Unlikely Analogs in US history

All the media today seem to be filled with coverage of Obama's "Waterloo": that is, his botched launch and execution of his health-care reform initiative. But what I find most interesting is how vehement the Administration and the Democratic establishment have been in attempting to silence vociferous critics of their plan.

Nancy and Harry have called critics "un-American" in a Washington Post Op-ed. A memo from the White House to legislators under fire has told them "to punch back twice as hard." Townhall meetings have been cancelled, turned into one-way dialogs from pontificating politicians devolving propaganda upon the masses of consituents, or moved online to escape public outbursts altogether. The way debate is being stifled and the opposition completely censured (or at least attempting to completely censure) eerily conjures up parallels to a situation in the US 170 years ago...

Most likely these two issues don't share the same level of gravitas, but it's funny to see politicians have never stopped trying to find ways to silence the opposition (Alien & Sedition Acts cf. Patriot Act anyone?)