS News Correspondent Ben Tracy reports.

"We didn't stand up when they took prayer out of school and replaced it with drugs, we didn't stand up and we got legalized abortion and they're killing babies, and if we don't stand up now, God help us," said Nancy Snyder who opposes the health care bill.

Some experts believe a growing anti-government sentiment - fueled by extraordinary events such as the bailouts of the banking and auto industries - is spilling over into the health care debate.

"I don't want this country to become Russia, to become socialist," Katy Abram said to Sen. Arlen Specter, D- Pa..

"When people see the change as being sweeping, complete, or large, they feel threatened and their immediate response is going to be to react," said Dan Durbin of the University of Southern California

Those fighting the health care bill contend the outrage is not organized.

To read more:
Health Care Battle Pits Fact vs. Fiction

Anger Keeps Coming at Latest Town Halls

"It's a million or so independent individual voices exercising their right to free speech," said Michael Patrick Leahy of the National Tea Party Coalition

Yet websites such as Recess Rally which is planning a nationwide health care protest, lists Freedom Works as part of its coalition. That's an organization headed by former Republican Congressman Dick Armey, whose lobbying firm works for the health care industry.

Also, a conservative group in Connecticut posted an online memo called "Rocking the Town Halls." The playbook outlines tactics to give congressmen, "a reality check from we the people." The memo advises to "watch for an opportunity to yell out … the goal is to rattle him."

But even some opposing the bill worry all the yelling will drown out their message.

The other side is organizing, too. Attendees at this pro-reform event yesterday in Los Angeles were recruited by a local social service agency.

"It seems like the Republicans have all these talking points that have been delivered through Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, and Sean Hannity, that's not true," said Pepper Mashay.

Democrats are now trying to play defense by sending out health care fact check cards to supporters with their own talking points.

[everyonechill]

hmmm pretty sure russia isn't socialist, but whatever.

on a more serious note, i have to point out that i know many folks who would rather get on a waiting list to see a doctor than go on not knowing when or if they ever will. preventative medical care is important in keeping more serious conditions from arising. with all this talk about 'death panels', i wonder if we can even fathom what a statistic would look like of people who die from complications that could have been prevented with regular care. their fate has surely been sealed by people who want medical coverage to remain a luxury.

i would like to see all the 'right to life' people lining up in the streets to support health care for all as a human right, particularly for any uninsured children out there, who certainly deserve the right to preventative care that could save their life.

also, i would think that all of those fiscal conservatives out there would take note that regular preventative care is much less costly than the more serious problems that develop as a result of neglecting one's health. this isn't freedom: forcing people to place their own health in peril until it finally warrants an emergency room visit (that will likely be extremely costly and the uninsured person probably can't afford to pay). this is how people end up on disability. this is how people end up on medicaid. i'm sure that many of you treat your cars with more care than the present health care system treats a human being.

i think we all need to calm down for a minute and think about our priorities. maybe let's all do a little reading up (from multiple unbiased sources hopefully) before we start throwing around accusations, you know? i mean, bottom line: if you want the freedom to decline public health insurance for yourself, you have it. please don't take away your neighbor's freedom to accept it.

[Freedom1st]

When the left protests, it's a thing of beauty and the mainstream media trip all overthemselves to cover it. When conservatives do it, it must be "organized" or "planned" or "astroturf" or something less than authentic.

I am registered with NO party. I am organized by NO ONE. What I am (along with millions of others) is a pissed-off taxpayer, sick of bailing out everyone and everything. I don't want the incompetence of the federal government to permeate EVERYTHING in my life and especially not my healthcare.

I am a ROBUST supporter of our Constitution and DEMAND that elected officials WHO WORK FOR US read it and ahere to it and GET BACK TO IT!

It's funny that the left is so hopeful that these protests are somehow rigged or fake. Scared perhaps? I guess they've never seen pissed off conservatives before. We surround you. ACORN busses didn't drive me to ANY of the meetings, town halls or rallies I have attended.

[jab232]

At a town hall, a minority can shut off free speech. But that minority gets the majority of the media attention.

To me, the problem is the media. If the media were actually trying to clarify the issue instead of just looking for the ruckus (to use President Obama's words), we might actually be talking about how to protect all of us who are insured and know the insurance will be canceled when we get an expensive illness.

Don't kid yourself. Health insurance CEOs get multi-million dollar bonuses and salaries by excluding people with so-called "pre-existing illness," by selling policies with huge deductibles and low caps on coverage. You can only make as much as they do if you insure mostly-healthy people.

