A Friend Reports from a Town Hall Meeting

(Claire Moses, professor of women's studies at the University of Maryland, describes the town hall meeting on health care held by Democratic Rep. Jim Moran in Reston, Virginia, on August 25. Sounds pretty wild! Note that even when progressives make up the majority of the audience, the antis steal the show.--KP)

I just came from a Town Hall Meeting run by our congressional representative (Jim Moran, a progressive--favors the public option, etc.). He had Howard Dean with him to give a pep talk and to answer questions. One thing that the friends I was with all mentioned was that we have never been at such a political event where opposing sides were in attendance. We're so used to campaign rallies and civil rights, reproductive rights, and anti-war demonstrations--all of which give off good vibes because we're among so many people we agree with. Of course, there are the hecklers along the sides--but they're not participants. This was quite a bit different.

The event started at 7 p.m. The doors opened at 6, but MoveOn.org had suggested we get there before 5, and it's a good thing we did because the lines already snaked around and around. I don't know if we could have gotten in if we'd come any later. While waiting in line, we saw lots of protestors who were part of Lyndon Larouche's group (he lives around here; I don't know if their anti-Obama hate campaign is national). They had the Obama signs with the Hitler moustache. But I don't think they actually came into the meeting--just walked up and down the waiting line. (I believe that the doorkeepers were checking to see if everyone entering was from this Congressional District; but they obviously failed in at least one significant case--so I don't know how carefully they tracked this.)

Inside, the significant majority was progressive--and not just on healthcare: some of the people circling the auditorium had anti-war, anti-military signs and they got big applause. (Jim Moran voted against the Iraq war.) But there was also a significant minority against healthcare reform--with the expected anti-"socialism" or "we can't afford it" signs. None of the "anti" signs were too, too horrific. Not like the Larouchees outside with their Obama=Hitler signs. But there was a lot of chanting back and forth. And the antis tried hard to interrupt Moran. But still nothing horrific.

And then Moran introduced Dean--who got a resounding standing ovation from the audience. We quieted down...he began to speak...and before we knew what was happening stood up in the center of the auditorium and started screaming "we won't pay for murder"--or something like that. One man, in the center of the group, was standing on a chair--looking like an orchestra leader--and immediately Moran recognized him and named him: it was Randall Terry! It was amazing! I do believe that they were after Dean--because they did nothing to protest, or participate in the anti-healthcare reform chants, or any interrupting until Dean started to speak. (Moran votes always in favor of whatever reproductive rights issue might come up in the House, but Terry's group didn't interrupt his almost hour-long talk.) Anyway--Moran told the audience who he was, and everyone (well, I suppose not "everyone") started chanting "go home." Moran actually offered him an opportunity to talk: offered him the choice of asking his question (offered him 5 minutes!) or he would be escorted out of the auditorium. Since Terry didn't choose to ask a question, he and his entire entourage were escorted out and calm was restored and that was that. Of course, there were more interruptions--but at least it was from the group that opposed healthcare reform.

The question-and-answer portion of the meeting was worthless. Moran took questions equally from the pro- and the anti- groups-but none of the questions were enlightening in either direction. And I have to say, if I were opposed to reform, I'd have been upset by the way Moran cut them off.

The one thing I can say, though, is that after this meeting I have a much better idea of what's in the House bill that is most likely to be passed (H.R. 3200).

On the other hand, some of the sloganeering--on our side--bothers me, because it is just plain wrong. The purpose is supposed to be to reassure people who fear "change," but all it does is water down the importance of the change. For example, Moran talked about the problems with the insurance companies and how some of the regulations and minimum standards and the existence of the public option will rein them in. He even talked about the horrors of insurance denied, etc. Then he said that "85% of Americans are covered by private health insurance and they needn't worry that anything for them will change." You've heard this same statement from Obama--how can they be so stupid as to keep repeating this "nothing will change" statement! There were other things like this: "no employer can make any employee take the public option." But what happens when employers drop health insurance, as so many have done and more will do? won't that "force" employees into the public option? Not that I'm opposed to the public option--but this kind of talking out of both sides cannot help our case.

Comments (12)

1. Good post. Why does the admin and pro-reform advocates continue to "talk out of both sides"? And, if you understand what is in HR3200, how can you possibly believe it will deliver on all of the admin's promises?

   Posted by sntauri at 08/27/2009 @ 10:41am

2. great inight. yeah - our side needs to really connect with the people. we need a public option.

