TPMDC
GOP Brings Back Health Care Town Halls
Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 11, 2009, 8:59AM
Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) town hall.
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For Republicans battling Democratic-led health care reform, there's August -- and then there's everything after. Starting in a couple of weeks, the GOP hopes to take the country back to the heady days of the health care town halls.
The late summer was the high-water mark for the GOP on health care, when poll support for Democratic reform lagged after an August full of raucous town hall meetings with members of Congress across the country. The town halls caused the reform debate to shift from "public options" and "mandates" to "death panels" and "socialized medicine." President Obama gave a primetime address before a joint session of Congress to address the fears raised by the town halls, and polls began to shift back toward support for Democratic reforms.
Now, the GOP wants to capture some of that August magic again as the Senate takes up a reform bill.
From Politico:
Senate Republican Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander said Republicans are "quietly" planning some 50 in-person and telephone town hall gatherings over the next three weeks to drum up opposition to Democratic health care bills. Republicans believe this effort will pick up new urgency once Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) releases his long-awaited bill -- possibly next week.
The reform debate in the House was cut off by Congress' August recess, which saw members go back to their districts to face hundreds of angry constituents scared by what they had heard about Democratic reform proposals from the right-wing media and GOP leaders like Sarah Palin. The Senate debate, set to begin next week, will also be cut off by a fixed break in the Congressional schedule, giving the GOP confidence they can repeat the August town halls and perhaps scare some of the moderate Democratic fence-sitters into shutting down the bill in the Senate.
More from Politico:
Asked if it created a political liability to introduce the bill before Thanksgiving, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said, you're "damned if you do, damned if you don't."
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The Old Grouch
November 11, 2009 9:21 AM
So what's stopping our side from going to their town halls and badgering them? We can likely be a bit more civil and decidedly better in tune with objective reality, still, sauce for the goose...
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markg8
November 11, 2009 9:37 AM in reply to The Old Grouch
What's stopping us? Nothing. About 120 of us went to a town hall held by Judy Biggert (IL-13) and Mark Kirk (IL-10 and now senate candidate) on August 12th. We demanded to know why their powerpoint presentation was full of misleading outdated charts comparing our current system to the British and Canadian system when none of the Democratic proposals look anything like what they have in the UK or Canada.
You can read about it here:
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/markg8/2009/08/two-republicans-fall-flat-in-t.php
If you're in the Chicagoland area on Nov. 17 AHIP is having a nat'l. convention at 1 West Wacker in the Renaissance Hotel, Chicago. You can join a rally outside starting at noon at 300 E. Randolph (Blue Cross headquarters) and march with us 4 blocks to the hotel. Or just show up at the rally 12:30 pm, at Renaissance Hotel, Chicago.
Let's show big insurance we're not going to stand for them scuttling reform. Not this time.
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JustAChicagoVoter
November 11, 2009 1:38 PM in reply to markg8
Thanks so much for that info. I'll hopefully be there, work permitting.
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AJM
November 11, 2009 9:26 AM
Lamar plans to jump the shark.
I think that the country pretty much decided what they think about the tea partiers. Look at NY 23.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
November 11, 2009 10:13 AM
Well, hopefully, this time Democratic members of Congress won't be caught completely flat-footed and off-buard what with the abundant advance warning and all. Oh, wait, there was abundant advance warning last time, wasn't there? Never mind. I'm sure it will come as a stunning shock to each and every one of them.
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CT Voter
November 11, 2009 12:06 PM in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
They'll be shocked SHOCKED I tell you.
Actually, the NY Times reports that:
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Redshift
November 11, 2009 1:17 PM in reply to CT Voter
Actually, facts and statistics can work well if they're used well. My congressman (Jim Moran) had a town hall in August where he led off with a presentation about what's in the bill and what isn't, and it was quite effective. Yes, there were still crazies screaming "socialism!", but preparing the ground to respond to the factually-challenged with "no, that simply isn't true" rather than a long explanation is a good plan.
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CT Voter
November 11, 2009 1:55 PM in reply to Redshift
Oh, I agree--I'd prefer a reality based discussion first and foremost. It's just that Democrats often times lose the soundbite war, and this description seemed like a recipe for just such a loss.
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JohnW1141
November 11, 2009 10:27 AM
I want more town halls too. The last one I attended the guy in front of me screamed louder than I did, so I want another try!
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Silence
November 11, 2009 11:33 AM in reply to JohnW1141
Why? Do you not understand the bill that you fervently support? It is my understanding that these town halls are held by elected reps to listen and answer questions for their constituents.
If you truly understand the bill, why would you bother to attend a town hall... except to intimidate little, old ladies and mothers with special needs children?
