GOP activists pack town-hall meetings, shake support for healthcare bills

[sabra]

Source: Boston Globe

MARDELA SPRINGS, Md. - Repeated heckling and shouted interruptions - “Answer the question!’’ “We’re your employers!’’ “You don’t get it!’’ - overtook a town hall-style meeting in rural Maryland this week, as US Representative Frank M. Kratovil Jr. withstood a verbal beating from a partisan crowd airing its displeasure with the healthcare overhaul working its way through Congress.

The freshman Democrat fielded question after question about rationing, euthanasia, and abortion, as two state troopers stood guard and Kratovil’s staffers looked on nervously. But at least Kratovil was not hung in effigy, as he had been at a recent protest outside his district office.

...

Scenes like this are playing out across America. As Congress returns home for its summer break, conservative activists are packing community halls and school cafeterias to protest the healthcare legislation, hoping to derail President Obama’s top domestic priority. In Texas, Representative Lloyd Doggett was confronted by a crowd chanting “Just say no!’’ In Philadelphia, protesters shouted at Senator Arlen Specter and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

This summer, the Rockwellian ideal of neighbors gathering to discuss community issues in a neighborly way is gone, replaced by quarrelsome masses hollering questions downloaded from activist websites, as video cameras record every word of the squirming lawmaker’s response. Many seem to be following advice laid out in a memo circulating on the Internet advising activists to “watch for an opportunity to yell out’’ early in the presentation and “have someone else follow up with a shout-out.’’

...

Suzanne Roberts, 64, said a church friend had suggested she attend, and she agreed because she was confused and worried about some of the things she had heard about the healthcare overhaul on Fox News - for example, that it would give the government and others access to her private medical information. She said she was favorably impressed by Kratovil’s sincerity but not surprised at the fury in the room.


Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/08/06/gop_activists_pack_town_hall_meetings_shake_support_for_healthcare_bills/

[DURHAM D]

1. Suzanne is an idiot. In one year she belongs eligible for single payer.

The government will then have her info. So what.

[Critters2]

2. So, Suzanne's not going to enroll in Medicare? nt

[GinaMaria]

3. the GOP

the political equivalent of a flaming bag of poo without the humor.

[pfitz59]

4. Link to an Austin story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEH9M0Wgvzc

[quiet.american]

5. Again, the story buries the real story -- the term should be "bought-and-paid-for con activists."

And it should not be that these scum are showing up to protest, they are showing up to shut down any civilized exchange and to keep people from hearing the truth.

[Cha]

7. Yes, why would the Boston Globe

do that? And why would Senator Claire McCaskill say they weren't manufactured when Robert Gibbs said they were?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8571742

[caseymoz]

11. Yes, the GOP has learned from the CIA.

You slip enough money to certain people, pay for some propaganda, and you can fuck up a country and disrupt the democratic process.

[New Dawn]

12. Bingo, they are now trying a "color revolution" in the US.

[ut oh]

6. Anyone know...

if they're doing one in Northern California/Bay Area?

[Politicalboi]

8. Suzanne doesn't need health care

She just needs someone to change her channel. The people who shout out and disrupt should be carried out. Just use Bush's excuse.
National Security.

[aggiesal]

9. Since Suzanne listens/watches faux news, ...

Why didn't she complain, when the Bush Administration got the terrorist bill passed
and made it legal for the government to get ALL our medical records?

Then made it illegal for the medical institutions to even inform us that the gov't
requested and received our medical records?

But now that we need the Healthcare bill passed, this is now a problem?

[Liberalynn]

10. Hey Susie Q

If you're a "REAL AMURCAN WITH KNOWTHING TO HIDE" you shouldn't mind that the government knows your business right? I mean its not like you have one of them bortions to hide is it?

[fascisthunter]

13. Are they "Shaking" support? How so?

[milehighpilot737]

14. RE: GOP activists pack town-hall meetings, shake support for healthcare bills

I truly think the activists are grass roots, many of them are poor senior citizens and independents, and democrats. So it's every day people. Most are not well dressed and not rich people. I know damn well I'm not and I support the protests. It's dissent just like from 2001-2009 it's no different. It's all the same.

I'm disabled and on SSA and not able to work cause of COPD, which is terminal. I will die of it at some point. I hope not soon.

The health care bill to me means I'm gonna die sooner cause I can't get treatment, as Sun Casstein and Dr. Emanuel say in their writings. They say I'm not worthy of being treated, because I'm terminal and treatment would cost too much to benefit me.
To save my life, this health care bill needs to be swiftly be changed to drop end of life mandatory discussions.

