Town halls in Oregon: Posterity awaits.
Carla Axtman
The town hall meetings being held across the country this August are supposed to be an opportunity for our Reps and Senators to hold a dialogue with us about health care. Right-wing groups are, as has been widely reported, working to disrupt these town halls in an effort to thwart this conversation.
These attempts to scuttle the first amendment rights of people who actually want to learn something about health care reform are whacked. The Teabagger/Birther/Deather set is going nuts with the "Obama is Hitler" and "Obama is the Anti-Christ" militant stuff. And they clearly don't want us hearing from our elected officials about health care reform.
This week, town halls in Oregon are underway in earnest. I've posted the ones I know about below. This is an amazing opportunity for Oregonians to learn from their Reps on the issues surrounding health care. But it's also a chance for us to get the whacked stuff on video and in still photo form. And that's extremely valuable.
So, if you can make it to one or more of these events, please take a video and/or still camera. Record the event and the teabaggers in all of their whacky glory. Get them on tape shouting down the Representative, boo-ing constituents and comparing Obama to Hitler and Damien, the Omen. Shoot some good stills of their ugly signs and nasty little tshirts.
Make sure you get there especially early so you can get in. The teabag/birther/deather folks say they'll pack the room--so you'll want a prime spot to catch their antics.
If you're planning on going or you were able to go and take video/stills, please leave a comment letting me know. Make sure to include a working email address in your info (not in the body of the comment) and I'll be in touch.
Congressman David Wu:
August 10, 5:00-6:00
McMinnville Police Station; 121 SW Adams Street, McMinnville
August 11, 12:00-1:00
Good Samaritan Hospital, Building 2 Auditorium; 1040 NW 22nd Avenue, Portland
August 13, 4:00-5:00
Seaside Public Library; 1131 Broadway, Seaside
August 14, 4:00-5:00
Columbia Learning Center; 375 South 18th Street, St. Helens
Congressman Peter DeFazio:
Wednesday, August 12
9:30 – 10:30 AM,Shepherd Room,Cottage Grove Community Center,700 Gibbs Avenue, Cottage Grove
12:00 – 1:00 PM, Drain Civic Center, 205 West A Street, Drain
5:15 - 6:15 PM, Anne G Basker Auditorium, 604 NW Sixth Street, Grants Pass
7:00 - 8:00 PM, City Council Chambers, Cave Junction City Hall, 222 W Lister Street, Cave Junction
Thursday, August 13
10:00 - 11:00 AM, Room A and B, Chetco Activity Center, 550 Chetco Lane, Brookings
12:00 - 1:00 PM, City Council Chambers, Gold Beach City Hall, 29592 Ellensburg Avenue, Gold Beach
2:00 - 3:00 PM,City Council Chambers, Port Orford City Hall,555 W 20th Street,Port Orford
5:15 - 6:15 PM, City Council Chambers,North Bend City Hall,835 California Street, North Bend
Tuesday, August 18
9:00 - 10:00 AM City Council Chambers,Junction City Hall,680 Greenwood, Junction City
5:15 - 6:15 PM City Council Chambers,Eugene City Hall,777 Pearl Street, Eugene
7:00 - 8:00 PM City Council Chambers,Springfield City Hall,225 5th Street, Springfield
Wednesday, August 19
10:00 - 11:00 AMCity Council Chambers, Oakland City Hall,637 NE Locust Street, Oakland
2:00 - 3:00 PM Room A, Seven Feathers Convention Center, 146 Chief Miwaleta Lane, Canyonville
5:15 - 6:15 PM Ford Community Meeting Room, Douglas County Library, 1409 NW Diamond Lake Boulevard, Roseburg
Congressman Earl Blumenauer:
Tuesday, August 11
Telephone Town Hall, 6-7PM
Friday, August 14th
Telephone Town Hall, 1-2PM
Sign up here to join the calls. Make sure to include your phone number. (Obviously this one can't be video recorded. You can take notes if there is a disruption)
Congressman Schrader's three town halls were scheduled last week. I haven't heard yet how those went, so if anyone has info on this, please leave it in comments.
Congressman Walden: None scheduled that I can find.
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Aug 9, '09
Don't forget the "Obama is a dangerous scary Black Man from Kenya who's going to murder all the White People," line of slander.
Political terrorism by the Right just means they have already lost the debate.
12:10 p.m.
Aug 9, '09
MY real question is how many of these politicians will allow themselves to be bullied by these crowds into opposing public-interest reforms like a public option.
I'll be at the Wu Townhall to document what happens -- hopefully with video.
