Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D) of the 25th District of Texas was one of the first members of Congress to face the ire of his constituents during a recent town hall meeting at a Randall’s store in Austin over health care reform.
According to the Austin American Statesman:
“Doggett, D-Austin, spoke at the Randalls at Brodie and Slaughter lanes on Saturday. A video of the event on YouTube shows many in the crowd showed up with signs denouncing President Obama’s proposed health care plan. “Witnesses say that when Doggett was asked if he would support the plan even if he found his constituents opposed it, Doggett said he would still support the plan. From there, the crowd began chanting ‘Just Say No,’ and overwhelmed the congressman as he moved through the crowd and into the parking lot.”
What is remarkable about this protest is that the 25th District of Texas is one of the most liberal in the state, being majority Hispanic and containing the city of Austin, a liberal conclave in the middle of Red State Texas. Lloyd Doggett has been a reliably liberal Congressman, opposing the Iraq War and the Patriot Act, and supporting gay marriage, gun control, partial birth abortion, and immigration reform.
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Please tell me again why you supporters of government run health care are so anxious for it?
I see nothing but problems with anything any level of government touches. But you want to trust the Feds who can’t balance the budget (barring a few years under Clinton after a recovery), underestimate the costs and timelines of “Cash for Clunkers” by a wide margin, can’t run a V.A. hospital, can’t explain Medicare or Social Security funding past their own election cycle.
So yes the promise is great but the track record is abysmal. This is all about power and control in the hands of a few corrupt politicians. A recipe for massive fail.
This was at a Town Hall meeting, correct? Apparently, only the people who “didn’t” vote for Mr. Doggett showed up for the meeting. Maybe Mr. Doggett should pass out fliers next time.
i say it was iran meddling in our affairs..
I seem to remember when dissent was “the highest form of patriotism” and “speaking truth to power” was what good citizens were SUPPOSED to do when they disagree. Not anymore.
Funny how that went away and now protest is “low-level terrorism” and “angry threatening mobs”. How dare these yahoos dare to speak out to their masters!
Welcome to the new order.
#31. I wasn’t aware that Obama ended the war. Or kept any one of the many promises made….I mean does that surprise you…really?
Cripes.
The US can spend more money on ‘DEFENSE’ than anybody, but they can’t afford health care?!?! Oh and I see a lot of you titheads claiming socialized medicine is undoable, you guys really ought to travel more. Depending on your local news media will keep you ignorant.
It’s a values thing but these guys have only one value $
$1.5 million a day spent by the helath care lobbyists to bus in paid protesters, pay Limbaugh, Fox,many of the Democrats and most of the Rebulicans to keep us at the mercy of the medical industy. Wonderful.
Wow… what a bunch sheople. Everywhere I go people want this government monopoly.
I am proud of these people they are not fools or tea baggers. Do you think government insurance will pay for natural therapies? Do you think theyll pay for supplements, or medicinal Marijuana? Not that I would expect a private insurance company to pay for these things since this would violate there regulations to provide approved medicines only. Approved by whom lobbyists? Wake up Sheople? Good luck running a business if you have to pay for the employees health care now your going to need another employee to manage all of that, and guess what your going to pay for their insurance as well. Taxes, Taxes, Taxes. No way to get ahead. Will I have to pay, for my babysitters insurance, or my house keepers? Course I cant afford these people because im paying taxes, and am being force to purchase insurance, when I just keep some money around for emergencys and eat healthy food so I will remain healthy.
Good luck sheople.
“…when Doggett was asked if he would support the plan even if he found his constituents opposed it, Doggett said he would still support the plan.”
I know this is only a report but I don’t see him denying it, either. Am I the only one here that finds it an outrageous thing to say? A man elected to the House of Representatives states he will not represent the people who elected him if they disagree with a policy.
2010 is looking more and more like a rout for the Dems.
#39..
uMM,
Explain monopoly.
I would suggest you look it up.
Then look at the Health care services industry.
YOU ALREADY PAY FOR HEALTH CARE STUPID..
At least your employer SHOULD BE paying it FOR YOU.
TRY paying for your own.
TRY paying for health care, all your life, and never get sick… Then you RETIRE..do you have health care?? NOT.
OR
Pay for your health care for 20 years, and FINALLY need it…and get DECLINED..Or have a PREVIOUS condition that ALLOWS them to decline.
NOW.
try to fight it.
