The Democrats are making good on their promise to counter noisy anti-health care citizens at town hall meetings by bringing in their own supporters. As is so often the case, their supporters are not common folks, but people like union goons, ACORN and other assorted thugs.
This week, at a town hall meeting in Tampa, Cathy Castor (D-Fl) brought in her own supporters, and predictably, things went from words to physical action once they tried (and succeeded) in closing the doors to some of the opponents).
This is the description of the video from Real Clear Politics:
"From the YouTube description: As Rep. Kathy Castor was introduced, the reaction was overwhelmingly against her, with boos and chants of "You work for us." And in the lobby, the counter of Planned Parenthood representatives shouting, "Healthcare Now." Shortly thereafter, violence erupted, where there were 2-3 big goons came out and started pushing those in line, and roughing up one in the corner (see top left screen) as well as another being put in a choke hold.
Directly in front of the gentleman in the plaid type shirt, is one of them in a flower print. (eleven o'clock from the camera phone in the scene.) To right of the phone, another in a white shirt. Keep your eye on him, as he then goes for the choke hold on one of the people. Deep in the corner of your upper left screen, there's a gentleman in a green shirt, whose is getting roughed up, as these two are pushing others. A police officer enters the seen, (Dark blue uniform, short, and a black officer.) You still see the gentleman getting roughed up. The cop not doing anything. They then let the guy go, as they slam the door shut. Later in the video, you see the officer conversing with the gentleman who got roughed. After a brief description from myself, the cop walks away."
-Real Clear Politics
Now we move to St Louis (August 6) where Democrat Congressman Russ Carnahan tried to stack his audience with beefy members of the Service Employees International Union (in purple shirts). After Carnahan left, scuffles broke out on the street, the cops were called in, and 6 arrests were made including one St Louis Post-Dispatch reporter. It's not possible from the video to tell who threw the first punches, but one of the union guys is shown being handcuffed. Here are videos:
Restricted entry
Scuffles outside after the event
(Look for the union label-in purple shirts.)
Up until this week, what we had witnessed was ordinary citizens at town hall meetings loudly voicing their displeasure with their representative's support of the health plan in Congress. Once the unions and other Democrat-supporting organizations send in their goons to provide muscle and intimidate people, it becomes physical. Coincidence? I don't think so.
These politicians just might be surprised and given the rudest awaking on Wed. Nov. 3, 2010 when they find out these protesters tell them the immortal words made famous by Donald Trump:
ReplyDelete"You're Fired!"
What I find so hilariously ironic about all of this is the number of right-wing protesters who are already benefitting from "socialized medicine" in the form of Medicare and veterans' benefits. I read about one encounter in which the disruptors were asked if they were against ANY government-provided healthcare. All raised their hands. They were then asked how many received Medicare. HALF of the people raised their hands. I feel sorry for these people for being the ignorant pawns of powerful interests and right-wing blowhards in the media.
ReplyDeleteBryan,
ReplyDeleteMedicare and social security are something that people have paid into their whole lives, so why should they not get something back in their final years since govt decided under FDR, that this was the way it was going to be?
Veterans benefits, especially for service related injuries are what vets have coming to them. I never got any medical benefits from the VA though I did finish college on the GI Bill ($120 a month).
Hopefully by now, you have read my posting on my mother's case. When I suggested she apply for MediCal because she was financially eligible, she was reluctant because she considered it a form of charity. But when I went down to the MediCal office to get the information, most of the people I saw there.... how can I put this gently?... I would bet they were not even in the country legally.
If California is going to take care of these folks, I figure they can take care of an 88 year old woman who was an American citizen and had paid into the system through her taxes and income deductions all her life. I went back and told her not to be embarrassed. Contradiction? Hypocrisy? Perhaps, but this is the situation our government has given us after all these years.