My brother, a hardcore NEA democrat says he wants government paid Euthanasia Clinics all over the country. I told him well if you want to volunteer to kill yourself, I can't stop it, but the government will never forcibly kill me. He did not like that. He has made the decision I am to be cremated, cause I'm poor.
He is rich, and he got rich as a teacher.
He truly has a death wish.

I think this is the true intent of the health care bill. I'm not allowed to be treated cause I'm disabled and too old.

Y'all prove me wrong.
Page 425 or so of the health care bill says just that.
It's in there somewhere.

If you can prove me wrong with the facts in their entirety, and by independent medical sources which I can check for myself, I'll sign on to the bill.
Doctors I trust, politicians I do not.

[high density]

15. Enjoy collecting your SSA payments

Are you getting paid for posting stupid shit on the internet?

[milehighpilot737]

16. So does that mean I lost my 1st Amendment rights by edict?

seems you think the opposition has no right to free speech well we do and we're just gonna take it by whatever legal means necessary by state law.
We have Castle Doctrine Law, which is state law to enforce that right. (many democrats wrote the state bills including my state.)

I am the author of the bill here.
And I got it passed.

So you guys stay out.

[high density]

17. On privately-owned internet forums you have no 1st amendment rights

http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/euthanasia.asp
http://firebrandblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/cry-wolf.html

[aggiesal]

19. Thanks for proving my point with snopes.

Again he's probably parroting FAUX news.

[Eric68601]

21. I agree

As the owner of several of my own forums, I can tell you right now, free speech is NOT free. The first Amendment was meant to protect you from one and only one entity... the GOVERNMENT. It was not to protect your freedom to speak on the internet. Nor was it meant to protect you from being denied an opinion even in your local paper. If you want to go envoking the first amendment to rant on a bunch of horse shit, you first better go READ the first amendment and realize is specificly says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." This was designed to protect you from the government, not ISP's or website owners/moderators.

EDIT: It's one of the reasons my own domain is hosted in Canada... to get around the ISP censors in the US that feel it's not politically correct enough.

[ima_sinnic]

20. you have the right to say whatever ignorant, outlandish shit you want, and I have the right

to tell you you're a fool and an asshole.

What, do you park your brain somewhere when you watch Fox "news" or listen to rush lardass with his lies and bullshit? are you so fucking stupid you actually BELIEVE all that crap you wrote? sheesh! what an ignoramus! and dipshit, UNINFORMED idiots like you actually vote and determine MY quality of life. Go fuck yourself, ASSHOLE. don't you have a teaparty to attend, you corporate stooge?

[Crunchy Frog]

39. Are you reporting the income you're making from these postings?

[Zhade]

40. No, it just means you're a stupid motherfucker.

NT!

[aggiesal]

18. I'm willing to bet that there is no language that states ...

terminal ill patients can't get treatment, or that all old people
will have to euthanize.

This is someone just parroting what is fed to them on Fox news.

I don't have to prove you wrong, you have prove you're right.

Prove to me that this the bill coming out of the house and debated on
the floor. I'll bet you can't, because it's not even out of committee.

[glowing]

26. Its a reference for a Dr. to actually get PAID for talking about living wills and end of

life issues with the patient. If you think your Dr. wants to kill you, then I'd be finding another Dr. The issue is about payment.. every 5 yrs to discuss issues like these.. so we don't have Terry Schiavo issues popping up. I have a living will, and I'm 30. Everyone knows in my family my wishes. Some people don't think or plan for their death wishes... too morbid? I don't think so, its just a part of life. Its NOT the govt that will be in the exam room with you and your Dr. as you discuss these items.

[aggiesal]

47. What I was saying is that the Public Option bill in the house ...

probably doesn't have anything written in it that requires or mandates that the elderly,
see a doctor to discuss Euthanasia or any other End-of-Life options.

See the following site.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/euthanasia.asp

[NoPasaran]

22. Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son

[asdjrocky]

23. Rich as a teacher?

My gawd, y'all, what is rich in your neck of the woods. Enjoy your stay, lunatic.

[SIMPLYB1980]

24. ...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :popcorn:

[PA Democrat]

25. If you count on your side senior citizens who are so intellectually

challenged that they don't even realize their Medicare IS socialized medicine, enjoy the company boy genius.

Get lost.

[TexasObserver]

27. Don't believe a word you say.

[ima_sinnic]

28. you are a fucking liar, asshole

a "rich teacher" who wants "euthanasia clinics." riiiight.
fuck you, you STUPID fucking jagoff. don't hang around here too long, you might miss the bus to your next gig. how much do you get paid for those, shithead?

yeah, that's the ticket! kill off the "old people"!!!1!~! you're so stupid, they had to burn down the school to get you out of 7th grade.

