Posted on 09/04/2009 5:41:48 AM PDT by MitchellC
ROCK HILL A hostile crowd greeted U.S. Rep. John Spratt in his home county Thursday night, filling a 700-seat hall to voice anger over far more than health-care reform.
Many in the Rock Hill audience lashed out at illegal immigration, House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi and a federal government they say no longer deserves the trust of Americans.
Outside, an overflow crowd of 200 listened on portable speakers.
The loudest applause inside a packed Baxter Hood Center might have come when a Fort Mill man denounced Pelosi for one criticism of opponents of Democratic reform efforts.
“One of the things that really made me angry is being called a brown shirt,” said Larry Magnuson. “I would really like to see Nancy Pelosi talk to me personally and I'd give her a piece of my mind as to what an American is.”
The boos and groans made for a far different atmosphere than a town hall one day earlier in Sumter, S.C., when many questioners began by thanking the 66-year-old York Democrat for his service.
Bill Butts of Catawba used his two minutes of public speaking time to describe what he called the “reverse Midas touch – whatever the government touches, it mostly turns to crap.”
“Do not tell me that illegal alien invaders do not get health care free in America,” Butts added. “I see it every day.”
Existing federal law bars illegal aliens from free medical care except in emergencies, Spratt replied.
Responding to other questions, Spratt sought to make clear he favors slowing down to search for bipartisan compromises on health care changes. Spratt said he also wants to push for tort reform to limit malpractice damages – even if a separate bill is necessary.
Any health-care overhaul bill must avoid adding to the federal deficit, he said, a goal that drew groans of disbelief from the Rock Hill audience.
Spratt said he is open to a so-called public option, but now doubts it has enough votes to pass.
“My mind is not made up,” Spratt said. “I'm committed to getting something done in this Congress. But as I said earlier, I think we should move with all deliberate speed.”
Pressed on whether he would follow his party or vote the will of constituents on health care reform, Spratt said it's possible for the two to converge.
“A major factor in how I vote will be how my constituents are stacked up on it,” he said.
Jo Maddox, among the few speakers to voice support for Spratt, said the crowd didn't fully represent his constituency.
“The working people were at work,” she said afterward of the crowd at the 5 p.m. meeting. “The working poor couldn't take a day off. “… There were a lot of folks in there with white hair. It was a skewed audience.”
John Spratt’s town hall went flat.
The crowd it turned so mean.
The new target - the elderly. White males had their jobs taken from them, the elderly will pay with their lives.
America is in a world of hurt when guys like this do not understand their responsibility to the public.
His lies are self evident of his individual character, people better wake up as this is probably the last election to get these kind of self-serving individuals out of your pocketbook and back to doing the correct things for this country.
AUDIT THE FED, determine the validity of Obama get our country back to its foundations and above all else STOP THE LIES.
Looking at some demographics, it’s a safe bet that Republicans are very much in the minority there - roughly 50% black, 50% white. The city actually appears to be split between Spratt’s 5th district and the 6th district (Jim Clyburn).
“Spratt has fooled the good people of SC for way too long. It’s time to wake up!”
His being half of the Fowler and Spratt comedy team in the Hurricane Gustav skit http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/14671/ didn’t seem to hurt him that much, perhaps heath care will.... it time for him to be gone.
I agree. I consulted the Almanac of American Politics and it seems like this should be a winnable seat for us. Bush got 55% in 2000 and 57% in 2004. The district is 32.2% black. One reason that we keep losing this seat is the national Republican types come in with their money and their campaign plans (AKA “How to Run as a RINO”) which are usually rejected by the conservative voters. The 2006 GOP nominee actually supported the Dubai Ports deal! Yeah, that’ll go over well in South Carolina.
“Spratt said he also wants to push for tort reform to limit malpractice damages – even if a separate bill is necessary.”
Typical donkey misdirection - if Spratt could even get such a bill on the floor, it would immediately get voted down by the Dem majority, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the trial lawyers lobby.
If anybody tries to pull a scam like that on you at a similar townhall, you should demand that they actually *pass* (rather than “push for”) tort reform, and then - and only then - consider any legislation dealing with other aspects of health care reform.
Any legislator who wouldn’t agree to hold off on health care reform until tort reform is passed doesn’t really give a sh*t about tort reform.
There was at least 4-500 people in line when they closed the doors. Lot left then but there was a lot more that the 200 that the reporter mentioned.
There was some gut in a light beige suite walking thru the crowd with a camera to his eye taking close up movies of folks in the crowd. Those of us that had cameras or cell phones took his picture right back.
As for Spratt he came across as out of touch mostly spouting the party line . One glaring question about the many Czars being outside the government and accountable only to Obama, his reply was he NEVER HEARD OF THE TERM CZAR.
There were a few goons (at least two ) who would walk up to folks ( mostly elderly) and poke at their signs and challenging in a loud voice "TELL ME WHERE IN HR32 IT SAYS THAT". We had enough so we followed him around ( Me 6'2" 220lbs and my friend 6'6" 270lbs) and stood next to the sign carrier.. he stopped poking the signs and lowered his voice.
It was what I expected a total farce
You, my friend, are a WARRIOR! Keep up the good work...cheers...
Okay lady, go bitch to Spratt and ask him to hold an evening meeting. Betcha a dollar it will be "worse" for you. Libtard!
IMHO, These town hall meetings need to be held multiple times in multiple venues. Go into a town and hold meetings at 11am, 3pm and 7pm.
My Rep held a couple of meetings, neither of which were anywhere near where I live. Is it fair to ask me to drive an hour to attend one of these meetings?
THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE!
The SC unemployment rate and the Sanford TV show it’s hard to put a good face on the Republican party at this time, even with O’s help.
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