In case you were wondering, I attended the town hall held by my congressperson a little more than a week ago, and noticed no one in attendance packing heat. I joke here, but I take any vigilantism or talk of intimidating people with arguments made in the presence of a gun seriously. That's not reasoned debate, that's bullying.
Alhambra, CA. August 11, 2009.
The town hall was originally scheduled to be held inside a library, but so many people rsvp'd that it ended up being held outside on the blocked-off street outside the library. It garnered a lot of attention as it was one of the few scheduled in Los Angeles for the week of August 10, 2009.
If anything, my town hall was an exercise in both exasperation and theatrics, with actual information struggling to break through elevated decibel levels. My congressman had chosen a panel of experts to inform constituents about HR 3200, the America's Affordable Choices Act of 2009. At this stage, the bill is pending with more modification expected in both the House and the Senate. He had invited a high-level administrator with Kaiser Permanente and two doctors to provide information on a public option. Very little of this information got out; the speakers a little drone-y in their delivery, the shouters persistent with their demands ("Read the bill!").
I thought I'd turn down the volume and show you pictures of my congressman's town hall.
The banner anti-health insurance reform people put up: "We the people...Take our country back", and a pro-health insurance reform supporter gets her two cents in.
AARP had members there who support health insurance reform. Incidentally, that is the American Association of Retired People's official position. They're the best-known interest group advocating on behalf of Americans over 55 years of age.
The two ladies seated above? Make an excellent point.
Let's put it this way: I know who lives in my district. It's a lot of union people: teachers, nurses, film crew folks, screenwriters (yes, who also belong to a union), retirees of all multi-ethnic backgrounds, and Latino, Asian, and white families with young children.
There was no shouting between these two men who disagree. I talked to the African American man afterwards, and he said his conversational partner had some "strange ideas." Neither man convinced the other.
The aptly named 'bullhorn,' wielded by an anti-health insurance reform protester. Apparently he likes the status quo.
You with your suit, tie, and Reagan Library lanyard, and photocopied talking points...you're not from around these parts, are you? You came all the way from Simi Valley to protest in my district?
It sure isn't people who look like they came from retirement homes in Orange County, or who recently visited or perhaps worked at the Reagan Library and conveniently had a stack of talking points printed out on papers to hand out.
More anti-health insurance reform people. Apparently union members who support an issue are "stormtroopers" and not merely 'goons' or 'thugs.' I call rhetoric inflation and egregious metaphorical hijacking with intent to harm.
Here's a LaRouchey supporter with one of those appalling "Obama-as-Hitler" brochures.
She's vehemently against health care reform. What, is FreedomWorks subcontracting out astroturf to LaRouche supporters now?
For. Sure. Possibly best sign at the town hall.
People who actually live in my congressional district tend to look like this.
The young LaRouche supporter who held up this offensive sign...
...later found his spot in front of the tv cameras blocked by these nice men. They very quickly and politely quieted down our part of the crowd, where a bit of shouting and jostling broke out, and stood shoulder to shoulder together.
This being LA, of course there was an actor in the crowd. His sign thanked Congressman Schiff for supporting a robust public option. (Extra credit to anyone who can name him!)
Lots of single payer as well as public option supporters were out in full force.
Here's my summary of what I saw at the town hall: there were as many supporters of health insurance reform as there were opposed, maybe even outnumbering the "no on HR 3200" people. The people who came to learn more were often prevented from doing so by loud shouts and heckling. This earned the shouters no love from the hometown crowd. I turned around many times to the LaRouchies near me, and said, "I live in this district and I'm trying to listen. PLEASE be quiet. I can't hear the speakers." Not one ever challenged me by saying, "I live here too and I have the right to boo and hiss." NOT. ONE.
And finally, we absolutely could tell who the people were who came from inside the congressional district and those who came from elsewhere. By race and age, the anti-health insurance reform people were generally whiter and older, angrier and louder. Paper tigers.