Personally, I have read the bill and understand what it means. Therefore, I have no need to attend a town hall meeting.
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Overreach THIS!
November 11, 2009 12:48 PM in reply to Silence
You know what?
You are a perfect idiot. And there is a place for people like you! Www.redstate.com Nincompoops welcome.
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bluebell
November 11, 2009 11:02 AM
I wonder what would happen if a bunch of feminists showed up thanking them for taking the pro-choice side on the bill.
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Indie Pro
November 11, 2009 11:14 AM in reply to bluebell
I suspect a lot of harumphing, clearing of the throats, and uuuhhhhhhhh, well I nevers...
complete with mopping of the furrowed brows with Reagan-Red ties.
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Matt Jones
November 11, 2009 11:18 AM
Oh yay! I don't have enough pictures of senior citizens holding up "Keep the government out of my Medicare" signs...
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CT Voter
November 11, 2009 12:01 PM in reply to Matt Jones
Keep it out of Medicare! Keep it out of MY social security!!!
Good times.
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Silence
November 11, 2009 11:24 AM
Is it time for more SEIU beatings already?
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Silence
November 11, 2009 11:55 AM in reply to Silence
Yes, yes. It is time for non-prosecuted beatings of innocent Americans! Prof. Lionel McIntyre has already started the ball rolling.
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Overreach THIS!
November 11, 2009 12:49 PM in reply to Silence
You know what?
You are a perfect idiot. And there is a place for people like you! Www.redstate.com Nincompoops welcome.
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Overreach THIS!
November 11, 2009 12:47 PM in reply to Silence
You know what?
You are a perfect idiot. And there is a place for people like you! Www.redstate.com Nincompoops welcome.
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Jackster
November 11, 2009 12:21 PM
Why do they think they NEED Town Halls?
To get uninformed minority small minded tea baggers on TV in order to portray a false sense of what the MAJORITY of Americans have already, with repetition expressed that they DO want? The Public Option!
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Jackster
November 11, 2009 12:26 PM
Do I need my medical procedures approved by a Vatican bureaucrat?
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Silence
November 11, 2009 12:40 PM in reply to Jackster
A government agency, run like the DMV, would do a much better job.
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Overreach THIS!
November 11, 2009 12:49 PM in reply to Silence
You know what?
You are a perfect idiot. And there is a place for people like you! Www.redstate.com Nincompoops welcome.
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Silence
November 11, 2009 2:31 PM in reply to Overreach THIS!
No rebuttal, eh?
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Overreach THIS!
November 11, 2009 2:42 PM in reply to Silence
www.redstate.com
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Silence
November 11, 2009 3:14 PM in reply to Overreach THIS!
I like it here. It's quite entertaining.
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Overreach THIS!
November 11, 2009 3:27 PM in reply to Silence
You know what?
You are a perfect idiot. And there is a place for people like you! Www.redstate.com Nincompoops welcome
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Winston Smith
November 11, 2009 12:45 PM
Progressives should be having their own town halls against this insurance industry bonanza bill.
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Winston Smith
November 11, 2009 1:19 PM
Progressives should be having their own town halls against this insurance industry bonanza bill.
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Redshift
November 11, 2009 1:23 PM
Actually, this was pretty well debunked by Nate Silver. The rise of the astroturf town-hall screamers was when support for reform started rising again. (It may be technically accurate to call it their "high water mark," but putting it that way obscures cause and effect -- if it started declining immediately after the town halls, that means they hurt their cause.)
This has become typical of Republicans lately -- let's go back and do what we did before, even if it didn't work! Personally, I'm glad they're going back to the tactics that put their craziness on display for the whole country.
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DKDC
November 11, 2009 2:34 PM in reply to Redshift
Exactly - Republicans are like little kids, if they get a laugh or some attention by something they start doing it over and over again and wear it out completely.
The House has voted, and if Republican senators think they will have time to conduct these town halls over the next three weeks the go right ahead. In fact, wouldn't it be fantastic if a significant number of them were so wrapped up in these that they were absent during a particularly important vote???
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Silence
November 11, 2009 4:20 PM in reply to DKDC
Ramming this bill through is death sentence for Dems. Bill Clinton is demanding that they all fall on their swords for Obama.
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fkaZk0sm0
November 11, 2009 5:39 PM in reply to Silence
voting for a bill that has broad public support will have no negative consequences.
despite your fever dreams and paranoid delusions, voters who oppose health care reform (including a public option) are, like the republicans who represent them, in the minority.
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Silence
November 11, 2009 6:45 PM in reply to fkaZk0sm0
What polls are you reading?
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fkaZk0sm0
November 11, 2009 5:31 PM in reply to Redshift
YES, thank you. exactly the point i was going to make.
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