Congresswoman Louise Slaughter has made it clear why she won't host health care town hall meetings. She believes that the town halls have been nothing but forums for protesters and those who only want to disrupt and misinform the public.
The powerful Democrat said she held meetings during the health care debate of 1993 but is concerned about public safety this time. During a meeting of the Democrat and Chronicle editorial board, she referred to a town hall meeting with President Barack Obama in New Hampshire in which a man brought a gun.
"I think it's a way to disseminate misinformation," Slaughter said. "They're not debating things that are in the bill."
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Reform of the system has attracted great public interest and caused rumors about the bill, many of which are not true.
"The idea that any American citizen would believe that their country would line up old people and do away with them is so, it's embarrassing that Americans would believe that," Slaughter said.
Slaughter remembers the debate over health care during the Clinton administration and said that Democrats are no more prepared for the opposition now than they were 14 years ago.
"We simply can't control any message anywhere," she said. "We are so big on transparency, let's write it all down, let's make sure it's all up on the Internet, knowing full well ... that people are going to pick out something that isn't there."
The right-wing is trying to take advantage of everything Democrats say, even safe ones like Slaughter. In a recent radio interview, Slaughter said the following:
The video was posted on Breitbart, a conservative website. Now, Politico has picked up on the misinformation by pushing the claim that Slaughter saying "won't give these people a forum" was a message intended for her constituents, which is far from the truth and distorts reality. The intent was clear: Slaughter will not give a forum to the conservative lunatics whose only goal is to disrupt, not debate.
Yet, this is an outright distortion that is exactly the type of misinformation Slaughter is talking about. The same people that are responsible for this distortion are also the ones distorting the facts on the health care reform bill and on health care reform in general. Coincidence? Definitely not.
In the video below, a woman who is need of health care reform speaks at a town hall meeting hosted by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK). Coburn, who is known for his anti-government sentiments (while being a member of government, oddly enough), listens to the woman and gives her the usual Republican line.
Since watching the video of the Oklahoma town hall I have forwarded it to thousands of people. Spreading the call for reform has never been simpler.
But by showing the video, we do much more than shine a light on the banality of health insurance evil, we also do our part to tip the narrative towards a more American set of values.
Until now, the health care debate has been pushed a larger story about "government run insurance will take away our freedom." The opponents of reform insist that a public option will lead to tyranny and the end of America. The tears in this video bring us to a new big picture: "Americans are not free so long as they can be deprived of care by a cruel industry." Those who advocate passionately for a public option can now insist with clear evidence that an America without health care reform is an America broken by fear.
One woman's tears and the courage to stand up and tell her story could give an opportunity to us all to push the kind of change this country so desperately needs. And all we need to do is show this video to everyone we know.
There is a Facebook group that Jeffrey started to rally around this video. Once you join (if you haven't already), invite your friends to join. We need to show that there are people out there who go to these town hall meetings with real stories and real problems with their current health insurance plan (or lack thereof).
Let's help get this video to the forefront of the debate. It highlights the need for changing a broken system and the response by Coburn shows the insensitivity Republicans show merely to hold the party line.
I am going to make something clear: I, along with many other Americans, are sick of these "concerned citizens" who stand up and ask questions that are meant to pose as legitimate questions but really are questions fed to them by Republicans, conservatives and the tea party organizers to shift the debate to their side instead of taking a serious look at health care reform.
So, here's the deal: You stand up and ask a question, I look into you. Period.
"On page 30 of that bill, you call it a committee, you call it a commission, you call it a death panel. Somebody is making a decision for my health, and I don't want that."
So who is Ms. Tillinghast?
She is a former Kodak executive who would not be impacted by the health care bill. After all, if she has private health insurance, she can keep that insurance. The goal isn't to target people like Ms. Tillinghast. The goal is to target people who don't have health insurance coverage.
Ms. Tillinghast also is a Republican donor, having given $1,450 to Republican candidates and committees in 2004 and 2006. She gave $200 to the George W. Bush presidential campaign in 2004, $250 to the RNC in 2006 and made two $500 contributions to the NRCC in 2006. Locally, she hasn't given much. She did make a $100 contribution to Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks, a Republican.
It is one thing to be a real, concerned citizen who has serious questions about the bill. Those people do exist. It's another thing when your question is derived from a desire to derail reform for political gain.
There are a lot of myths about health care reform. Part of the problem is that Republicans have made it their goal to oppose President Barack Obama at all costs. They do not care about reform. And to be blunt, they do not care about bettering America.
Unless, of course, they are the ones in power to "better America."
If you live somewhere in the 29th congressional district, chances are you either live in a town or live close to a town where Congressman Eric Massa will be holding a town hall meeting at some point over the next week.
Starting tomorrow, Congressman Massa will have seven town hall meetings in six counties over the course of eight days. The town hall meetings are a way for Massa to hear from the residents of his district and to allow them time to ask him questions.
