Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Town hall crowd vents wide-ranging anger at Rep. Spratt
Charlotte Observer ^ | September 4, 2009 | Matt Garfield

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.”


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; US: North Carolina; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: johnspratt; obamacare; townhall
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last

1 posted on 09/04/2009 5:41:49 AM PDT by MitchellC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SC Swamp Fox; upchuck

ping


2 posted on 09/04/2009 5:42:21 AM PDT by MitchellC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC

I hope he gets HAMMERED. There is trouble, right here in River City...


3 posted on 09/04/2009 5:44:38 AM PDT by rovenstinez
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC
Spratt has fooled the good people of SC for way too long. It's time to wake up!
4 posted on 09/04/2009 5:45:00 AM PDT by Niteranger68 (Barack Obama - The wrong man, at the wrong time, for the wrong country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC
“reverse Midas touch – whatever the government touches, it mostly turns to crap.”

LOLOL!

5 posted on 09/04/2009 5:47:20 AM PDT by neodad (This tagline reported to flag@whitehouse.gov)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC

Americans are going to drain the swamp that is the US Congress. Vote them OUT.


6 posted on 09/04/2009 5:49:57 AM PDT by ExTexasRedhead
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC

I hope Jo Maddox and the other “experts” keep rationalizing away the voice of the voters. They will have a serious surprise in November of 2010.


7 posted on 09/04/2009 5:54:20 AM PDT by 230FMJ (...from my cold, dead, fingers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC
Existing federal law bars illegal aliens from free medical care except in emergencies, Spratt replied.

Emergency care is BY FAR the most expensive type of medical care. Idiotic federal laws drive ALL illegals needing medical care into this channel for even their basic care.

8 posted on 09/04/2009 5:58:11 AM PDT by Onelifetogive (Liberals are always one genocide away from Utopia.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Onelifetogive

I believe the “know better” elitists in power understand, fully, the results and consequences of the incentives that they codify in law.

I also believe that the “sheep” elitists that put them in power have no clue about cause and effect between incentivizing certain behaviors and the behaviors themselves.


9 posted on 09/04/2009 5:59:57 AM PDT by MrB (Go Galt now, save Bowman for later)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC

Is he a Dem or Pubbie? It dosen’t say.


10 posted on 09/04/2009 6:02:14 AM PDT by Sybeck1 (No teleprompters were harmed in the creation of this post.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sybeck1

Ok fourth part down said Demoncrat.


11 posted on 09/04/2009 6:02:56 AM PDT by Sybeck1 (No teleprompters were harmed in the creation of this post.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Sybeck1
2800 turned out for our local Healthcare Forum 2 days ago!
12 posted on 09/04/2009 6:03:35 AM PDT by Guenevere
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC

is anyone explaining to republicans that we dont want healthcare reform...they need to undo the damage they have already done.


13 posted on 09/04/2009 6:06:08 AM PDT by dalebert
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC; 2A Patriot; 2nd amendment mama; 4everontheRight; 77Jimmy; A Strict Constructionist; ...
South Carolina
Ping

Send FReepmail to join or leave this list.

14 posted on 09/04/2009 6:07:03 AM PDT by upchuck (Neuter them in 2010 - Send them packing in 2012.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC
The politicians have been playing The Great Paper Shuffle regarding this 'health' bill.

It is similar to The Grand Paper Shuffle they tried with the Amnesty bill, versions 1, 2, and 3.

The paper shuffle is this:

Reid, with the Amnesty bill, even tried to get the Senate to vote on an 'draft' older version, with the 'understanding' that the 'new' version would be substituted later, after the vote. Of course, no ones except Reid and Co knew what would actually be in the later substitute.
15 posted on 09/04/2009 6:08:44 AM PDT by TomGuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC

“There were a lot of folks in there with white hair. It was a skewed audience.”

Hey lady, these “white hair” people paid into the Medicare system for decades and like social security is a social contract! Now they want to severely cut benefits and establish death panels. You think they might want to have a voice in the discussion? Typical lib who isn’t working but wants big government benefits.


16 posted on 09/04/2009 6:09:17 AM PDT by reaganbooster (The democrat party symbol should be the grim reaper instead of the donkey.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC
“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.

I think we can safely assume Spratt has NEVER been in a Hospital Emergency room... Where colds are treated for $600 a visit...

17 posted on 09/04/2009 6:10:28 AM PDT by GOPJ ( "Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." - - Adam Smith)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC

I hope this Jack Spratt flack for Obamacare goes down in flaming defeat next year. South Carolina can do better than this. Don’t you love how the “reporter” tries to put down the protest with the nasty quote at the end.


18 posted on 09/04/2009 6:10:32 AM PDT by WashingtonSource
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC

“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.”

What is wrong with Sumter? It was once a decent place with a lot of Air Force families and other good hard working people.


19 posted on 09/04/2009 6:13:07 AM PDT by A Strict Constructionist (We are an Oligarchy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC
“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.”

That's right. All these so-called "representatives" schedule their town hall meetings when the working people HAVE to take time off to attend.

Otherwise they wouldn't just be hammered, they'd be BURIED!

20 posted on 09/04/2009 6:15:17 AM PDT by Just another Joe (Warning: FReeping can be addictive and helpful to your mental health)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson