No. It's his policies that are getting out of hand.

Not at all. Obama is trying to "change" this country back to what it was over 300 years ago before our ancestors revolted against England. Unfortunately, history has a tendancy of repeating itself. Bush 3 = Obama = King George III

Only 28% of Americans strongly approve of Obama's performance.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

As a nation we have not been getting angry enough soon enough. How much more corruption, deception, usurpation, taxation and hypocrisy are we going to put up with before it is too late to do anything about it? Apathy is tantamount to inaction; if this nation does not take action while it still has the right to, it will surely be lost. Hopefully this anger is not a case of too little, too late.

No. People have finally started to tell government they are fed up with its policies. They just need to remember Congress is part of the issue as well.

Nothing wrong with getting angry. The problem is the complete loss of civility among the anti-Obama crowd. Any of this cr*p pulled against Bush would've resulted in immediate "anti-American" or "unpatriotic" branding, followed by public tarring and feathering, and apologies all around. Now, those of us who actually support his plans are being made to feel apologetic. Let's remember, people, that this guy won ON THIS PLATFORM, and handily, I might add.

I'm sure the lefties at WaPo think so, but no, it hasn't. I'm tired of paying my neighbor's mortgage and don't want to pay for his health care, too. How about some compassion for the productive?

Yes. Most people know the anger being displayed has nothing to do with his policies. Furthermore, the so called "Country First" people should be thrilled with his domestic platform.

It is ridiculous. I wish we had this much anger when the US invaded Iraq and started that quagmire. If not for the Iraq war we would have healthcare for all.

Never underestimate the GOP’s ability, along with its media wing (Fox News) to lie and create false fear among people. It lives up to its motto “Party Before Country.”

If anything, we are not getting angry enough!!
He fooled a lot of people (myself NOT included) with promises he could and should never have made. I fear for this country when his (hopefully) 4 years are over.

Look at the archival footage of the integration of Little Rock High School. Look at those who put up the billboards saying "Impeach Earl Warren". These are the same rabid right wingers of 50 years ago.

Doesn't hold a candle to anger over Bush's policies. Or many other presidents as well. Tough job, huh.

Obama has been in office for 8 months. It takes longer than that to clean up the mess Heir Bush left after 8 years of turning a blind eye to the health insurance companies. Failed leadership is no leadership at all. That kind of ignorance breeds ignorance and these protests are the results. Is having health care controlled by insurance and pharmaceutical companies really working? Shut up and wake up! You're a bunch of sheep, following the flock because you are too stupid to do anything else and think for yourselves. The civil war is over -- get behind Obama or get out and take your white bread, white trash ideals with you. You idiots don't know how good you have it in this country and would run home crying to mommy if you didn't have the liberties you take for granted here.

Yes....and so have the lies and spin, driven largely by Dick Armey's "FreedomWorks" and other corporate forces hiding behind faux protests and "tea parties."
Our health care is already heavily rationed and governed....by for-profit corporations whose priority is their bottom line...not our health. To hell with them.
These corporations have gotten away with leaching off of us for decades....and they've got the funds to flood the media with lies, provoking these loud, rude, fear-driven protests. As for that "Granny death-panel" rumor.....seriously.....who really believes that?

By default these corporations are "death panels."

I am afraid we haven’t seen anger yet. If BHO does not start listening to the people you may see anger in the form of riots. Healthcare is just the tip of the iceberg, wait until he try’s to pass amnesty for illegal aliens. All hell will break lose.

Quick Quiz: Which administration presided over the largest public spending spree in the history of this country. We all need to be less angry and more thoughtful. The noise on both sides is deafening, but there is little substance discernable in the racket.

Rage for order are you serious??? the only sheepeople are you and the rest of your kind that elected this fool. And those "liberties that we take for granted here" are ever so slowly slipping away under comrade obama.

I guess you must be one of those that are sponging off of folks like me. Let me guess you're on welfare, your getting mortgage assistance because you bought a house you can't afford, and your just itching for that free health care that I'll be providing if obama has his way. So understanding that, I guess I can see why we all must "get behind obama"

Yes.
All of the anger is getting out of hand.

By the way, most of this anger is not over his policies at all. The majority of those attending the rallies are using polices as an excuse to cover up the fact that they still can't accept this country having a black president.

We must move forward so that our country gets the changes that it deserves.

If the majority of those people had expressed that anger towards George W. Bush who lied and hyped up the fear in our nation to win an election, our country would be in a much better status.

