Are you 'un-American?' Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer think so ... but that's not all

By Steve Collier, Colorado Springs

I'm referring to a USA Today op-ed article both the Democratic representatives wrote together, which can be seen here.

And just to give some fair perspective, I have placed in quotes the section of the op-ed where Pelosi and Hoyer say un-American:

"These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views — but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American. Drowning out the facts is how we failed at this task for decades."

And you know what? I TOTALLY agree with both of them. It IS un-American to drown out some one else's opposing views. That is, of course, until they start to spin political rhetoric into their argument. When this happens, you might as well be debating a broken record on its player.

But, if this is the case, where was Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer on Oct. 4, 2006, when students at Columbia University "drowned out" Jim Gilchrist, leader of the Minuteman Project when he was scheduled to give a presentation there? Wasn't THAT denying someone the right to free speech?

And, where were these representatives when Code Pink protested at numerous funerals of fallen soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, drowning out the sermons of the priests, the rabbis and the pastors who were reading the final rights for those who gave so much to defend our nation.

Of course, the list can go on and on with organizations such as the Environmental Liberation Front, ACORN, Greenpeace, etc... The hypocrisy of Pelosi and Hoyer goes well beyond them wanting to bring attention to townhall protesters who are voicing their opposition to nationalized health care. Pelosi, especially, knows how much is riding on the passage of health care reform legislation drafted in the eyes of her, Kathleen Sebelius, the Secretary for Health and Human Services and, of course, President Obama. The President has made it one of his top priorities after taking the White House, but the emphasis placed on health care reform has seemingly become "too big to fail," much like AIG or Government, er, General Motors and Chrysler.

If health care reform is so important, like TEA Party members feel it is, why are we trying to rush a bill through the House and Senate to fast to fix it? The legislation itself won't kick in until 2013 anyways, so why the impetus of passing H.R. 3200? It's simple: the President knows mainstream Americans are not on board with his ideas of how to "reshape" the country in his image. Rarely does the President address the American exceptionalism that makes our nation great. Think about it ... our nation has elected an African American to the highest office in the world. And yet, we are still flawed? We are the only country in the history of the world to rebuild her enemies after war, such as the Marshall Plan of post-World War II Europe. After the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a large portion of the war funding approved each year has been used to rebuild Iraqi infrastructure. The same goes for our time in Afghanistan as well as Africa.

Health care reform is needed in this country; no one doubts this. But for the government to have a complete take over of 1/6 of our economy is unacceptable to America. Many believe the government can and SHOULD play the part of the regulator in the arena of health care reform. But a public option to keep private insurance honest? Why couldn't regulating the industry more strictly solve the "honesty" question? And a single-payer system, which the President himself played up to SEIU in 2003 as the way to eventually go? This legislation is designed to alter the health care landscape for a more European model. And the talking points from the Democratic Party seem to change on a daily basis to stay in front of American's frustration with changing out medical system to something that, by many economists and practicing point of view, will be "second class."

America can not afford the new system being proposed. And during a recession, do we trust politicians who are pushing their agenda when job creation should be the number-one priority to begin with?