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Senator Claire McCaskill (D) - health care town hall - Jefferson City

by: Michael Bersin

Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 23:47:44 PM CDT

Senator Claire McCaskill made it to Jefferson City for her second health care town hall of the day. The event started at 6:00 p.m. We arrived at the location at around 5:00 p.m. to a considerable traffic control presence and a distinct lack of available parking. We were able to get to the media entrance and park next to the television satellite trucks. There was also a considerable media and police presence. We were told that only the first 375 of the people waiting in line would be allowed in. After the event I asked a police officer if he knew how many people who were in line didn't get into the town hall. He wouldn't estimate the number, but did state that people who were in line didn't get in.

Unlike the previous three health care town halls I attended people brought in signs. It doesn't add much to the cachet.

Like the Hillsboro town hall there were a number of people at the event who sincerely believed that being rude, loud, and obnoxious makes for a winning argument.

This wasn't Hillsboro. A smaller space and much closer proximity to a smaller crowd made it appear more manic, but no one had their sign snatched away and no one (at least as I was aware of) was arrested.

Not everyone in line got into the event. Attendance was limited to 375, first come, first served.

Probably to the immense frustration of the loudest and most disruptive in the room, there were a significant number of pro reform individuals at the town hall.

Michael Bersin :: Senator Claire McCaskill (D) - health care town hall - Jefferson City

A pro reform individual writing out a question on a form which was placed in a basket and then subject to selection out of the basket by two anti reform people appointed to the task by Senator McCaskill. Those questions selected then were read and answered by the Senator. What do you think the odds were?

RBH, this photo is for you.

This individual was very angry. In fact, on occasion she loudly stated that she was very angry.

Sometimes corporatist sign placement can be fortuitous.

At the press conference after the town hall.

Tags: Jefferson City, missouri, town hall, health care reform, Claire McCaskill, (All Tags)

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Senator Claire McCaskill (D) - health care town hall - Jefferson City | 4 comments

Hm (0.00 / 0)

I'd have to review the evidence to figure out if that's the same FairTax guy as the one who was as Penn Valley a few months ago.

Rest assured, if there is a political event, some random dude will show up with his FairTax gear.

Wonder if that FairTax fan is more expensive due to the sales tax attached to it.

Hailing from the land of milk, honey, and Democrats

by: RBH @ Thu Aug 27, 2009 at 07:18:18 AM UTC

by: you @ soon

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What I wrote... (3.00 / 1)

...after Hillsboro applies here:

....They're pissed that Obama is president. They're pissed that McCain isn't. They're pissed that Jim Talent isn't their senator. They probably voted for George W. Bush twice (and probably his daddy twice). They'd probably be pissed if you pointed out that dubya is and was a monumental screw-up - it reminds them that they made that particular choice. They didn't vote for Claire. They'll never vote for Claire. They're outraged that their sense of entitlement about calling the shots in what others should believe and even how the open forum should have been run isn't accepted or catered to....
....They're pissed that Claire asked how many of them were on Medicare....and then asking how many wanted off (a handful) - pointing out the crowd's hypocrisy about government health care. No matter what anyone does they'll be pissed and stay pissed. And they ain't voting for any Democrats. Ever.

The difference here is that the venue was closer quarters and had a much lower ceiling so that the shouters could actually be understood and the shouting could more effectively disrupt. In Hillsboro pro health care reform people (who were also outnumbered, but still a significant presence) seemed to be caught flat footed by the vein popping apoplectic rage of the teabaggers (and in retrospect, it was stunning in a funny sort of way). Not so in Jefferson City. They stood their ground and pushed back, though without the yelling out of random fake news cable network talking points. That isn't to say that the vein popping apoplectic rage in Jefferson City wasn't stunning in a funny sort of way. It was.

I have to write it. These people are fucking batshit crazy. No sign of rational understanding that "death panels" are a myth. No sign of understanding that the "free market" (as pointed out by Senator McCaskill) is operating now and hasn't fixed the problems.

They have this completely irrational fear, amplified by who know what, and nothing is going to change that.

And don't get me started on our useless media. They all know that these people are batshit crazy, but they present it all as an equal opposing viewpoint.

I weep for our nation.

543,895 votes

by: Michael Bersin @ Thu Aug 27, 2009 at 11:44:21 AM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Minor correction (0.00 / 0)

Michael,

The following sentence should have been in bold:

These people are fucking batshit crazy.

All the best, etc.

-- MrJM

Dulce est Desipere in Loco

twitter.com/misterjayem

by: MrJM @ Thu Aug 27, 2009 at 17:54:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Underline that as well and add scary ... (0.00 / 0)

some of my older neighbors have indicated that they think that anyone that goes to any of these events might end up getting hurt based on what they have seen and heard.

by: WillyK @ Fri Aug 28, 2009 at 03:16:03 AM UTC

[ Parent ]