Town Hall Meeting

[Centerfire]

I felt bad for the Congressman. Ouch. haha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rRE5UK6NQU

[M4tographer]

I felt bad for the Congressman.

I don't. :)

[freakshow10mm]

That is awesome!

[Aray]

"Stay away from my kids"

Amen brother.

[HD1911]

This man was on Hannity tonite, and he's dead on.

[Sudden]

Great speech!

[M4arc]

I really love these town hall meetings and they show just how fed up the average American is with Washington DC. However, I don't see the politicians on Capital Hill learning anything from them.

The part about Nancy Pelosi looking at the sleeve of her own arm was fantastic!!!

[Irish]

I really like that guy! Way to stand up and voice your opinion about what's going on in our country.

[MisterWilson]

I stole this shamelessly from someone else (who probably got it from someone else, and so on) but I feel that this largely represents the problem:


"We're going to pass a health care plan written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it, signed by a president that also hasn't read it, and who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's broke. What could go wrong?"



But the biggest problem is that it's not just this latest healthcare issue that suffers from this type of problem but a large portion of legislation as a whole; bailouts, cap & trade; cash for clunkers, etc. Nobody has a ****all clue about what they're doing, much less appear to have any thought about the unintended consequences of their actions.

At best, our representatives are incompetent, at worst, criminal.

[Centerfire]

Politicians learn best when their pockets are lined. An honest politician is like a nun that turns tricks on the side, a complete and total paradox.

[Macx]

If I shammed my way into a job I was totally, not remotely qualified for and absolutely incompetent to work . . . say Navy SEAL . . . and there were dreadful consequences, Americans got killed and tax payers got stuck with trillions of dollars of debt, you wouldn't wonder if it was criminal. It would be criminal and it would disrespect all those who actually are qualified and it would even disrespect those who are close to qualified.


At best, our representatives are incompetent, at worst, criminal. Sometimes incompetence is a crime. I don't think there is any question that great swaths of Congress should be jailed pending trial for treason.

[M4arc]

I stole this shamelessly from someone else (who probably got it from someone else, and so on) but I feel that this largely represents the problem:


"We're going to pass a health care plan written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it, signed by a president that also hasn't read it, and who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's broke. What could go wrong?"



But the biggest problem is that it's not just this latest healthcare issue that suffers from this type of problem but a large portion of legislation as a whole; bailouts, cap & trade; cash for clunkers, etc. Nobody has a ****all clue about what they're doing, much less appear to have any thought about the unintended consequences of their actions.

At best, our representatives are incompetent, at worst, criminal.

That is spot on! I think we should make it a banner here on the forum. :D

[MarshallDodge]

The video clip shows a snapshot of frustrated America and it does make you feel a little for the congressman. It's what we need to wake this country and it's leaders up.

Kudos to the marine!

[R/Tdrvr]

Looks like the Obama supporters are going to use the very tactics they are accusing the Republicans of using.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/25/obamacare-supporters-plan-overhaul-push-counter-opposition/


Supporters of President Obama's plan to overhaul the health system, in an acknowledged attempt to reverse growing opposition to the plan, are planning a fusillade of rallies and bus tours starting this week.

Health Care for America Now, an umbrella organization of groups supporting Obama's plan, is coordinating its efforts with Organizing for America, the Obama campaign organization now melded into the national Democratic Party, which reputedly has an e-mail list of up to 13 million names.

Together, they plan 1,000 events before the congressional recess ends September 8. The title for the blitz: "Health insurance reform now, let's get it done."

"We want to send members of Congress back to D.C. with the real message, which is that the majority of the public want comprehensive health care reform and we want it now," said Jacki Schechner, spokeswoman for HCAN.

"We want to make sure members of Congress understand the last couple of weeks is not where the majority of the public is," said Schechner, referring to rowdy town hall meetings dominated by critics of the Democrats' plans.

As conservative groups have organized against Democrats' health care legislation and cast it as a government takeover of health care, polls have shown fading public support for sweeping changes and skepticism over Obama's handling of the issue.

The events will mostly be large rallies, speeches and press conferences where the public will be invited to cheer or listen -- though not express the kind of opposition or ask the kinds of questions that have contributed to increased opposition to health care reform in many polls.

A nationwide DNC bus tour to spread the word starts Wednesday in Phoenix and continues through 10 more cities.

Each city will include a big rally organized with the help of unions. DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse said there will also be numerous large press conferences "in big public spaces" with lawmakers and people with individual health care stories the nation should hear.

Democrats say they held more than 500 town hall meetings in the first half of the congressional recess. Town halls will not be the main focus of the second half of the break, though they will continue and be organized nationally.

This would seem to be directly at odds with the general complaint among Democrats that some opposition to health care reform at town halls this summer has appeared to be organized. The attempted smear is they are not grassroots but "astroturf" -- a term that suggests that it was manufactured.

In fact the opposition has been organized at the grassroots level outside Washington, which is exactly what Democrats in Washington are now doing, with the help of labor unions, to push the pro-reform agenda.

[parishioner]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/25/obamacare-supporters-plan-overhaul-push-counter-opposition/

Sounds like a big gay pep rally.

[Sudden]

I can't feel sorry for the Congressman when they refuse to answer the questions of their constituents or just straight out lie.

[CharlieMike]

Eh... it is just name calling.

I'll paraphrase: "You called us 'brown-shirts' but remember, you are SOCIALISTS, so there!"

[Sudden]

It’s an unfortunate thing. But when a congressman attacks his constituents verbally they respond in kind. It doesn’t help the situation. I would like to see the congressman treat his constituents with respect and they do the same to him.
However, the people I see at meetings feel the Constitution is being stepped on. That will never elicit a calm response.