Posts Tagged ‘town hall’

First, Brian Baird, U.S. Representative from the state of Washington, announced that he would not be holding any town hall meetings during his August vacation to discuss pending health care reform by the Obama administration.

In Wednesday conversations with the Olympian and Columbian, Baird said he’s holding “telephone town halls” instead of live meetings to avoid an “ambush” by people with a “lynch-mob mentality” and “close to Brown Shirt tactics.”

The public outcry was huge.

http://columbian.com/article/20090807/NEWS02/708079944/Baird+draws+heavy+criticism

Then, (I guess) to his credit, following a flood of protest from his constituents, he decided to hold town hall meetings after all.

Baird also said he was sorry this week for saying some health care reform opponents had used “brown shirt” tactics and inspired a “lynch mob” atmosphere.

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/08/brian_bairds_sensible_townhall.html

It is also worth noting one constituents approach addressing his concern regarding health care reform, a former Marine:

http://www.the912project.com/2009/08/23/823-a-marine-gives-congressman-baird-a-few-lessons/

May we all maintain as civil a measure as this Marine and Representative Baird exhibited during the current debate surrounding health care reform.  And, may we also be reminded of two things: Our elected representatives work for us and freedom of speech is still in the Constitution!

Regarding the current climate surrounding the health care debate, there most certainly is a push by the Obama administration to “Rahm” it through; another attempt to stir up the “crisis” mantra.  We were all for the first stimulus package put forth and passed by the Bush administration last fall.  We were less prepared for the next stimulus bill pushed and passed by the Obama administration in February.  But, this time, we are out in force protesting what many of us have had the time to read.  A bill that not only fundamentally changes our health care options but gives over control to a government increasingly insistent that they know what is best for the country, even if it means more of the same government mismanagement that has given us a Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security debacle.

Here is an article from Big Hollywood that starts with a telling quote, comparing historically Hitler’s impact on “change” for Germany leading up to Nazism, and the direction Obama intends to take our nation:

“…(the) poster of Obama with a Hitler mustache….seems appropriate since the two have so many similar qualities; the most recent being Obama purposefully stirring up racial conflict with the Gates-Crowley affair. Hitler did that. Obama’s current attitude toward Israel is in question. Hitler did not support Jews. Obama is forming a volunteer/mandatory Youth Army.  Hitler did that. Obama is trying to have government control everything, the media, cars, banks, houses, health. Hitler did that. Obama appointed 44 people (czars) that we didn’t get to vote for. Hitler did that. Obama started a Snitch Program. Hitler did that. Obama wants the government to control who dies and when they die. Hitler did that. So did Stalin, Lenin and Castro.”

http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/vjackson/2009/08/18/from-the-front-lines/#more-206578

Will we once again bury our collective heads in the sand while repeating history’s march against one segment of society in favor of another, like that done seventy short years ago?  Or, will we finally learn from history, no matter how unpopular it may be to some, and not let it get that far this time?

Here is one more link from today’s news revealing a dire situation in Canada surrounding medical procedures and the rationing effect on many of its citizens:

http://www.vancouversun.com/story_print.html?id=1878506&sponsor

Once again, proof that nationalizing health care in other countries only results in “rationalizing” who gets health care and who doesn’t.  Will we continue to wake up to this fact or just go back to sleep?  As the saying goes: “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”.

Only time will tell…..

Uncle Jay’s word for the week is “decorum”.  Check it out:

http://unclejayexplains.com/2009/08/16/uncle-jay-explains-august-17-2009/

In order to get through the week, give his last week’s news in review a listen, then: Put a smile on your face, a song in your heart and a skip in your step!  Hey, you made it through last week, so all things are possible, right?