Steny Hoyer's Town Hall - Plan B Doesn't Work

Plan B being shipping in a bunch of HCAN organizers to fill 1300 of 1500 available seats, give speeches so you don't have to take questions, and trying to take control of the debate.

April Burke, a constituent of Hoyer’s from Mechanicsville, Md., who drew the first question, recounted how her two children recently lost their jobs and health insurance. She asked why the federal government should provide healthcare when her state health insurance is adequate.

Saying the Democratic plan would prevent the exact situation Ms. Burke’s family is now facing, Hoyer said; “I really think this plan would give you, your son and your daughter more confidence.”

“No, sir, it really doesn’t,” Burke replied. “We want the government out of our business right now.”

Burke’s response drew a boisterous standing ovation similar to scenes at town halls across the country that have been shown on cable news broadcasts.

“I know many of you are mad because you think Congress or the president or someone wants to take over your healthcare,” Hoyer said. “But the status quo won’t work for us.”

After a week of town halls, I mentioned I'd be surprised if there were any reps who'd have the stones to keep holding these meetings, and they have tapered off. The next new strategy, sending in union goons to confront opponents of government health care, backfired pretty badly. So now they're resorting to organized opposition using stooges like Heath Care for America Now to stuff the halls and marginalize the opposition.

That ain't working out so well either.

The Maryland HCAN chapter head is awesomely good with numbers too.

On top of that, the Maryland chapter of Health Care for America Now, had counted on filling 1,300 of the 1,500 seats with health reform supporters. Matthew Weinstein, the Maryland chapter director, said before the meeting began that he estimated a thousand supporters had showed up.

“Back in the beginning of the month, the opposition was really outnumbering us,” Weinstein said. “That inspired the backlash from the silent majority of Americans who’ve been for healthcare all along.”

After the meeting, he insisted the majority supporting healthcare outnumbered those opposed to reform.

“This is about what I expected,” Weinstein said as the meeting wrapped up shortly after 9 p.m. “The opponents are a very vocal minority.”

A staged minority Matt. And even that isn't working. Read a poll, it'll put you some knowledge.

tip via everybody's favorite man-lesbian

posted by Dave In Texas at 09:09 AM

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