[Willynewton]

Between the Main Stream Press and the polititions on both sides none of you seem to understand that We The People are mad as hell. Once the Government takes over our Health Care they can change it anyway they want in the name of "Whets Good for the State". Once they have control they can be in charge of family planning, abortions on demand, permission to have children and how many you can have. Were a little over budget this year your 85 year old aunt doesn't really need a new hip after all she only has a short time to live we can put her on pain medication besides there are no openings until June of next year. Want to have cosmetic surgery The State will be the judge of that. Do you realize that it took the Drug Company 10 years to come up with this new treatment for Cancer? To bad it's to expensive for the State to pay for. Because the State has determined that fast food is bad for you as of Jan 1 all such establishments serving fast food are hereby closed. Any thing that threatens the health and well being of the Citizens of the State must be taken into account. You will be healthy or you will loose your benefits, your position in the party, your voting rights your Rights to Health Care. Oh by the way the Elite, you know those in positions of power and party status, will continue to have their own Health Care System above and beyond what is being offered to you and I. Think this can't happen? Ask Canada and Great Britain. Why do you think when they need it NOW they come to the US? Ever notice how some Doctors won't take new Medicare Patients anymore? If Americans really wanted the government to Establish National Health Care we would have demanded it years ago. We don't want you taking over private business, proping up failing ventures with tax dollars and we don't want higher taxes to pay for it all.

[jetranger7]

We've already sent out over 175 letters to those Advertisers who advertise on the FAUX News Channel, that Sean Hannity - Glenn Beck - Biil O'Reilley and that Disasterous Ann Coulter appears on, informing them how FOX News is Ruining their Products and they should think twice about advertising on them,, because many americans will not buy their products if its advertised on that Republi-goon News Channel thats filled with Hate- Bigotry, and lies,, by those FOX News hosts who just want to lie for their own personel agenda and to distort the truth with their lies and Rhetoric,,, FOX News has become like the National Enquirer !!!

[govmess]

The American people are behing the town meetings with the exception of the Democratic party who buses Acorn and union representatives in and keeps local residents out. In Texas, the democratic representative holding the town meeting was talking on her cell phone while listening to a question...who was she talking to? An Obama adviser to give her talking points in response to the question. How sad that a representative doesn't know the bill(s) well enough to respond from her knowledge and has to rely on a support mechanism. This same elected offical proudly asked an attendee to ask a question. This person said that she was a doctor. Turns out she lied and is not a doctor but was the head of an Obama fund raising group in Texas....who can the American people trust in this admin...no one...we have to trust our own gut which tells us that the Obama admin is out of control. They know they no longer have the 60 votes to pass the radical health plan in the Senate and are deviously working behind the scenes to change long-standing Senate rules so that they can pass their health plan with just 50 votes! That's how desperate they are and will go so far as to subvert our great democratic and constitutional system. Wake up America and don't let them do this...push hard against these radical changes we can't believe in. He has lied to the American seniors by saying AARP endorses these reforms. Where is his apology?

[AliceJansen]

In response to ?the invasion of Afghanistan, the war in Afghanistan, the first chapter of what became two wars in the Middle East, including the Iraq war,? Katy said, ?I didn't really care . . . . It just-it wasn't a priority in my life.? She did not care that our servicemen fought and died for her freedom. She couldn?t be bothered.

[cyby]

Wow! Props to CBS for unbiased reporting.

Problem for proponents of the bill is you can read it on the House website for yourself. There are amendments as well.

No new private will be written after this passes. I am a mom that would like health choice for my child. It is fairly plain to see the plan is designed to ruin private healthcare. Everyone can agree to help the 10% in need but it is unnecessary to through 90% under the bus to do so?

Proud to see Americans showing up for the principles of the founders despite purchased alliance on the other side. How can that fact alone sit well with anyone with a conscience? I have not been part of an organized group but am now planning to join.

[nh4ronpaul]

It's the usual leftist paid Obama mobs that's who.
No one paid me to organize the NH event last Tuesday.

Obama's astroturfing has hit new heights.

Bussed in mobs were given printed signs, shirts, boxed lunches and paid $15/hr to come to this fake forum they had in NH.

/watch?v=LB9KWq10VbY

[nellpost]

Do some research on Shirley PR in DC and see what they are putting out -- hate, pure hate. They also did the Willie Horton stuff. Google militia and see what's going on with these crazies. Watch fox to really see what a republican/hate/divisions is all about, in my opinion. BTW: you won't be able to login if you comment positively about our President, truly. Gosh --frankly, I want MY America back, a nice, pure, just after the election feel-good time. That's MY America. Check out who the haters are.