Aug 9, '09
It's important to remember if there is free speech at these town meetings that the wingnut crazies will have an opportunity to present their plan for health care. It turns out it's a tin cup! The guy who claimed he was injured by SEIU in St. Louis has no health insurance, so he's he's asking for a handout.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/8/9/764181/-Alleged-St.-Louis-attack-victim-has-no-health-insurance-(updated)
Aug 9, '09
Read this:
Conservative Defector Spills All On Town Halls
right-wing_turncoat_gives_the_inside_scoop_
The Dick Armey Freedom works web sites mentioned were discussed in prior Blue Oregon stories when Freedom Works played all of those anti-environmentalist commercials and stole and copied web site for Keep the Lights on Oregon at Keep the Lights on Oregon and created a counter group at Lights on Oregon
I might ad that at that time I understand numerous groups including the Merkely campaign and individuals were contacted by Keep the Lights on Oregon and no one would help the persue this issue.
Now they are back- their poster child is Sarah Palin and along with the extreme right-wing Neo-Nazi, KKK, Skin Heads, John Birchers they are hijacking the Republican Party for 2012- So get all of the little liberal minds used to the idea-
IMHO the only way to beat them is to deny them a forum and use an alternative forum rather than public town halls to promote the politricans until this series runs its course.
Aug 9, '09
Funny, Earl is hiding behind a telephone.
Afraid to face the people he has sold out for years
Aug 9, '09
All of these town halls are way, way too short in duration. Freepers of birthers or whatever, how many people, along with Comgressperson's remarks, can be heard in one hour?
Should be at least three hours, each.
Aug 9, '09
I'm guessing that if "the people" felt "sold-out" by Earl Blumenauer, they would do things other than re-elect him by ginormous margins every two years. Might be just me, though.
Aug 9, '09
Will more Democrat/Union thugs get arrested for violent attacks and hurl racist insults against black constituents like what happened in St Louis?
4:32 p.m.
Aug 9, '09
I think ranting, raving, and bulling are not effective political strategies. Your idea to document such behavior is a good counter political strategy.
I'd also suggest that each politician holding a townhall meeting at some point ask several questions for those attending to vote on by raising their hands. Questions: who is on Medicare? Who is in favor of abolishing Medicare because it is a government run program? Who is both on Medicare and favors abolishing it because it is a government run program?
6:36 p.m.
Aug 9, '09
Congressman Schrader had a novel idea. Everyone that attended his Pacific City (the only one I could attend) "town hall" was given 5 minutes to talk to him directly, one on one. There was no chance for mob rule, but a real opportunity to express gratitude or disgust for what he or Congress may or may not be doing. I thought it was great. He is a thoughtful and caring Congressman and Oregon is lucky to have him in the delegation.
8:14 p.m.
Aug 9, '09
In scanning the web, I liked this relevant quote from the Washington Post columnist Steven Pearlstein (here):
"Health reform is a test of whether this country can function once again as a civil society -- whether we can trust ourselves to embrace the big, important changes that require everyone to give up something in order to make everyone better off. Republican leaders are eager to see us fail that test. We need to show them that no matter how many lies they tell or how many scare tactics they concoct, Americans will come together and get this done."
Getting health care reformed is a big deal.... In and of itself, but also because the US needs to make many other big changes, for which sacrifices and giving up something will be required of all of us. We are in so many ways living beyond our means, while we have evolved a very partisan political system that makes it nearly impossible to ask the American public for any sacrifices.
In this regards, the Republican birthers/teabaggers/deathers, clearly, for partisan reasons, want to see us fail the test Pearlstein describes. Shame on them.
Aug 10, '09
I was pleased to see reports in the Statesman-Journal this morning that the Oregon delegation of Dems. are all supporting Public Option, with Wyden being the only waffler. Schrader surprised me pleasantly as I saw him trending "blue dog". http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20090810/NEWS/908100336&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
Aug 10, '09
Carla, it looks like the intent of your post is to gather dirt on the right wing extremists. Do suggest we send our photos and stories we collect at these meetings to [email protected] ??
I heard this is the email address to send health-care related mis-information like this. Hopefully, Obama will be tracking these people - especially if we can get their photographs.
8:29 a.m.
Aug 10, '09
Ben:
The intent of this post is ABSOLUTELY to dig dirt on right-wing extremists.
And no, I don't suggest you send anything to the Whitehouse. If you think you'll be attending and will have photos or video, let me know in this thread and I will contact you.
10:53 a.m.
