Can the Townhallers Be Left, Rather Than Left Behind?  Monday,
21 September 2009 19:11 By Dean Baker, t r u t h o u t |
Perspective | name.  Can the Townhallers Be Left, Rather Than
Left Behind? (Photo: brykmantra / Flickr)      The size and
energy at the anti-health care reform protests last weekend were
impressive. While some of the leaders are clearly racist
nutballs, who can't accept that an African-American is in the
White House, many of the tens of thousands who showed up in
Washington and elsewhere came out in response to their
perception of a government that does not respond to ordinary
people.      They have a basis for this complaint. It is hardly
a secret that President Obama cut deals with the health
insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and other
powerful interest groups. This may have been necessary for him
to get a health package through Congress, but it's hard to blame
people for being suspicious.      Many of the protesters were
not against the government playing a role in health c