[dgibby]

29. I didn't know stupidity was an actual disability.

I think this is the true intent of the health care bill. I'm not allowed to be treated cause I'm disabled and too old.

No, you dork, it's because YOU'RE TOO STUPID TO LIVE!

[ima_sinnic]

31. +100

notice that the boy genius has not come back. a little drive-by a-hole. probably short-circuited his 2 remaining brain cells with that burst of keyboard energy and is now in the kitchen cooking up some more meth.

[Catshrink]

34. Nah -- he's got to email Beckerhead or OxyRush to get more talking points.

[Arctic Dave]

30. I assume you are 737 pilot. Union?

[scheming daemons]

32. You're listening too much to Sean Hannity.... He lied about page 425...

...and the "Brooks Brothers" comment is not about how the protestors are dressed. Sean Hannity lied about that as well.

it is a reference to the fake riots in Florida in December of 2000 to stop the vote counting in Dade county.

All of the rioters were paid Republican operatives... they were not "grass roots".



You're letting Sean Hannity tell you what is in the Health Care plan. He's lying to you. There is NOTHING AT ALL about "Euthanasia Clinics" or MANDATORY end-of-life discussions.


I think you're lying about your brother... or your brother is a dick.



Educate yourself. I know you want to... that's why you came here.



MODS: Don't tombstone the guy. This is EXACTLY the kind of guy we have to educate. He's a victim. A victim of Sean Hannity and other RW liars.

His post is repeating, verbatim, what Sean Hannity said on his show today.

This guy is a lost soul.


instead of tombstoning him... let's educate him.

[Spazito]

33. Whoa!

ROFLMAO! Wow, I don't think I have seen all the key rabid right-wing crappola all in one pathetic post before! Congrats for that!


Your prize! Pizza, lovely, lovely Hawaiian (in honor of President Obama's birthplace) pizza!

[ellie]

36. Yea, OK.

[Brother Buzz]

37. Grassroots or Astroturf® movement, you do know the difference?

How many GOPoints do they award you for your two crappy posts before the pizza arrived?

Are you saving up for the "Team Leader" mouse pad or going hog wild and dreaming of the portable cooler made in China? Tough decision, but I suspect you are traveling Bob Boudelang's road and waiting for the cooler.

[Crunchy Frog]

38. "I've got mine, and happily sucking on the public teat, and fuck everyone else."

There, I think I just summarised your post. As for the "euthanizing disabled people" you're either incredibly gullible, or cynically lying on behalf of the insurance corps.

You're a sad, sad example of what this country is coming to.

[ima_sinnic]

41. still not tombstoned, I see

a little cowardly drive-by a-hole who presumably collects socialized medical benefits who cuts and pastes a list of lies about "euthanasia clinics" and Democrats determining his poor widdle fate.
He hasn't been back because his job is done here. He drops a bomb in an Internet board, then runs away, like a stupid little acne-faced social loser teenager. Probably gets paid by the number of boards he can infiltrate. So many forums, so little time!

[alarimer]

42. You're stupid if you believe those lies.

Fuck the Republicans and anyone who believes them. THEY ARE LYING!!!

[fascisthunter]

43. there's a thread here exposing them as mobs supported by wealthy interests

so the truth is already available to you. There is also a Rachel Maddow clip where she does a great job in exposing the right wing's phony crowd.

[pokercat999]

45. You forget the sarcasm smilies, you'll need to use that as

without it most posters take what you write as an indication as to what you actually believe. Even in this case, where if someone was to post this garbage as serious thought we would know it was sarcasm because anyone that stupid couldn't operate a computer or find the internet.

[Ignis]

46. LOL @ "My brother, a hardcore NEA democrat"

You guys really crack me up. Keep it coming! :hi:

[alfredo]

35. We had disrupters at our "listening tour." I saw a group of them walk in

together, then fan out into the seating. One said "I should have worn my Brooks Brothers Suit." I asked him, "Why, are you going to start a riot." He laughed. He thought it was a rhetorical question.

I was still able to get some points in about my VA plan, and to straighten out a reporter that kept speaking of the government as something separate from the people.

[pokercat999]

44. If I were a congress critter and exposed to this type of

attempted intimidation I would have a tendency to push back....with my vote. I would support and vote for the most progressive health care bill. I would push for single payer, fight for it, insist on it. But that's probably why I'll never be even an adviser let alone a congress critter.