Specter: Town Hall Meetings Are ‘Not Really Representative Of America’

This is a prime example of our so-called representatives ignorance and arrogance. In spite of what they are being told by the people they are suppose to represent, they will do what they want and to hell with the people. Hopefully, we will vote all of these idots out next year, and someone who really wants to serve will step up; as oppposed to these power hungry, self serving idiots in office now.

From Rasmussen:
“The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Pennsylvania voters shows 48% would vote for Toomey if the election were held today. Just 36% would vote for Specter while four percent (4%) prefer a third option, and 12% are not sure.
These figures reflect a dramatic reversal since June. At that time, before the public health care debate began, Specter led Toomey by eleven.
Just 43% now have a favorable opinion of Specter while 54% offer an unfavorable assessment of the longtime GOP senator who became a Democrat rather than face Toomey in a party primary. Those numbers have reversed since June when 53% had a favorable opinion of him.
The current figures include 15% with a Very Favorable opinion of Specter and 36% with a Very Unfavorable view.”

I love how these “statesmen” back peddle so quickly. A few short years ago public demonstrations, town halls, emails, and protests -even by illegal alien criminals- were representative of the people and needed to be listened to. I’m assuming that MoveOn, CodePink, NARAL, etc would approved of “free speech zones” now, correct?
I don’t why we even allow these Congressmen to vote on the healthcare matter. They will never use it. Obama won’t ever use it. It is for the “little people”. Just like with public education. Obama and Congressmen claim to love public education….and then send their own children to elite, expensive private schools! Public servants (politicians) should be FORCED to use the systems they force on us. Then we might get real “change”.

Who cares what Arlen Specter thinks? He’s serving his last term in Congress.

His Lordship resents the serfs speaking out but he forgets who he really works for. He’s about to find out.

Arlen Specter, whose son is a prominent personal injury/medical malpractice lawyer has introduced a bill to let attorneys claim an up-front tax deduction on expenses they incur while building contingency fee cases. — John Stossel 8/12/2009

We can’t afford this healthcare reform that is being crammed down our throats by fiscally irresponsible politicians.
• Medicare has a projected unfunded liability (the difference between the benefits that have been promised to current and future retirees and what will be collected in dedicated taxes and Medicare premiums) over the next 75 years of 32,000,000,000,000.00 (32 Trillion) dollars. Social Security also has an unfunded liability but it is nowhere near as large as the unfunded Medicare liability.
• Currently, Medicare claims about 11 percent of federal nonentitlement tax dollars.
• By 2020, Medicare deficits will claim one in every five federal tax dollars that are not already dedicated to Medicare and Social Security.
• This means that in just 13 years the federal government will have to stop doing one in every five things it does today if taxes are to remain at their current level and projected Medicare benefits are paid on behalf of the disabled and the elderly.
• By 2030, the deficits in Medicare will claim one in every three general revenue dollars; by 2050, they will claim one in every two.
In a July 26 letter to the Ranking Republicans on four key committees (Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, and Budget), the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Doug Elmendorf, made it clearer than he ever had before that the bill, in its original July 14 form, would dramatically widen the already large gap between long-term government revenue and spending. Here’s the key paragraph:
“Looking ahead to the decade beyond 2019, CBO tries to evaluate the rate at which the budgetary impact of each of those broad categories would be likely to change over time. The net cost of the coverage provisions would be growing at a rate of more than 8 percent per year in nominal terms between 2017 and 2019; we would anticipate a similar trend in the subsequent decade. The reductions in direct spending would also be larger in the second decade than in the first, and they would represent an increasing share of spending on Medicare over that period; however, they would be much smaller at the end of the 10-year budget window than the cost of the coverage provisions, so they would not be likely to keep pace in dollar terms with the rising cost of the coverage expansion. Revenue from the surcharge on high-income individuals would be growing at about 5 percent per year in nominal terms between 2017 and 2019; that component would continue to grow at a slower rate than the cost of the coverage expansion in the following decade. In sum, relative to current law, the proposal would probably generate substantial increases in federal budget deficits during the decade beyond the current 10-year budget window.”
In other words, CBO expects the spending in the bill would grow at a rate of least 8 percent annually into the indefinite future, while the revenue to pay for it will only grow at about 5 per cent per year. Hence the “substantial increases” in federal budget deficits beyond 2019.
The first things the idiots in DC need to do is get Medicare under control and then address the growing debt of the federal government. For over 60 years the politicians have been spending at a rate which exceeds the revenue the government has collected, we can’t do this in our private lives and the government can’t do it either as the bill will become due and the only out will be the bankruptcy of the United States.

THE PUBLIC OPTION IS OFF THE TABLE.
DEMOCRAT POLL NUMBERS ARE DROPPING.
So much for these protestors being GOP “rent-a-mobs.” Apparently the people sitting at home feel the same way as the “un-American” mobsters and racists they see on TV.

I am pretty ticked. This goes beyond health care though. It has to do with Social Security being under water in a couple of years. It has to do with Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security exceeding GDP in 10 years. It has to do with civil liberty erosion like bills where they want domestic spying or mandatory testing of our children for mental health. It has to do with the $78 trillion dollar debt including obligations falling on the taxpayer. Who is John Galt? I thought it may be Ron Paul. We will see. My guess is that the health care will pass in some form or another. It really doesn’t matter though because this country is so broke I see socialism as exacerbating the fiscal calamity. Only free markets, personal responsibility, a smaller government, sound money, and an end of corporate fascism will facilitate prosperity.

BO must have made a deal with the GOP.
He probably agreed to drop the public option and anything else the GOP wanted.
As long as Obama gets to say he passed health care reform–any kind–as long as he is the first president to do it.
Pretty pathetic.

