Posted on 08/27/2009 8:28:32 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
More than 1,000 people filled the Victor High School auditorium and 250 people — initially left in the halls — listened on a speaker in the school gym to Rep. Eric Massa's town hall session on health care Wednesday.
The meeting quickly turned boisterous. People booed, applauded and shouted out comments periodically as Massa, D-Corning, took questions and comments from the audience. Staff members handed out 100 numbers in random order to organize those asking questions. Massa took 48 questions by the time he ended the meeting after four hours, by which time the crowd had shrunk to fewer than 200 people.
Loud applause greeted questions about cost, balancing citizens' rights and responsibilities and several questions from military veterans in the audience. The only thing that everyone seemed to agree on was their support for one veteran in the audience, who Massa pointed out was wearing a Silver Star on his lapel, prompting a standing ovation that everyone joined.
Some speakers advocated a single-payer system, which Massa supports but has said isn't politically viable. Others wanted no change, or wanted only alterations such as tort reform, health insurance portability and requiring insurers to cover patients' pre-existing health conditions.
Massa reiterated that he doesn't plan to vote for the current detailed House bill for health insurance reform, known as H.R. 3200. But he said health care is a right that falls under the "general welfare" right guaranteed by the Constitution and that the health care system must be reformed.
Multiple speakers made clear that they don't trust government and don't believe reassurances about how reform would work. Hundreds of people in the auditorium raised their hands when asked who has Medicare. Hours later, when the audience had shrunk to 200, only a handful of people raised their hands to indicate that they don't have any health insurance.
Multiple speakers criticized the nation's current multi-trillion-dollar debt and costs of any health care reform.
Len Garth, 79, of Perinton asked Massa to take to Congress the message that today's children and grandchildren can't afford "boondoggles."
Mary McCollough, 62, of Penfield said the country had $43 billion in uncompensated health care in 2008 and questioned how such costs will be resolved.
Massa said her question points out a conundrum: Americans want the freedom for individuals to choose to not have health care, but then when an uninsured person gets sick, everyone pays for it. He referred to his own treatment for cancer, which cost $1 million, he said.
"That's the problem," Massa said. "Where's the balance? As we struggle with this, I don't have a perfect answer for you."
Massa's district, the 29th, includes Gates, Chili, Henrietta, Brighton, Rush, Mendon, Pittsford, parts of Perinton and Penfield; most of Ontario County; all of Cattaraugus, Allegany, Steuben, Chemung, Schuyler and Yates counties.
He will vote against the interests of his district.
has anyone every said to him, “don’t whip me, Massa!”?
Massa admits he is for the single-payer health plan, but will vote against HR 3200. People in his district absolutely must vote out this horror in 2010.
Correction: Massa admits he is for the single-payer health plan, but will NOT vote against HR 3200. I don’t know if he’s backing off or what. In any case, people in his district absolutely must vote out this horror in 2010.
Secondlty, the reporter is clueless. Massa didn't say that health care is a right that falls under the "general welfare" right guaranteed by the Constitution. When asked under what Constitutional authority the feds could do this, he answered (reading from the Constitution), that the reference to "provide for the general welfare" required or allowed the feds to do this.
I left after 2 hours, by that time it had turned into a dog and pony show with him spouting all the typical lefty crapola.
Massa opened with a brief tribute to veterans, applause from all, except an anti-war idiot sitting near me. Then Masshole asked for 10 seconds of silence for Ted Kennedy. This was met with calls for 10 seconds of silence for Mary Jo from about one quarter of the crowd. Virtually all of the pro Obamacare signs were professionally printed in contrast to all the hand lettered signs from the opposition.
I was number 88. I left after 2 hours, by which time they were only up to number 14, obviously the plan. Massa took every opportunity to stray off subject and get on his soapbox and waste time evading questions.
Very first question from a woman in her late thirties was a home run. A wee bit long 3 part question about finances and general government ineptitude. Massa droned on for over 3 minutes and never answered it. Next guy read a 3 page manifesto…sounded and looked like some hippie yutz that sits in a Paris coffee shop all day whining about how unfair life and government is, then goes home to mommy and daddy and his welfare check. Everyone wanted him to sit down and shut up, even Massa was impatient.
Of the 14 questions I was there for, five of them, all in favor of Obamacarehell, were statements without an actual question (2 of them had no point). The other 9 folks were staunchly opposed. The highlight (the 2 hours I was there) was a woman in her seventies. Very thick accent, said she became an American by choice, said she came from a socialist country and forcibly announced “Trust me..that’s a nightmare you don’t want to have!”. Standing ovation.
Crowd was feisty, but nothing got out of hand at any time. One guy in the back kept shouting, he was antiMassa but he was still a jerk. A saw groups of union folks in there tee shirts, typically groups of twos and threes. Three SEIU guys a few rows ahead were pretty quiet. Got there early, drove around the campus didn’t see any bus or staging area, etc…
At one time or another got on his soapbox about Iraq, evil insurance companies, he’s outraged that drug companies dare to advertise their products...all the leftwing crapola.
Massa’s in de cold cold ground....
You missed the sponge cake!
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