Aug 10, '09
The intent of the "flag" address is not "to gather dirt on right wing extremists". That's a right-wing extremist distortion. The point there is to collect the bogus arguments being made against reform so they can be countered with the truth.
We went to Congressman Schrader's Depoe Bay meeting. He followed the one-on-one meeting format there also. There was one guy who showed up who argued with the staffer setting things up. "But I want to hear what everyone else has to say. I'll learn more that way."
He was so interested in learning he stomped out in a huff when he was told that the congressman would stick to his planned format. We chatted with a number of people there while we waited. We left after we talked to Kurt and it seemed as though things were going to go smoothly so I can't report on the entire meeting.
Aug 10, '09
Absolutely nothing from Walden, I see.
I guess his events are the standard Republican format: pre-screened, $1000+ to attend, anyone who looks different ejected and arrested before the event.
Aug 10, '09
Doretta, as I recall, that one-on-one was the format Cong. Hooley used most of the time. An informational meeting on Medicare Part D is the only time I recall a large group meeting while she was in Congress.
Harry, are you suggesting Oregonians are like the people in St. Louis?
In 1984, the "Union thugs " were so determined to rig the Missouri caucuses (where a friend was working on a presidential campaign) that they blockaded all but one entrance so the Mondale supporters could see which caucus room each person entered. Was that supposed to be a way to intimidate people who were worried someone at work or whatever would razz them for not going to the Mondale caucus?
Things look different in Oregon.
Harry, exactly where in Oregon do you live?
Aug 10, '09
Senator Wyden Town Hall Friday, August 14th, 4:00 pm Seaside City Hall 989 Broadway St Seaside, OR
Aug 10, '09
You guys are in denial (like the bushies were in the last election). The crowds that are doing the bullying are called "Americans" and instead of wanting the government to take care of them, they want to be in control of their own lives. Crazy isn't it, imagine that, what a bunch of idiots. I wish multnomah county would take the idiot potion out of the water. That's the reason squirrely earl is still in office. Nobody in P-town even pays attention, they look at the political designation and vote democrat. They don't even read what these people vote on. Please wake up it hurts the rest of the state when your ingnorance runs rampid and please please read what these people are about before you vote for them and please make the decision all by yourself. That is if you can keep from being sheep for a day.
2:31 p.m.
Aug 10, '09
Yeah..how dare those old people on Medicare and those veterans in the VA have the "government take care of them".
Aug 10, '09
Wow Carla that was quite insightful. Um so.. How do you think the government will pay for this? Do you honestly think senior or vets will get better care. If you do, then your one of those that needs to read some material before you get your opinions from CNN.
3:24 p.m.
Aug 10, '09
Ian:
Obama has already talked about how this will be paid for:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/06/13/2009-06-13_to_pay_for_health_care_overhaul_president_obama_proposes_313b_cuts_in_medicaid_m.html
Do you honestly think senior or vets will get better care. If you do, then your one of those that needs to read some material before you get your opinions from CNN.
They already get better care on Medicare and through the VA. That's why the programs are so popular. Medicare is also MUCH cheaper and more efficient than private insurance. Medicare's overhead is about 4%. Private insurance overhead is about 20%.
There is massive waste in private health insurance and care. The current proposals plan to cut that huge waste. That alone will save us an incredible amount of money.
Aug 10, '09
Follow the money. This goofiness is hard to sustain and saps both the ready cash and also the support of moderate Republicans.
Who's making notes? Who's taking pictures? Who's got the book proposal in the mail? Who will shape this history happening now?
4:01 p.m.
Aug 11, '09
"...ingnorance runs rampid..."
That pretty much says it all.
Aug 12, '09
Based on what I saw on several netowrks yesterday, the right wing extremists were very polite, subdued and interested in a cordial exchange of ideas. Wow Carla, wouldn't it be just as informational to show pictures, videos, etc of Oregonians meeting in town Halls exchanging different views regarding healthcare WITHOUT the drama? Perhaps that wouldn't fit your pre-conceived notion of what is 'good' for all progressive Oregonians.
I applaud representative DeFazio for coming to the Lion's Den in Grants Pass. I fervantly hope that those against a full scale governmen take-over of our healthc care delivery system behave. I fervently hope that SEIU thugs are not present to be enforcers as I hope no concealed cary wing nuts show up with their side arms.
I WANT open and passionate debate about health care reform. I welcome several forms of health care reform and believe that they are due.
<h2>Carla, perhaps some of your writing skills could be put to use calling for meaningful debate instead of 'gotcha' politics as usual from either side.</h2>