No.
Was Buf., Now Was.,
Obama mainly ran on "McCain is Bush 3," but we have all seen that Obama is Bush 3. The only difference between the last administration and this one is the terms that are used, but the policies are all the same.
Rage for Order,
The same could be said about Liberals during the last administration, but they are still here and no crying foul about anyone against Obama's radical policies. Why is the cost of car insurance not going up so fast? Because it is MANDATORY for all, sold NATIONALLY, and the government does not pay 70% of it like they do with MEDICARE which causes the other payers to pay 130%+ to make up for the losses due to the low government funding. If Uncle Sam passes the government option and pays 70% or likely less, then health care will continue to go up and likely by even more than it has so far and soon we will be just like Canada, the U.K., and France. If I wanted to be like these three countries, I would move there, but how many people immigrate to these countries as compared to the U.S.? I wonder why so many immigrate here as compared to the rest of the world?
Lowspark,
When has the government ever been able to reduce fraud and waste? The government is mainly fraud and waste. The plan to cut $500 Billion from Medicare. Please explain to us how this will be accomplished with increasing numbers of Baby Boomers going onto Medicare without further reducing payments to hospitals thus resulting in either higher rates for those not on the government options or having "death panels" to limit the services to the elderly in order to save money? Please if you can explain how $500 Billion in Medicare can be saved without limiting services or lowering payments resulting in even higher private insurance premiums, I would love to hear it.

It isn't the anger that has gotten out of hand, so much as the ignorance and irrationality. Those who oppose the president's policies should voice their opinion, vigorously if they wish, but they should do so based on fact and reason, not fear and speculation. Nothing short of the future of our democracy depends on it.

Rage for order and Novahs goes to show you that you can’t have an intelligent conversation with blacks because when you disagree with them they will claim it is because of racism.

Was Buf., Now Was. : This cr@p was pulled on Bush and the media did nothing, nor was there any branding. Those of you who support his plans should be apologetic because he plans to run this country into the ground. Never mind what PLATFORM he ran on; that was all bullpoopy anyway. Look at what he has done and continues to do.

Dishonest Abe: The GOP's "... media wing (Fox News)..." is but one entity among all of the left's media wings, e.g. ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, et al. That one little source is getting people more motivated by the truth than the others are by misrepresentation and lies must really be driving you nuts, huh?

Rage for Order: Your post is a shining example of the type of ignorance that you vilify. The sheep following the flock are the masses who sit slack jawed while King Hussein marches them off the cliff. It is truly sad that you think freedom and independence from government are "white trash ideals"; it is safe to assume that you prefer others to do your thinking and acting for you. We "idiots" do know how good we have it in this country, and that is why we are crying. The liberties we take for granted are just that...liberties granted by the Constitution. You remember that, the Constitution?

Lowspark: The worst day in our "...heavily rationed and governed..." health system is still going to be better than the best day in a government-owned and government-operated health system.

EJDubya,
Answer: Over their entire administration = Bush. Largest one year deficit in history = Obama.
Novahs,
Let me guess. You are black yourself. Why is it acceptable for people to protest the last administration, but when they protest BHO and his socialist policies, they are racist? You said "All of the anger is getting out of hand," yet those not getting angry are those standing behind Obama with there hand open asking for a bigger handout.

Yes, it's has gotten out of hand. I see miss steps here and there, but I'm please with the overall progress so far. All the angers are overblown. On an off topic, I'm pretty excited that President Obama will speak at my Alta Mater today!

I voted No. In reading the comments, it looks like the anger, insults and foul mouths are coming from the Obama supporters against those of us that object to their point of view.

The hard working American taxpayers that oppose the Obama spending and freedom suppression policies should have a right to object.

@ Was Buf., Now Was. .
Are you serious about the "unpatriotic" and "Anti-American" branding? Did you, like the MSM, ignore Ms. Pelosi's comments about health care protesters, and the contrast to her comments about war protesters?
And Obama was by no means elected on this platform. He was elected by the awe-struck, tingly-legged cult of personality he fostered with vague promises of "hope" and "change" and massive crowds mindlessly chanting "Yes we can".

Of course it has. Why can't Americans just sit back and relax as Obama bankrupts their government?

Are people angry over his policies, or over the fact that they voted for "Hope" and "Change" but are realizing they elected, gasp, a politician?

The answer is YES, way over hand! Although, no politician is without faults and their inherent nature to do what favors their party and its interests -- I think it's quiet evident that Mr. Obama's policies are both noble and sincere. In addition, the man just want to re-ignite a spark in kids to consider the very importance of education and how their futures and that of the nation they will inherit depend on how well they're educated and well enough to command some stake of global influence as we have done for more than 200 years.

