I LINKED THIS PIECE ON THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE YESTERDAY, but several readers liked this passage enough that it’s worth highlighting:

Les Bayless, the retired treasurer of Service Employees International Union 1199, blamed poor leadership within the union community for its troubles. “We need different leaders,” he said. Of the health care protesters, he said, “I think they are out there because of TARP [the $787 billion Troubled Assets Relief Program passed by Congress]. TARP p*** me off, too. We let them own that issue.”

The group collectively lamented that the Right discovered Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals.” “It’s kind of scary! They have learned all of the tricks,” said Sue Esty, the assistant director of American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Maryland.

Scary, indeed. Meanwhile, people on the right are finding the opposition pathetic rather than scary. “24th State is reporting tonight that Elston McGowan is asking the SEIU for workman’s comp for the injury he suffered at the Carnahan rally while beating Ken Gladney’s a$$.”