Posted on 08/11/2009 6:32:51 AM PDT by Born Conservative
Several members of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation said Monday they'll discuss proposed health care reforms with constituents in telephone conference calls rather than face people at town hall meetings, but they say that's not because forums elsewhere have spiraled out of control.
"We're not switching up any format or canceling events. We just think the calls make the best sense, because they allow thousands of constituents to participate at one time, instead of a couple hundred," said David Lucas, spokesman for Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Swissvale.
Congressional supporters of President Obama's proposed health care reforms were encouraged to use the August recess to sell the idea to voters. But in recent weeks, several town hall meetings turned ugly, marred by arrests, fights, shouting matches and demonstrations by protesters on both sides of the issue. In Maryland, protesters hanged in effigy the likeness of a congressman.
Still, some members, including Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, D-Erie, aren't wary of town meetings.
"She fully expects lively discussions on health care," said spokesman Zac Petkanas. "It is an issue that people are very emotionally connected to, and she has no problem with people expressing their opinions."
Neither does Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Philadelphia, a spokeswoman said. Specter was booed and heckled this month when he and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius held a town hall meeting in Philadelphia. Specter scheduled four town hall meetings this week, including two today in central Pennsylvania and one in Kittanning on Thursday.
"To the best of everyone's ability, he will proceed as usual," said spokeswoman Kate Kelly. "But I guess we'll see what happens."
"This has emerged as one of the most contentious domestic issues in the last 20 years," said political scientist G. Terry Madonna...
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
That reads to me as running scared
Eh-Oh
Time for TeleTubbies!
Do wire tapping laws prevent people from legally recording the conference call?
Or is this a way for Dems to prevent their responses from being recorded?
My Rep refuses to meet face to face and had a Telephone Conference Call last week. He has the recording on his website, but that’s not to say it can’t be manipulated (although with so many listening, it would be stupid to do that). http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2312199/posts
Riggghhhtttt. They’re doing a Teleforum simply because it allows more people to be involved. Never mind that they can get hundred of kool-aid drinkers to call in from all over the country to ‘support’ them. Also, the moment someone begins to asks a tough or critical questions it will be “Oops, we seem to be experiencing technical difficulties and have lost the connection with the last caller “.
And of course all of the calls will be quite honest, un-rehearsed and certainly NOT from shills posing as “concerned citizens!” Nope. No effort will be made to promote Husseincare. NONE WHATEVER!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Pennsylvania has one of the strictest wiretapping statutes in the country. You can be prosecuted for recording ANY conversation without the subject’s permission. (for example, if you have a place of business with security cameras, you must disable the sound or they are illegal)
Somehow I am sure this was cooked up years ago as a way to protect crooked Dem politicians and their Mafia bagmen...
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