Not at all. At least not if you compare how President Bush was treated when he was in office.

Why weren't people getting angry during the last few years is completely confusing. This is cherry picking, partisan politics.

A third party is needed.

Cheers to the Angry! President Obama's lack of leadership on health care reform has been a disgrace. He should have formulated his plan and had a someone in congress introduce it where it could be debated and examined. Instead he did his usual passive "I voted present 129 times in the Illinois Senate" show and let Pelosi and her band of idiots bungle the job.

If you can't take being criticized in politics don't get in the game. Truman said it best: "If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen". Every politician in the history of the country has had their share of attacks and opponents. Crying racism because of the rising tide of disagreement against Obama's policies is to ignore history and his own failure to lead. If he had any backbone or integrity Tort Reform would be a major factor in health care reform. But Obama and the Democrats are too beholden to the ABA and the trial lawyers to do it. They sold out. Its not racism, its a good old fashioned political sell out.

The anger isn't nearly enough, but it shouldn't be limited to Obama or the Democrats. Both parties are self-serving and neither represents the views of the American people. Find someone who fits into every platform plank of either party and you've either found a kook or a hypocrite.

Everyone is getting too wired out and needs to chill it a bit!

MTL,
Where were you during the last 8 years when Bush was constantly condemned by the left? I guess you were in Iraq and Afghanistan and were not listening to what was going on here at home, huh? We do not need a third party, but rather BOTH parties should be ABOLISHED and the American people should learn to look beyond party and vote for the person they feel will actually keep their world and destroy this country the least. Both parties destroy with country with their out of control spending and it is just a matter of who will ruin our freedoms the least.
Amused,
Could the reason that Congress and Obama do not want to take on the lawyers be because a vast majority of them ARE LIARS? I mean LAWYERS.

There is no more anger over Obama's policies than there was over Bush's. The only difference is that the the majority of the people in this city and the bulk of the national (and local) media are this time on the side of the President, not the protesters. Thus, the problem is portrayed/interpreted as ignorant, idiotic protesters standing in the way of a compassionate, intelligent, patriotic leader, instead of the other way around.

How could there be any anger at all, let alone anger that's gotten out of hand? We elected the "Great Uniter", who said he was going to end the bipartisanship and change the tone in Washington, didn't we?

Say what you want about differences between Obama the candidate and Obama the President, but it appears he has at least managee to keep his campaign promise to "change the tone" of political debate in this country.

First, full disclosure, I'm black. Not that I speak for all black people in the country or around the world, but I share common experince in the African dispora.

Yes, the ANGER has gotten out of hand. What happen to debate?

DC is a dump, Anon @10:28 AM et. al.
The reason that some are pulling the race card is that there seems to be no real context to the objections to Obama's policies. For example, the tea parties and the town hall meetings protests had no reference to the actual legislation or law. I personally have been reading this blog for eight months and NO ONE and I mean NO ONE has actually referenced the bill (HR3200 = "death panels"?). The other issue is a lack of respect for POTUS. Implying, associating or hinting that Barack Obama is socialist, communist or a terriost is disrespectful. Period. Don't like the man, the policies or the rhetoric, fine, but respect the office, the process and the country.

I would love to see/read a rational debate on the issues:
1. Do you think that there is a health care problem in USA?
2. Do you think it is ok for X% to be without healthcare?
2.1 Not on healthcare because employer doesn't provide it, illness leads to unemployment and indebtness.
3. Do you think the current legislation addresses these issues? If not why?

I'd also recommend that all of you read the book "Innovator's Prescription"

Partisanship has gotten out of control.

The military-industrial and financial-legal complexes are laughing all the way to the bank while fortunate Americans squabble over paying a few extra dollars a week to help less fortunate Americans who are suffering. Unbridled greed sucks.

Yes, it has gotten out of hand. People are listening to funnelled and sifted information and basing their reactions on that. How many of those editorials, protestors and conservative politicos have actually read through the policies. Futhermore, no one wanted to protest or be outraged when the government created policies to curb the run-a-way credit card industry. People were plenty happy with that "socialist" policy.