YOU HAVE had medical coverage all your life paid by YOU or your company..this is ALOT of money. YOU DIDNT GET SICK. do you get it BACK?? NOPE. Even tho, $200-400 per month was paid to Health care and Workmans comp..YO WONT SEE 1 penny.
#28–Mike==”Having doctors make more money the less care they give does not sound like a good model, though it would save money.” /// Well, part of “efficiency” is having doctors actually using/applying their education to prevent illness, not motivating them to cure illness. Doctors complain about spending too much time with paperwork. How about NO paperwork and they take care of another 15-20% of patients? See how quality and quantity expand when doctors are providing services rather than competing for patients? Competing by providing services they don’t need?
So lets say Medicare has 10% fraud? Add regulators to stop it. simple. If you weren’t a repuglican, you would understand laws aren’t broken when laws are enforced.
Now, recently in the news was some group somewhere that refered 5-7% of their patients out for MRI’s. Then the group bought an MRI machine and the self referrals went up to 35%. Is that better medical care, or FRAUD!!!
I’ll let you be the judge.
Interesting link. I’ve responded to the arguments herein.
# 18 Link Finder said, on August 3rd, 2009 at 1:56 pm
“Doctors take the Hippocratic oath too seriously.”
Well if Michelle, whack job, Bachman said it I guess it must be true. Yeah right Michelle, the democrats are going to kill all the old people, just like you said they were responsible for the last swine flu outbreak:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/28/bachmann-flu-democrats/
Or just like she said Obama is setting up reeducation camps for conservatives:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/06/bachmann-obama-wants-re-e_n_183552.html
That woman is either a pathological liar or she has a very loose grip on reality. Either way I would hardly put stock in anything she says.
2010 is looking more and more like a rout for the Dems.
Sorry, nope. They have lock on the media, so most people will never see any of the protests, will never hear the videos or read the documents that the WH doesn’t want them too.
People who are actually huntign down this info on the net are a tiny minority, easily painted as nutjobs and falsely connected with birther idiots.
The Dems will run a year of free infomercials disguised as news programs blaming Bush for every problem, and it will work.
>$1.5 million a day spent by the helath care lobbyists
They’re spending $500 million a year on his?
We know the unions and other liberal groups have budgeted at least $50 million to fight for this.
>out for MRI’s. Then the group bought an MRI machine and the self referrals went up to 35%. Is that better medical care, or FRAUD!!!
I’d say it’s fraud. Don’t see how a government system eliminates that.
You’re delusional if you think this system will eliminate paperwork either. Why don’t you go to a doctor’s office sometime, and look at the Medicare/Medicaid forms.
Why can’t the government just implement all these savings into Medicare, if they are so wonderful? Estimates are that Medicare is full of wasteful spending and fraud, plus there are no profits.
I know bobo is going to be shocked to hear this but I go with # 8: “There is no Obama Health Care Plan.”
Congress is throwing together an abomination but it is much less than clear what it’s going to be like when they get through making a mess.
The things I’m very sure of is the medicare is going to get chopped for the seniors.
A lot of people are going to find that their condition is not going to get treated.
The bill is going to cost vastly more than they expect.
And the only way to cover the bill is a hefty tax on just about every body not already dead.
What happens when a congress critter crosses his voters?
He becomes and ex congress critter.
iM GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT WILL HAPPEN, in the first years of this service.
Every person is going to GO to the doctor.
Alot of them that havnt seen one in 5-10+ years.
They will be swamped.
The need for more doctors will ROCKET..
After about 3 years it will mellow out and stabilize..
ALL those kids that arnt on the UNEMPLOYMENT LISTS will start to get things FIXED.
All those POOR STREET PEOPLE will start to get shots and fixed up.
All those UNDER employed persons that work at 7/11, McD, BK, denny’s, Mervins, and many other businesses will start to get Fixed up and teeth cleaned, shots missed, medications.. MAYBE even a pair of glasses..
All those ladies that have kids, will be able to GO TO THE DOCTOR and get them fixed up without worry about COST.
ALl those people that live under $15 per hour and 32 hours per week… will be able to get FIXED.. about 60% of the USA.
All those unemployed/looking for work people that are ABOUT to loose medical coverage, will be able to get a few things FIXED.. And STILl be able to look for work.
Ok, now..
All those businesses that employ people but cant afford medical.. THOSe get medical NOW.
Those businesses that SUPPLY MEDICAL, can NOW drop costs of hiring employees.. MORE workers.