Massa emphasizes that these meetings are open AND public. He will not exclude anyone from these meetings regardless of political affiliation and invites all citizens to participate.
The first town hall meeting will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. tomorrow night at Pittsford Sutherland High School Auditorium, 55 Sutherland St. Pittsford.
The rest of the schedule is below:
Friday, April 10
7:30 to 9 p.m.
Henrietta Fire Dept Training Center
60 Erie Station Road Extension (corner of E. River Road)
Henrietta, NY 14586
Saturday, April 11
3:30 to 5 p.m.
VFW Rex Field Post Number 901
113 Keefe Street
Elmira, NY 14904
Monday, April 13
4:30 to 6 p.m.
The American Legion
6500 Maples Road (Behind the Fire Hall)
Ellicottville, NY 14731
Tuesday, April 14
3:30 to 5 p.m.
304 7th St
Watkins Glen, NY 14891
Thursday, April 16
4:30 to 6 p.m.
Seneca Townhall
3675 Flint Road
Stanley, NY 14561
Thursday, April 16
6:30 to 8 p.m.
Benton Townhall
1000 Rt 14 A
Penn Yan, NY 14527
Few members of Congress offer this kind of access. If you are a resident in the 29th district, take advantage of this whenever you can. If you live near one of the meeting places, do go. Congressman Massa is one of the most open and accessible members of Congress there are. And you know you will get a straight answer out of him whether you like it or not.
The next three upstate town hall meetings have been announced for Governor David Paterson's upstate tour.
The next town hall meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Niagara Falls Housing Authority's Doris W. Jones Family Resource Building, 3001 9th Street, Niagara Falls. The doors open at 4:30 p.m., so get there early to get a seat.
The following Wednesday, Governor Paterson will be in Rochester. That event will also begin at 5:30 p.m. with the doors opening at 4:30 p.m. The town hall will be held at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center's Lilac Ballroom, 123 East Main Street, Rochester.
On March 12, the day after the town hall in Rochester, Governor Paterson will hold his second student town hall meeting at SUNY Geneseo. That will take place on the campus of SUNY Geneseo inside the Wadsworth Auditorium. The doors open at 10 a.m. and the event starts at 11 a.m.
Governor Paterson acknowledged how important these town halls are for the public and for his own enrichment.
"During this economic crisis, we as citizens have the responsibility to work together towards achieving a brighter future for our State," said Governor Paterson. "These Town Hall meetings have provided New Yorkers with a forum to share thoughts, ideas and suggestions on ways we can improve the economic outlook for New York. I look forward to hearing directly from New York's residents and students as we work together to emerge from this crisis and place New York State on the road towards fiscal recovery."
If you are interested in attending, you can RSVP here. An RSVP is not required to attend. You can also submit your questions here.
I will be attending all three of those meetings, so if you are in the area of any of these, I'd gladly meet up with some fellow TAP community members for a coffee shop visit or dinner. Feel free to e-mail me at robert.harding22@gmail.com if you are interested.
Congressman Eric Massa has been a model of openness and transparency since being sworn in. This is what he promised. He wants to be accessible to the media (and the new media) and he wants to be very accessible to his constituents. If you live in the 29th congressional district, then you should be very satisfied with Massa's openness.
Today, Massa announced that he will be holding two town hall meetings this week. One will be a telephone town hall meeting and the other will be a town hall meeting that Massa will be hosting in Corning.
The telephone town hall meeting will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday. To call in, dial (877) 229-8493 and use the pass code "14608" to enter the town hall meeting. Congressman Massa is encouraging everyone to call in and ask him questions that he will answer directly over the phone.
Then Massa will hold his first town hall meeting in his hometown of Corning. The town hall meeting will start at 12 p.m. Saturday at the United Steel Workers (USW) Local 1000, Civic Center Plaza in Corning.
Everyone is invited to the town hall meeting in Corning and Massa has made it clear that no one will be denied entry to the town hall meeting. If you want to ask Massa a question, you will be able to do so. Coffee and soda will be served.
This is what you can expect with Massa as your congressman. He is very honest and open with everyone. Sometimes his honesty is more of a blunt honesty. I like that quality in an elected official. We need reality, not this constant sugarcoating we tend to get from some elected officials.
If you are in the district, I encourage you to call in for the telephone town hall and if you live in Corning or are nearby, please attend the town hall meeting on Saturday. Not too many members of Congress are this accessible. Congressman Massa is. Make sure to utilize it because many citizens don't get this kind of time with their representative.
Starting tomorrow, Congressman Massa will have seven town hall meetings in six counties over the course of eight days. The town hall meetings are a way for Massa to hear from the residents of his district and to allow them time to ask him questions.
The telephone town hall meeting will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday. To call in, dial (877) 229-8493 and use the pass code "14608" to enter the town hall meeting. Congressman Massa is encouraging everyone to call in and ask him questions that he will answer directly over the phone.
