Is a confrontation in the cards for Senator Bernie Sanders’ town hall meetings on health care this weekend?
Of the 3 alerts I received on the meetings, two (VPIRG, VT Workers Center/Jobs With Justice,) raised the spectre of possible confrontation and sounded the call for activists to show up en masse to counter potential unruly teabagging hordes, the likes of which have been seen in other states. Email samples:
Our Vermont town hall meetings are a great opportunity for reform advocates and activists to mobilize-which is particularly important given the potential for a disruptive few to prevent real public dialogue. They have already held demonstrations at the Vermont Offices of Sanders, Leahy and Welch’s offices with the message “Government Health Care Makes You Sick”.
They are getting groups of right-wing activists, sometimes busing them in from near-by states, to come and disrupt the meetings by shouting down anyone who attempts to speak.
Two at once suggest some actual hubbub. Although Peter Welch’s town hall meetings this week have been passionate, if standard fare, at least one of Bernie’s health care-specific events is being promoted by Vermont teabaggers, so its possible. Are these groups onto something? Are they simply being dramatic (and if so, does such drama bring with it the possibility of self-fulfilling prophecy?)
In any case, it is now even more in our interest to attend – likely with video cameras and internet connectivity at the ready.
SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 9:30 am, Rutland Unitarian Universalist Church, 117 West Street, Rutland, Free Brunch at 9:30 am, Meeting at 10:00 am
SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 12:30 pm, The Pavilion at the Arlington Recreation Park, 148 Rec Park Road, Arlington, Free BBQ Lunch at 12:30 pm, Meeting at 1:00 pm
SUNDAY AUGUST 23, 5:30 pm, Peacham Congregational Church, 56 Church St, Peacham, Free Dinner at 5:30 pm, Meeting at 6:00 pm
Bernie doesn’t strike me as one who’s going to be easily intimidated by the mouthbreathers. Plus, he knows damn well that serious healthcare reform has a lot of support in the state.
I think it’s likely in Rutland. Local Rush Limbaugh wanna-be radio host Tim Philbin has been encouraging protestors to attend, and a rediculous number of people here listen to his show. The teabaggers also had a fairly large turnout at their tax day protest in Rutland this past spring.
…but I’m hoping someone shows up with a video camera
The Vermont GOP has also sent out alerts about these particular town hall meetings to their email list. Seems likely that one or all will have hecklers in attendance.
I’m looking forward to teabaggers/palinites joining the fun. Health care reform is a serious issue that requires in-depth analysis. The death panel shit is so easily refutable that if they are the ones who show up, Bernie will make quick work of them. On the other hand, it would be nice to have real debate.
so I’m assuming Welch caught no flack up in Newport and Vergennes last week.
Here’s a YouTube of those ridiculous libertarian wackos who protested outside Obama’s health care talk yesterday. One of them “actually” suggests killing immigrants. H/t to Blue Hampshire. FYI, the woman with the megaphone shouting about how Obama is becoming a dictator is the sister of GOP rep from Salem, NH. Gotta wonder if the GOP paid for that megaphone 😉
One approach to these meetings that are devolving into screaming matches, is to use at least two interpreters who know sign language. The real questions and concerns (whether pro or con) could be relayed to the Congressperson or Senator; and then the response could be relayed back to the questioner in the same manner. It wouldn’t allow audience participation, unless the answers could be put up on a screen. However, the silence could be deafening, and the screamers would be neutralized. And it would probably attract national media attention as a rational alternative.
Bernie handled the relatively few truly antagonistic questioners quite well. He doesn’t allow them much opportunity to take him off track. Although he was visibly exhausted by the end, he came on strong and in command…every inch, the People’s Representative. The folks who had objections to health care reform were mostly worried about some of the misinformation floating out there and he answered them with respect and reassurances. There were some tepidly ugly moments of chanting from a small orchestrated crowd on the perimeter, and shouts from the odd slogan-eer; but these failed to draw much interest from the crowd. We’d seen it all before on television; so it was a rubbernecking dud, for the most part. There was also someone with a megaphone (perhaps the same one as in NH?)who was bellowing something inflammatory at the end after Bernie answered the last questions and we began to disperse to our cars; but I didn’t really hear what he was saying and I doubt it made much of an impression on the dessicated crowd. I didn’t make it to the event until 10:00 sharp, so I don’t know what transpired before.