Health insurance billions buy lots of professional protesters.
That is what we’re up against – billions poured into propaganda to keep the health insurance scam in place.
Not sure what’s worse now. The Christian Taliban or the health insurance industry stranglehold.
# 35 funnythat said:
This is more than mere “dissent.” Tell you what — surround yourself with twelve or fifteen strangers all yelling at you at the top of their lungs, shaking their fists (and canes) in your face and calling you names and tell me how patriotic it makes you feel.
Break out the brown shirts.
—This is more than mere “dissent.” Tell you what — surround yourself with twelve or fifteen strangers all yelling at you at the top of their lungs, shaking their fists (and canes) in your face and calling you names and tell me how patriotic it makes you feel.—
Sounds like every anti-Bush protest I saw…no, wait those were much much worse and far more low-class. Flaming effigies, pics of the president with crosshairs on him, people taking pictures of your license plate and telling you “we’ll find out who you are and where your kids go to school”.
And by the way, Uncle Patsy, yes, I do know how it feels, because I’ve tried to get to a Republican precinct meeting in Chicago. Obama’s henchpersons and hired thugs have taught me exactly how much freedom of speech can cost. It cost me a set of tires and a side window…and then a ticket for having flat tires and a broken side window. So don’t you f***ing tell me what goes beyond dissent, you worm.
If you were real American, you’d have decried such tactics when your boy’s thugs were doing it…but I’m sure it was a “legitimate outpouring of emotion by the oppressed” when it was the usual violent cretins on the left.
51,
THESE PEOPLE DONT UNDERSTAND what IS TO BE GIVEN..
they dont see that SMALL business can grow.
Large business can grow..
fun aint it..
so WHO is protesting?
NOT those without insurance..which, in MY GUESS is AT LEAST 50% of the USA.
LOVE those corps that can pay UNEMPLOYED people Lots of money to protest..DONT YOU??
Liberals my ass!
They’re teabaggers!
#35, funnyasshat,
Funny how that went away and now protest is “low-level terrorism” and “angry threatening mobs”. How dare these yahoos dare to speak out to their masters!
This isn’t protest or disagreement. This is disruption for the sake of disruption. This is denial of meaningful discourse by a handful of paid fools that will not allow peaceful citizens to learn the truth.
Here’s a couple of interesting articles on town hall strategies- by teabaggers, for teabaggers. Brought to you by FreedomWorks (astroturfers extraordinaire).
tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/tea-party-town-hall-strategy-rattle-them-stand-up-and-shout.php?ref=fpb
talkingpointsmemo.com/documents/2009/08/memo-details-co-ordinated-anti-reform-harrassment-strategy.php?page=1&ref=fpa
I scanned the vid for some interviews with the protesters- I think it would’ve been revealing. As several have already noted- I don’t think they were ‘liberal protesters’.
#49, it is amazing that your hope will become reality. I still see Peace sign Obama stickers. As the war wages on their hope becomes a joke. Course I vote based on fruit. Wiretaps, war funding Obama looked like a shrub to me.
Too answer your question about the monopoly, Yes I realize the regulations in place keep the big insurance businesses in place, and do a superb job of keeping new competition out.
I see that Obama’s thugs are now spreading the lie that the protests are paid for….Chicago politics at its best.
Get used to it. Obama is a typical Chi-town gangster politician, and his people are the same type of violent trash they’ve always used to threaten and force their way.
My only confort is that eventually you all get thrown under the bus…first the gays, then the moderate Dems, and tomorrow…who knows? I will laugh in your faces when he betrays you, as he certainly will.
The backlash is coming boys and girls…you’re going to regret voting for this guy when someone further right than Reagan gets swept into office as a result of his intolerant, incompetent fascism.
Screw you bunch of idiot Libtards…
I dunno…intolerance and incompetence seem to be part of the Republican party platform nowadays.
#58, heswallows,
Screw you bunch of idiot Libtards…
Geeze, talk about needing universal health care so you can have your meds updated.
>This isn’t protest or disagreement. This is disruption for the sake of disruption. This is denial of meaningful discourse by a handful of paid fools that will not allow peaceful citizens to learn the truth.
Sounds like what the left does at college campuses. They don’t like to have the Minutemen speak, or anyone else who opposes illegal immigration, or Michelle Malkin, or David Horowitz, or pretty much anyone even remotely right of center.