No - we've had it around for 220 years and it's called democracy. Lest anyone forget, the flack hitting Obama these days is coming from both sides, not just the right (although that may change after his latest sermon scheduled for tomorrow). For those who think the things being said about Obama these days are outrageous, I suggest you go back and look at some of the defamation the "Founding Fathers" slung around, e.g. Jefferson against Adams in 1800, or for that matter what the Dems said about Hoover in 1932 (and for the next 50 years) and the GOP said about FDR at the same time (and for the next 50 years). It makes the criticisms launched at the Church of the One Holy Barack actually sound pretty moderate by comparison -- we've just gotten less used to invective being the common coin of politics than our grandparents were.

Citizen J; As it relates to the African diaspora, who drove the blacks out of Africa?

@ anonymous,

That's correct...I was in Iraq: fighting for you and wife. You don't get news as fast over there, but i guess you knew that from being in war. Also, if you find a someone who meets your description of "... but rather BOTH parties should be ABOLISHED and the American people should learn to look beyond party and vote for the person they feel will actually keep their world and destroy this country the least".
I have news for you...that person doesn't exist because they are beholden on businesses and people who fund their campaigns. So you're living in a utopian world if you think someone like that exists.

It has gone beyond anger, and has become HATE.

These are ugly times.

Citizen J,
I believe you touch on the heart of the problem when you say: "The other issue is a lack of respect for POTUS....respect the office, the process and the country."
This has been an issue for the last 8 years. People who disagree with Obama see the way POTUS was treated for the rest of this decade, and believe they can continue playing by the firmly-entrenched rules. People who support Obama believe Bush and his treatment were exceptional, and that Obama should be treated differently than Bush (and Clinton) were. Personally, I think the fact that he campaigned on a platform of "uniting" and "healing" means that he needs to fix the situation (vitriolic partisanship), rather than expecting it to have been fixed via his election. That means compromising a bit on policies, and laying off the "I don't want to hear from the folks who got us into this mess" rhetoric.

No. The anger at his policies isn't out of hand. The anger over what some people believe his policies to be, however, has reached absurd heights. People who are aware of what Obama's policies actually are may disagree with them, but they are not making fools of themselves by spouting hatred. They are angry at people like Sarah Palin and Randall Terry who vocally promote their ignorance and exploit a real issue that needs to be addressed as a platform for their uninformed vitriol. And at the equally despicable people who believe it on face value and don't bother to find out the truth.

We should have seen this coming back in the Clinton era when the neocons started the wacky "Black Helicopter" conspiracy theory nonsense. During the eight years of Bush/Cheney they seemed to hone their outlandish fable spinning craft. And now we have people talking about health care reform as a front for killing off the elderly, or the Obama Administration wants "to 'change' this country back to what it was over 300 years ago before our ancestors revolted against England."

It's truly disheartening to think about how wide and how fast this schism has developed to separate Americans. It's that divide which makes me worried about the future of the country.

Citizen J,
I mentioned specifics in HR3200 many times (8/25 was one of those times). Why not do to health care what they did to automobiles? Make it MANDATORY for all. Ever wonder why car insurance is affordable while health care is not? Open it up to be purchased nationwide which will provide more competition, make it mandatory for all Americans, eliminate the "pre-existing conditions" denial (higher rates of course similar to the rates for higher tickets and accidents in car insurance that can be subsidized by Uncle Sam for a far lower cost), and introduce TORT reform. The reason health care is so expensive is because Medicare pays roughly 70% of the costs and therefore private insurance must make up the difference so when Medicare does not increase the payments with the cost of living then private insurance must increase by at least twice that amount for the doctors to earn enough to cover their overall costs. Offer subsidies for those in poverty and if you do not get health insurance on your own, fine the person. It is rather simple to implement reform without getting Uncle Sam deeper in our business or in our pockets. I thought Obama was supposed to be a uniter, but with the exception of 3 Republicans in the Senate, he has done nothing but practice party politics.

Yes, this is getting really out of hand and its not the Obama administration, sadly its my party (republicans), who are cloudy the true issues and distorting the facts so that a lot of Americans are now opposed to thre same policies that they voted for by electing obama to office. It is time for the truth to come out that we need a united health care plan for all Americans. It's past time that the truth was known about the health care providers who take your many, REGULATE YOUR HEALTH ABILITIES, then come up with an excuse for why you are now ineligible to receive the service you were paying to receive. Many Americans are falling under the cloud of Chaney/Republican scare tactics and aren't getting the facts. If you were to sit down and listen to what obama sayys about the policy or even READ IT FOR YOURSELVES, you will see what is really going on.