My only regret from that evening? When anti-health insurance reform people burst into "God Bless America," that the pro-health insurance reform people didn't counter with "This Land is My Land, This Land is Your Land." (No regrets from plastering the LaRouche people with "Health Care Reform Now" stickers. It took them a while to notice but then again it's hard to look at your own back. ;))
I defy any conservative to sing a Woody Guthrie song and mean it.
Cynematic also blogs at P i l l o w b o o k.
I watched you post these pics in real time, and the LaRouche posters in particular deeply disturb me. They go beyond responsible free speech. Far beyond.
Posted by: Karoli | August 22, 2009 at 11:44 AM
NO CO-OP'S! A Little History Lesson
Young People. America needs your help.
More than two thirds of the American people want a single payer health care system. And if they cant have a single payer system 77% of all Americans want a strong government-run public option on day one (86% of democrats, 75% of independents, and 72% republicans). Basically everyone.
Our last great economic catastrophe was called the Great Depression. Then as now it was caused by a reckless, and corrupt Republican administration and republican congress. FDR a Democrat, was then elected to save the nation and the American people from the unbridled GREED and profiteering, of the unregulated predatory self-interest of the banking industry and Wallstreet. Just like now.
FDR proposed a Government-run health insurance plan to go with Social Security. To assure all Americans high quality, easily accessible, affordable, National Healthcare security. Regardless of where you lived, worked, or your ability to pay. But the AMA riled against it. Using all manor of scare tactics, like Calling it SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!! :-0
So FDR established thousands of co-op's around the country in rural America. And all of them failed. The biggest of these co-op organizations would become the grandfather of the predatory monster that all of you know today as the DISGRACEFUL GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance industry. And the DISGRACEFUL GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare industry.
This former co-op would grow so powerful that it would corrupt every aspect of healthcare delivery in America. Even corrupting the Government of the United States.
This former co-op's name is BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD.
Do you see now why even the suggestion of co-op's is ridiculous. It makes me so ANGRY! Co-op's are not a substitute for a government-run public option.
They are trying to pull the wool over our eye's again. Senators, if you don't have the votes now, GET THEM! Or turn them over to us. WE WILL! DEAL WITH THEM. Why do you think we gave your party Control of the House, Control of the Senate, Control of the Whitehouse. The only option on the table that has any chance of fixing our healthcare crisis is a STRONG GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION.
An insurance mandate and subsidies without a strong government-run public option choice available on day one, would be worse than the healthcare catastrophe we have now. The insurance, and healthcare industry have been very successful at exploiting the good hearts of the American people. But Congress and the president must not let that happen this time. House Progressives and members of the Tri-caucus must continue to hold firm on their demand for a strong Government-run public option.
A healthcare reform bill with mandates and subsidies but without a STRONG government-run public option choice on day one, would be much worse than NO healthcare reform at all. So you must be strong and KILL IT! if you have too. And let the chips fall where they may. You can do insurance reform without mandates, subsidies, or taxpayer expense.
Actually, no tax payer funds should be use to subsidize any private for profit insurance plans. So, NO TAX PAYER SUBSIDIZES TO PRIVATE FOR PROFIT PLANS. Tax payer funds should only be used to subsidize the public plans. Healthcare reform should be 100% for the American people. Not another taxpayer bailout of the private for profit insurance industry, disguised as healthcare reform for the people.
God Bless You
Jacksmith — Working Class
Twitter search #welovetheNHS #NHS Check it out
(http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/why-markets-cant-cure-healthcare/)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbWw23XwO5o) CYBER WARRIORS!! - TAKE THIS VIRAL
Posted by: jacksmith | August 22, 2009 at 10:28 PM
Thanks for informative article Cynematic! And it's going to keep bugging me, so here goes--is the actor Kurtwood Smith? (the father on that 70's show)
Posted by: birdgal | August 24, 2009 at 07:49 AM
It IS Kurtwood Smith, birdgal!
Also, here's more on the unholy alliance between the GOP and batshit crazy Lyndon LaRouche supporters: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-08-24/behind-the-obama-hitler-slur/
What's next, GOP taking up talking points from the Hare Krishnas?
Posted by: cynematic | August 24, 2009 at 09:23 AM