Posted on 09/01/2009 8:19:48 PM PDT by kristinn
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) ran into a tough crowd Tuesday night, as hundreds opposed to Democratic healthcare proposals booed, jeered and screamed at their Congressman and one other. Fifteen hundred people – the limit set by local authorities -- filled the gymnasium of North Point High School during Hoyer’s first healthcare town hall meeting of the recess.
The crowd appeared divided between those supportive of Hoyer’s push for a health insurance overhaul and those ready to loudly voice their opposition.
The result was a volatile mix of anxious and edgy people, most of whom waited in line for up to three hours to enter the school after waiting a month for a chance to speak to their Congressman.
Nerves were quickly worn raw after introductory remarks from the moderator, a 25-minute speech by Hoyer and individual introductions and remarks from five additional panelists that took up a total of 45 minutes.
Hoyer entered to a thunderous mix of applause and boos as competing interests fought to make their voices heard the loudest.
The crowd remained in relative order during Hoyer’s remarks, interrupting on only a few occasions with various boos and cheers in response to hot-button phrases such as “end of life care,” “illegal immigrants” and “pubic option.”(sic)
But, at the conclusion of Hoyer’s planned speech, when five panelists were introduced and asked to give their own remarks, the crowd turned on its congressman, erupting angrily at having to continue to wait for their chance to ask questions.
“We don’t want to hear this!,” a man’s voice rose above the crowd “Get to the questions!”
A chant of “We want questions! We want questions!” soon broke out, despite pleas from the moderator to set a better example for the children in attendance.
Hoyer aides soon began scurrying about as, at a few points, it seemed like the organizers were about to lose control.
A brief scuffle in the rear of the gymnasium sent sheriff's deputies running up the bleachers to escort at least one person from the gymnasium.
As a trickle of people started to leave in apparent disgust, a woman in the front row began shouting back at the rowdy audience, calling them disrespectful.
The remarks of a small business owner who addressed the crowd might as well have been elevator music as the crowd grew even more restless, and the catcalls grew louder, more frequent, and more colorful.
“Too much bulls--,” a man huffed while storming out.
SNIP
Audience members voicing support for Hoyer struggled to outshout those most viscerally opposed to seemingly anything with the stamp of the Democratic Party on it.
“A woman earlier asked who’s going to keep the health insurance companies honest. I’m concerned who’s going to keep the government honest,” an unidentified man asked Hoyer, prompting a roar from the crowd fit for a championship basketball game, as people in the packed bleacher seats stomped their feet, amplifying the noise.
As time wore on, nothing Hoyer could say could calm the crowd.
After a few questions about the cost of the healthcare overhaul, Hoyer repeated emphatically his pledge not to vote for a healthcare bill that wasn’t paid for, a statement that only drew a mix of boos and laughter.
SNIP
...the Maryland chapter of Health Care for America Now, had counted on filling 1,300 of the 1,500 seats with health reform supporters. Matthew Weinstein, the Maryland chapter director, said before the meeting began that he estimated a thousand supporters had showed up.
“Back in the beginning of the month, the opposition was really outnumbering us,” Weinstein said. “That inspired the backlash from the silent majority of Americans who’ve been for healthcare all along.”
After the meeting, he insisted the majority supporting healthcare outnumbered those opposed to reform.
“This is about what I expected,” Weinstein said as the meeting wrapped up shortly after 9 p.m. “The opponents are a very vocal minority.”
What spin. How could he tell the difference between one and another.
Besides 1,000+ pages of unread (by Congress) new legislation involving the IRS to collect is NOT "reform" by any stretch of the imagination!
I want some of whatever this guy's smoking. Or drinking. Baghdad Bob lives!
BUMP!
“A chant of “We want questions! We want questions!” soon broke out, despite pleas from the moderator to set a better example for the children in attendance.”
— That is the PERFECT example to set for children. Much like Jesus surely set by driving the THIEVES out of the temple with a WHIP.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's town hall meeting in suburban Maryland Tuesday evening dissolved into chaos, with attendees at several points bringing the event to a complete halt.
In Hoyer’s first and only in-district town hall meeting of the month-long August recess, the Democratic leader was yelled at, mocked, sworn at — and even confronted by a longtime hometown political foe.
Way to go, MD’s 5th district.
Let’s throw this leftist bastard out on his rump in 2010. Give Collins Bailey the seat.
Hoyer hasn’t deserved it since he gerrymandered Southern Maryland, stole the 94 election from Larry Hogan and stabbed Bud Marshall in the back to support a lefty black college professor for DA as PG County went to hell.
“There is no opposition to Federal Healthcare (ouch) here in North Point High School!”
That’s because our FRiends got there early!
God bless you guys.
Seeing those SEIU thugs in some of the other videos makes my blood boil!
We won’t pay for murder!
If Congress is looking for a revolution or civil war, they are on the right track.
At this point, that's starting to look as the only option left. They're stealing our country, and we've got to stop it.
bttt
YOU SAID IT.
I better liked the ABC report. Yikes.
The sad thing is the same people doing the yelling will go into the voter booth and vote for Hoyer again.
The government contractor community adores him, for one particular reason. I’ve literally had them tell me they vote for Steny because he brings projects to the area.
If Collins Bailey is to have a chance, the RNCC will have to guarantee continued funding for Saint Mary’s county projects.
Give me liberty or give me a fat road building contract.
Not to mention lots and lots of military hardware assembly projects. Without them, there wouldn’t be anything in Saint Mary’s county except for the Amnish and the SMIBs.
There is change in the air.
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