Ken,
I can clearly make a distinction between conservative and racist. I haven't bought into anything other than what I have observed with my own eyes.
Not all conservatives are racists. I don't know how often I can say it. But there is racism being practiced by the Republicans and the Tea Party. It is blatant. I see it plainly in Arizona. I see it plainly as practiced by the Republicans in the national Senate and House. If you're not a member of those groups then you shouldn't be offended.
You say you're not that kind of person. I've no reason to doubt you.
Many a "Southern Democrat" became a Republican after Democrats supported Civil Rights.
An example of Republican racism recently was that whole "don't build a mosque at ground zero" bullshit. There already was a mosque at that site which had been there for years but once racism in the voters had been stirred up and the election won, the Republicans didn't need to talk about it anymore.
You see it in Rush Limbaugh. The most recent was his ridiculing of the Chinese President when Rush "spoke Chinese" with a racism one wouldn't accept from an 8 year old.
Finally, the conservative effort to segregate North Carolina schools. It's a Republican effort to destroy a successful integration between races and economic classes.
http://www.newsweek.com/blogs/the-gaggle/2011/01/21/weak-tea -party-connection-to-wake-county-n-c-school-board.html
Although not a Tea Party movement it is a conservative one.
It's there. It's staring us all in the face. The message is clear -- if you're not of white, European descent then you're not worthy of this country. That's the whole "Obama wasn't born here, show us your birth certificate" thing. None of that would be said if he were white.
DarinK is correct. The Republicans will go for whatever they think achieves their end and racism is just today's tactic.
Alan Grayson is one of the few true-talking politicians. I also cherish what Dennis Kucinich has to say. But I'm smart enough to know they would never be able to compromise with conservatives so I know they could never be president. But that also doesn't make them wrong.
But this thread is about health care.
Barry