Interesting goings-on at the Town Hall meetings being conducted all over the country. MSNBC and others are blasting those who dare to speak sternly to our leadership class as though they were equals as mobs organized by right wing talk radio (or some other shadowy outfit). FOX sees them as heroic defenders of democracy and (rightly) ridicules those who insist that somehow this isn’t right.
I expect there is some truth in the accusations that someone has had a hand in coordinating the opposition but that doesn’t make the debate any less valid. We have, in the past, had large organized groups in Council chambers who were mad about an issue. It wasn’t comfortable and sometimes it was less than amicable but I would never dismiss them out of hand because they are organized. If that was the case, all the trade associations and lobbyists in the world should be sent into exile and I don’t see that happening any time soon!! I would like to see the debate conducted in a somewhat more genteel manner but sometimes that ain’t in the cards. Having the government take over health care (or some significant portion of it) is a big deal and a debate that big isn’t always clean. In addition, from what I see, it’s clear that some significant portion of the lawmakers who find themselves in these meetings aren’t entirely clear on what is being proposed. On the Senate side there isn’t a bill so that might make some sense but overall I get the impression that the dorks on the Hill aren’t quite sure what they are debating.
So, to the person in the town hall meeting with old Arlen from PA who asked “What’s the big rush?”, brother, you’re right on. Any Council member, Supervisor or Selectmen nationwide that has more than 2 years of experience has usually learned the hard way (me included) that the legislative process shouldn’t be rushed. When you rush decision-making, bad things happen. To put this in perspective, the Congress and the President seemed hell-bent on overhauling the entire healthcare system in 90-120 days (before the brakes got thrown on) – less time than the City Council of Manassas takes to form our annual budget. I don’t care if you’re a R or a D or an I – that just doesn’t make much sense.
Oh, and speaking of budgets, the Federal government needs to get back to balancing theirs. Most everyone agrees that some sort of stimulus was necessary but those in Washington have been, for the past 8-10 years, fiddling while Rome burns. The righteous anger you are seeing in those town hall meetings is set to boil over and scald incumbents in 2 years unless someone gets their act together. Put the country back on the path to balanced budgets and stop selling our future to the rest of the world one T-bill at a time: health care will still be here when you get back.
August 13, 2009 at 8:12 am
Term Limits. When a Senator or Congressman knows that they can’t hide forever in a safe state or district, and eventually they will be shown the door, they might be more inclined to actually listen to the people. What I am astounded by is the level of arrogance being displayed by our so-called representatives. Barbara Boxer chastising an Army General for using the military-appropriate “Ma’am” instead of the title “Senator” just shows how these electeds believe they are an elite within society. The problem is, people like Boxer and Pelosi know that they can stay in office as long as they want. Term limits would change this, and this goes for the “R’s” too.
August 13, 2009 at 8:35 am
Steve:
I agree, term limits are appealing but, at some level, people get the government they deserve. It is heartening to me that people, organized or no, are actually taking the time to show up and fuss about it.
Boxer, Pelosi, Hoyer and Reed are sowing the seeds of their own destruction. Their hold on power is far more tenuous than they seem to believe. Americans voted for Obama because they liked him. Hell, I like him: he’s a personable guy. However, the execution and content of the agenda that has emerged is not what I believe most Americans expected.
I know that even some of the lefty pundits were pretty well blown away when he subbed out the creation of the stimulus plan en masse to the Hill.
August 13, 2009 at 9:23 am
Andy,
If you are referring to the gun owners who showed up a couple of years ago to protest the behavior of some of our police officers, I was one of them. I have to say that you and the rest of the Council did a great job that night, along with those that showed up to speak. I think it is a great example to prove that guns and politics can mix without any issues. There was no shouting, and not a single person had to be removed. Of course it helps when elected officials listen.
I’ve also been at meetings when the issue has been illegals, and there is a noticeable difference between those supporting illegals(criminal behavior) and those that do not.
As for the health care debate there are only a few things that need to be known.
Obama says it will cover more people, cost less, and service and care will get better all with a plan that is cost neutral. Now, what Government program has ever come in at or under cost and provided superior service? I can’ think of any off hand.
Why gut the entire system, when only a few things need to be adjusted?
He was wrong about the stimulus package, and about the unemployment rate not going above 8%. He simply can’t be trusted when he says his health plan is needed now and is a better system for the Nation.
August 13, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Debating in a civil manor requires the background to be written in American Standard English (ASE). Unfortunately, in the archiac sense of the Federal Government, only the Supreme Court said ASE would be used in their documents.
Being involved with Aging & Disability, the section which raised the biggest stink was the counseling regarding advising on end-of-life decisions…as many know, it came out in the media as wanting the elderly & disabled to “commit suicide”. Federal Bills are notorious for being written without cross-references being clearly shown nor explanations being given in ASE so the average person can understand.
But I agree with you, Andy, and many others who say why the rush. Medicare & Medicaid came about in 1965, and it still keeps getting pushed off in fixing things – instead of focusing on the rules, the Feds are more focused on trying to fix the associated Trust Fund. And now there is research showing for the Medicare Advantage Plans, there is a monopoly going with just a few companies holding the highest amount of clients.
In my opinion, the Federal systems of health care – Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration and the Militray Healthcare – if they were tweaked to fix the regulations & procedures first, like COM says, the gutting won’t be needed.