Listen to that crowd, roaring with applause... the Democratic politicians don't know what is hitting them. They have angered their constituents and they are feeling it.
Director Blue has some blow by blows of the event:
Driehaus began with a canned statement of the typical Obama talking points and the crowd grew increasingly angry. A guy behind me yelled "Stop filibustering!" at about 7:15, at which point Driehaus gave in. He then started answering the written questions, mostly softball, that were picked out for him. The crowd started to get really rambunctious. One guy kept yelling out, "That was lie number (whatever)" when Driehaus repeated some nonsensical talking point like that there are 47 million uninsured.
You could hear a bunch of Tea Partiers outside yelling. Finally, enough attendees were sufficiently disruptive that Driehaus began taking real questions. There were a lot of good ones, about illegal immigrants covered under the bill... how the government couldn't run cash-for-clunkers, how could it run health care... etc.
I would say the ratio of those opposed to ObamaCare and single-payer ran about 8-to-1 (maybe more). In fact, when the "public option" was raised and people yelled that would destroy competition, one of the Obamatons screamed, "the public option is competition!". The guy next to me erupted, "No, it's MARXISM!"
As we have noted and seen others note, Democrats like Driehaus stand a good chance to lose their seat if they ignore their constituents and vote for Obamacare and the crowd clearly reminds Driehaus of that fact.
Via Doses of Reality, who was at the townhall meeting:
When the meeting ended, the crowd broke into a rousing chant of "Vote For Chabot, Vote For Chabot!" I only hope that westsiders are awake enough to put Chabot back in his rightful place once the midterms roll around. Judging by the sweat pouring off Driehaus, I'd say we have more than a fighting chance.
That isn't the only report of trouble at townhalls, not criminal activity and nothing arrestable, but constituents making their voices heard and refusing to allow the politicians to steamroll over the meeting spewing nothing but Obama/Democratic talking points.
The Politico describes other events:
Angry protesters shouted down Democrats at public events from Texas to Pennsylvania over the weekend, leaving the party only one real hope for getting its message out over recess: a backlash.
In Austin, Texas, Rep. Lloyd Doggett was drowned out by a group of noisy, sign-waving demonstrators who shouted, “Just say no” as he tried to talk about health care reform.
In an e-mail to POLITICO Monday, Doggett called the group a “mob, sent by the local Republican and Libertarian parties” that “came not just to be heard but to deny others the right to be heard.”
In Morrisville, Pa., Rep. Patrick Murphy was forced to scrap plans for a one-on-one meet-the-congressman session when people in the crowd started shouting. Murphy switched to a town hall format mid-event and even then had to ask the audience at times to “be respectful.”
And at a health care event in Philadelphia, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius were repeatedly interrupted by booing and heckling. “We can shout at one another, or we can leave the stage,” Sebelius said at one point. “It’s up to you.”
The politicians supporting Obamacare thought they could go home for their August vacation and do nothing more than promote the socialistic Obamacare without allowing their constituents to get the answers they want or offer the criticisms they have over a bad bill.
They are learning that their voters do have a voice and will not let them simply go around doing commercials for Obamacare with all the proper talking points.
They are angry and letting these folks know it as well as letting them know, they will lose their seat in the next election if they betray those that voted them in to begin with.
Hit them where it hurts, their careers.
[Update] This is being called "hooliganism" and "disturbances", but is really just voters making their voices heard and refusing to allow their elected politicians betray them and force Obamacare down their throats.
It is called free speech and the politicians better get used to it.
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