   Posted by dexter666 at 08/27/2009 @ 10:46am

3. Randall Terry lives in DC...not Reston, VA.

   Yet the CLAIM is that it's "ordinary, average Americans who are constituents of the Representatives/Senators" showing up at those town hall protests.

   And as we all know the Right would never claim something that isn't true?!?!?!?!??

   Posted by Mask at 08/27/2009 @ 1:01pm

4. Randall Terry lives in DC...not Reston, VA.

   Yet the CLAIM is that it's "ordinary, average Americans who are constituents of the Representatives/Senators" showing up at those town hall protests.

   And as we all know the Right would never claim something that isn't true?!?!?!?!??

   Posted by Mask at 08/27/2009 @ 1:01pm

   So one person translates into "all"?

   Posted by antisocialist at 08/27/2009 @ 3:40pm

5. Posted by antisocialist at 08/27/2009 @ 3:40pm |

   Logical error on your part, Pastor.

   The Pugs have claimed the 'all'; Mask merely pointed out the counter-example (of which we only need one) that pokes a hole in their theory of town hall devo-lution.

   I'm glad that people are getting non-fear based info about what's actually in the bill (as opposed to say, a 'death panel'), but I think that the message of "nothing will change" is a smart political move to assure people that ARE satisfied with their current healthcare (of which I'm one) that they aren't going to be forced to use Medicare and lose their doctor.

   Posted by snowball777 at 08/27/2009 @ 4:36pm

6. Logical error on your part, Pastor.

   The Pugs have claimed the 'all'; Mask merely pointed out the counter-example (of which we only need one) that pokes a hole in their theory of town hall devo-lution.

   I'm glad that people are getting non-fear based info about what's actually in the bill (as opposed to say, a 'death panel'), but I think that the message of "nothing will change" is a smart political move to assure people that ARE satisfied with their current healthcare (of which I'm one) that they aren't going to be forced to use Medicare and lose their doctor.

   Posted by snowball777 at 08/27/2009 @ 4:36pm

   No it's not. Mask is claiming that Randall Terry represents all of the protestors across the country and he does not.

   Posted by antisocialist at 08/27/2009 @ 5:14pm

7. Straight off I'll admit this off the subject: But for crying out loud, how many damn advertisements and solicitations can you cram into one website? Sometimes I hate coming here only because I know I'm going to be assaulted by a barrage of commercialism. This site is rivaled only by porno sites in terms of pop-ups. And I know these things.

   It runs counter to The Nations' fierce opposition to consumerism and grotesque displays of capitalism.

   I'm sickened.

   Posted by Person at 08/27/2009 @ 9:59pm

8. I'm not a progressive, but I like this Claire Moses (and Katha Pollitt for letting us hear her). Moses is not an ideologue. She is not dogmatic, she has a preference, but understand it has problems. Too bad people of this kind don't set the tone of the debate. Too bad they are not the ones negotiating a bipartisan bill.

   This is the most reasonable and most appealing blog, even if not the loudest and most popular. The others, like bands of rought soldiers, brandishing swords and spears and waving banners, make lots of noise. This one tries to communicate.

   Posted by Hugo_Pirovano at 08/27/2009 @ 10:54pm

9. Santi-I am glad you are not going to use Medicare. That way you can spend some of the lucky inherited dollars on the health care you so cherish. Just think, if you got the return on investment that the insurance companies are getting percentage wise in their policy rate increases,you could live comfortably for the rest of your life. You wont need Social Security or Medicare you will be a positive cash flow source for the government. An alternative view is this. My 90 year old mother-in-law realized at age 75 that the lies coming out of conservatives mouths were not worth listening to. I tell her I will refute them with all of my heart and soul.

   Posted by whatizz at 08/27/2009 @ 11:45pm

10. hugo,

    you're,

    you're human.

    yay!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/28/2009 @ 02:02am

11. So one person translates into "all"?

    Posted by antisocialist at 08/27/2009 @ 3:40pm

    So there are NO other "non-constituents" showing up at the Town Hall meetings, Larry???....just Randall and that's it?

    Posted by Mask at 08/28/2009 @ 2:19pm

12. Santi-Perhaps all of the "seniors"who are going to town halls around the country can have a rally at your palatial estate. They can renounce their Social Security checks and their Medicare benefits. When they have no money or health coverage in a couple of months they can come and ask you what went wrong. "You weren't responsible",you can reply. That is how the Republican party is handling American health care today. Do nothing ,see nothing,feel nothing, and helping no one.

    Posted by whatizz at 08/29/2009 @ 11:53am