Due to the last administration I found myself questioning the tactics of Republicans and asking if they were bringing substance and virtue to policies they presented or if they were more concerned with power and maintaining it.

There are signs some of this remains today. For instance, when a political party resorts to low-ball tactics while the opposing party remains calm, in control and civil it begins to reek of desperation. It presents a picture of something most Americans avoid at all costs.

When images of gleeful troublemakers at townhalls began hitting YouTube and news programs we all took notice. Personally I wondered exactly how those people were allowed to stay when so many other groups get escorted out within seconds for simply exposing t-shirts with writing on them.

Bad security aside, unlike the usual protesters yelling somewhat intelligible chants folks here were simply yelling what started out intelligible then degenerated into sustained howls and drones. There was one image of a man in his thirties wearing a checked shirt shown laughing as he did it. He would yell something stop giggle then do it again all the while looking for a reaction out of the speaker. It seemed extreme and rude, the kind of thing we see from fledgling democracies not great civilized nations.

The goal was not merely to be disruptive, but to completely wreck meetings for the public. People there to listen, ask probing questions and decide for themselves never got the chance. John King of CNN likened them to Boston Tea Party protesters from colonial times when our founders were protesting being taxed without representation. But, these were not Capitol Hill inquiries, Congressional voting procedures or a trial of a political figure. These were not abortion related sites, environmental protest sites, the demolition of a historical sites nor any of the other typical sites for civil disobedience.

Ordinary people were there to have an opportunity to listen. They were there to have a say. There was nothing final about the proceedings and in many cases were one of many.

Protesters were out to halt question and answer sessions meant for voters to decide how they felt and elected officials to gauge public sentiment. They were attempting to prevent neighbors from interacting. Amidst wild tantrums how could people elected or from the electorate have the opportunity to relate? Isn't that what we fought the revolution for to have the power of a say? To have people there we elected who would listen? Well there we were.

But, after watching town hall attendees frightened by what seemed like ticking time bombs rounded up from the outskirts of the town are we to believe these people were genuinely representatives of American choice? It was like they were trying to make those opposed to health care reform look bad by drafting overly sensitive and under-medicated people who spend their days yelling at children on bicycles from behind shuttered windows to be set loose on an unsuspecting public. Is this the image the Republican Party wished to project? It can't be.

I seems the left has become mainstream and the right has subscribed more and more to isolationism. There are more registered Democrats than Republicans and a significant amount of Independents. The GOP are now trying to be win over voters by employing desperate measures usually presented by those in death throws. This will not attract voters.

The groups apparently responsible for organizing these protests are called the Conservatives for Patients Rights, who are linked to the Swift Boat Committee of Bush years, and Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks, run by the same lobbying groups who organized Tea Baggers. If these groups were for patient's rights and truly believed in their cause why the mafia measures when the opportunity to be heard was there?

I had not made up my mind about the health care debate, but have given it more consideration recently given the outlandish demonstrations. Also the fact commercials on TV against the bill featuring quotes from a former CEO forced to resign amid fraud charges, named Richard Scott, cast serious doubts on their assertions for me.

Further the commercials citing supposed horror stories from Canada, England and France always cite single incidents. In countries with millions of users of health care the best they can come up with are one or two cases? It casts doubts on the validity of their claims.

What's worse is conservative leaders like Bill Kristol, Rush Limbaugh and others advocating and endorsing looney bin town hall tactics instead of saying "show up with educated questions and ask." A memo circulated by Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks recently read: "We here in Fairfield County Connecticut conducted an action at Congressman Jim Himes's Town Hall meeting in May 2009. We believe there are some best practices which emerged from the event and our experience, which could be useful to activists in just about any district where their Congress person has supported the socialist agenda of the Democrat leadership in Washington."

Three specific passages pulled out by the website thinkprogress seem to really highlight the negative intentions of the planned and organized protests. From their website: – Artificially Inflate Your Numbers: “Spread out in the hall and try to be in the front half. The objective is to put the Rep on the defensive with your questions and follow-up. The Rep should be made to feel that a majority, and if not, a significant portion of at least the audience, opposes the socialist agenda of Washington.” – Be Disruptive Early And Often: “You need to rock-the-boat early in the Rep’s presentation, Watch for an opportunity to yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements early.” – Try To “Rattle Him,” Not Have An Intelligent Debate: “The goal is to rattle him, get him off his prepared script and agenda. If he says something outrageous, stand up and shout out and sit right back down. Look for these opportunities before he even takes questions.

For me the last passage says it all. These groups want to keep questions from being asked by normal voters - Democrats, Independents and real Republicans alike. It makes it look like the protesters believe facts are not on their side. Why are they afraid of intelligent discourse?

It underscores the path the GOP has been on for the last eight years. They claimed changes, but this is the same. Why law enforcement allows elected officials to be forced from meetings is troubling. This prevents civil discourse. Have we reverted from a nation of words and choice to one of grunts and howls? Have we ever been that? Republicans decried such tactics in the sixties. Now they have become extremists and are solely responsible for the picture being painted. Perhaps their leaders will be as horrified as many others of all stripes and party affiliations are at these blow ups. If they aren't they really should be.

To read about my inspiration for this article go to www.lawsuitagainstuconn.com.