These are not new issues that are occurring, instead, they are problems in the american healthcare system that have abounded for generations and if we continue to resist change and advancement, will continue to reign for more years to come. We said we wanted change when we rallied together and set Obama into office last year, this is not the time to break under false beliefs and the usual scare tactics prevalent in the republican party. It is time for us as Americans to truley discover the facts of things for self instead of listening to the words of others and blindly believing that they are telling us the truth, when its really just what they want us to believe to further their own ends.

Anon @2:28 PM
The short answer is human nature. Regardless of race or nationality, all human beings are susceptible to greed, deciet and delusions of granduer.

Ummmm,
I think that the consenus of anyone is that GDubya was wrong. The backlash he got was porpotional to his decisions. My favorite joke about him is that he couldn't tell the difference between a shite, Sunni or Kurd, (which really isn't funny when you think about it in the context of an exit strategy). My point on President Obama is that he is trying to get legislation passed through the right channels. I agree that Pelosi isn't the best 'champion' for this. I agree that democrats didn't do a real good job of educating or explaining to people what this bill is actually intended to do. I also don't trust Congress to not lap pork in this bill. I am dissappointed that President Obama did not stop that 2nd stimulus bill and remove the pork from it. Having said all that, I haven't seen the opposition present alternative or specific objections to the legislation at hand. Sure it's 1000 pages long, but aren't senators and representatives paid to read and write these things? I think the only good opposition proposal that I've read was written by Newt G in the Examiner last week. (Yes, I actually read "the enemy's" publication). He actually suggessted something (can't believe I'm saying this) I agree with: breaking the bill up into "steps" to tackle the various obstacles our current healthcare system present. So I guess I'm saying: If you quite the rehtoric from the right, I'll hear your position from the right. At the same time I will reign in my Pelosi. We really need to find some level headed politicians that can put partisan issues aside and look the issue square in the eye.

In the end I think everyone should recognize that President Obama is a politician. Even though he wants to bring change (I sincerely believe this), the same political machine is still in place and he must work inside that system. I think healthy debate is good because it will lead to some real grass roots solution of our problems and as a side benefit lessen the need for government to get involved. BUT we must STAY ON TOPIC!!!

The question should be have the presidents policies gotten out of hand. A misnamed stimulus that was unread by congress and was mostly about advancing a social agenda. The UAW bailout that threw the taxpayers and bankruptcy laws under the bus. Misnamed new entitlement health care reform that leaves the trial alone to further suck the life blood out of the economy. Is borrow, borrow, spend, spend really a policy.

Out of hand?!
Yes, it's worse than a bunch of two-year olds having a temper tantrum.
But more childish and petty.
Just read the right-wingnut comments.

Citizen J,
Why did you not answer my questions? These are also some of the ideas being put forth by Republicans. I agree that reform is needed, but why not simply adjust the existing wheel? Why do the Democrats feel they need to "reinvent the wheel" instead of making minor needed adjustments? Why does the bill (HR3200) not have a pilot program take effect until 2012 and the program, as a whole, take effect until 2013 after Obama may have a second chance at the White House?

The righteous expression of anger has run its course. It's now time for those who love liberty to let the socialists and neocons in the House know, in the most civil way possible, that their services are no longer needed.

Yes, and it's mostly manufactured by AFA, CFC and so called family organizations who seem bent on denying a large swath of families with health care.

Radically too much anger is being expressed, relative to where this young presidency is at in its lifespan and what's been proposed. So many of the claims expressed here and elsewhere are complete fabrications, on par with ravings from an asylum. These comments are in NO WAY intended to suppress free speech. Critiquing the completely over-the-top, nutty ravings of a very vocal and over-publicized fringe is not the same thing as saying they don't have the right to scream at the moon and claw at their padded walls. On the contrary I hope the stable center gets a full daily measure of their nonsense and comes to think of them as representative of the opposition.

The question asked is about anger getting out of hand, and the answer is an obvious YES. Out of hand, out of proportion and completely lacking in reason or factual basis, other than for those with closed minds, harsh partisan bloodlines or abject paranoia forcing rejection of anything that differs from their preconceived notion of how things should work.

DC is a dump: This goes to show you how ignorant, & racist you are.
First of all, you assume that I'm black because of the comments I made about accepting changes in our country.

Get off your ego driven wagon that's holding you in that low class position where you are standing.

As a nation we have not been getting angry enough soon enough at our govrenment's poor leadership and direction (President and Congres). How much more corruption, deception, usurpation, taxation and hypocrisy are we going to put up with before it is too late to do anything about it? Apathy is tantamount to inaction; if this nation does not take action while it still has the right to, it will surely be lost. Hopefully this anger is not a case of too little, too late.