August is vacation time for Congress and all the Congresspeople are out talking with their constituents — for the Dems that means drumming up support for Obama’s health care plan.
If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ve heard about the anti-health care protesters shouting “just say no” at various Democratic Party town hall meetings — basically striving to disrupt any debate that doesn’t go their way.
If you watch MSNBC, you’ve heard the evidence that these teabag-esque protesters are following a script laid out by Repub operatives and lobbyists for the heath care industry, getting direction from firms like Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks.
So what’s a Representative to do? Our own Congressman Mike Thompson has a solution: skip the town hall, well, make the meeting virtual — over the phone. That way there’s no way for shouters to disrupt, at least no way I can think of. The details came via email from Mike’s peeps:
Join a Live Telephone Town Hall Meeting on August 5th
WASHINTON – On the evening of August 5th, Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) will host a live town hall meeting via telephone to respond to overwhelming interest in the status of health care reform. Participants can ask him questions about health care reform, and the Congressman will respond live for everyone to hear.
More information:
What: A toll-free telephone town hall with Congressman Mike Thompson
When: Wednesday, August 5th from 7-8 p.m. Pacific Time
How to join: At 7 p.m. dial (877) 229-8493 and enter the passcode 13293
This article appears in Stress Fracture.
I’ve listened to two of his ‘telephone town hall’ calls that were on whatever topics people wanted to ask about.
The ‘meetings’ were fairly informative. Only once did someone try to use their question time to give a speech instead of ask a question. Thompson was effective at ending that baloney and getting the caller to ask his question.
I should add that those tele-town hall meetings came to me as unexpected evening calls to my home. It’s nice to now know there’s a direct way to join if I want to.
Are you saying that community organizers are disrupting democracy?
Let’s not discount that this is actually vox populi and real, live voters of all political stripes are pissed at the irresponsible actions of their elected officials in Washington DC.
Important to note the stunning number of health care industry lobbyists involved in the drafting of Obama’s plan. Hard to hurl that around as an insult, Bob, when the lobbyists are playing on both teams.
Hmmm’s point above make’s me wonder why all of this shrill noise is being made by the right.
For a brief moment a few weeks ago I entertained the notion that everyone in this country would begin receiving health care, and I felt good. It was like waking up slowly on a lazy Saturday morning, relishing your grogginess. It was fun while it lasted. Then I woke up and remembered who actually runs this country.