Americans are using the same tactics that the Left has used for years.
Posted by: Janet
‘the left’ doesn’t bring guns to town hall meetings

OK Arlen we get the point.
You’re in trouble and you need to find a way to get support.
What better way than to jump on board the bandwagon that trashes the protesters.
You may have lost your integrity but at least you’ll get votes.

Foghorn Leghorn posted:”Many of the people who are disrupting these townhall meetings are the same people who have been previously organized by radical religious groups and other special interests.”
This is what supporters of big, intrusive, and unconstitutional government want to think; they are WRONG, but I hope they keep thinking it!
I am an Independent who is not religious, has never been organized,and never attended a protest until April 2009. I’ll even admit I was wrong about certain provisions of the Patriot Act that I supported! Because of Congress’ actions in 2009, I am now committed to seeing our Federal Government’s power limited to those detailed in the Constitution. I know 20 people just like me.
The woman who told Arlen Specter “You have awakened a sleeping giant,” spoke truth.

Specter, do not represent the Democratic Party or the Republican Party . He is in a perennial metamorphosis.. Is like a type of political miracle.

I find it sad that the GOP AND THE HEALTHCARE INSURANCE COMPANIES are out to make sure that the American public will have to depend on them for there healthcare. They do not want any reform ,because if there is in any way people will get the care they deserve, and the insurance companies will not be able to tell you your not covered for major medical tests or care that maybe needed. These town hall meeting have be mob ruled by the gop and healthcare to block any reform or bill . This is Obama’s last stand . This is what the republican want to bring down this President like they did to Clinton. Are we any better know that we were years ago Not at all we are losing healthcare Insurance at a record levels. Our economy can no longer sustain the cost for health care in the year 2015 more than 10,000,000 will lose there health insurance do to companies that no longer can provide it to there employees. If you have watch the News lately you will see non profit healthcare coming to communities ,because we are the new third world country do to people not being able to take care of there health problems.
We are thirty seventh in the world for healthcare and life expectancy.
We are the third world country when it comes to healthcare we are not Number one , and have not been there for more than ten years. So let get real we don’t build anything any more in this country we aren’t number one in anything except service, and we out source that even.

One of the arguments for healthcare reform is the profits which the insurance companies are making. Dr. Mark J. Perry, a professor of economics and finance in the School of Management at the Flint campus of the University of Michigan has ranked the profits of different industries within the country. When you find Hospitals they are ranked number 77 on the list with a profit margin of 3.6% and at number 86 we find health care plans with a profit margin of 3.3%. Number 1 on the list is beverage (beer/brewers) companies with a profit margin of 25.9% and number 3 is REIT-Healthcare Facilities (Health Care REITs are Real Estate Investment Trusts that own health care properties and lease them to operators. Health Care REITs are subject to legislation which prevents them from operating health care facilities.) and have a profit margin of 24.6%.
The list is interesting in that the profit margin in the healthcare industry is far smaller than the idiots in DC would have us believe.
This bill obviously does not address the problem and does nothing but spend money the government doesn’t have and has no hopes of having in the next deacade.

The woman who told Arlen Specter “You have awakened a sleeping giant,” spoke truth.
Posted by: New to the Angry Mob | Aug 16, 2009 1:25:40 PM
***
If you’re talking about the woman who then was interviewed by Lawrence O’Donnell, she had no idea what she was talking about!! I know the right wing spin is that O’Donnell was shamelessly hard on her, but she sounded very confused to me–
As for the sleeping giant, there’s no sleeping giant. Last August, September and October the same kind of folks were in a frenzy. When Clinton was elected the Republicans became rabid. This is all par for the course. But I’m glad you’re finally engaged, Newbie. It cracks me up that this is what did it for you and Katy Abrams, but better late than never, I suppose.

I wonder if Arlen Specter will recognize the impact of these protests when he is voted out of office? Good riddance.

SORRY MEANT SENILE BRAIN DEAD ETC

jpt writes:
“In effort to bring the possibility of bipartisanship back to the table, Specter invited Hatch to … ”
–> Serial political turncoat Spector embodies bipartisanship in one stuffed suit.

But when 20 anti-war protestors would show up in front of a media horde, that was what would lead the news every night and shaped the Democrats & Left opinions. But when 100′s – 1000′s show up – since March time frame at hundreds of venues – it would not even garner ANY MSM coverage until they finally could not ignore it any longer. And yet those people are the “fringe”, the “extremists” and they don’t represent America.
Could the politicians be more clueless today? They want in the worst way to be able to blame this on Rush or insurance lobby – which is just absurd. Do you know anyone that would run out and be this informed and passionate at the behest of an insurance company??? And Rush hasn’t changed his tune in 20 years, but all of a sudden he is inciting people to show up at town halls? He was just as behind the curve on this as the politicians and media.

“We have to be careful here not to let those town meetings make the scene that influences what we do on health policy.”
The idea behind town meetings is to listen to one’s constituents. It’s frightening how incompetent some members of Congress are.

Let’s see,
Out of all the 45 comments, 43 disapproved, a few neutral.
That must mean that you’re the same people in all of these Town Hall Meetings!
You bunch of un-American and you’re ‘Not Really Representative Of America’ – Ouch…
Did not we just celebrate our Independence last month?
And here’s our DUTIES!
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
— That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,
— That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness…”

Let’s see,
Out of all the 45 comments, 43 disapproved, a few neutral.
***
Okay, I have to correct this and nitpick. Specter said they’re not representative of America, and Hatch said he disagreed because he thinks they’re representative of American people. I personally think America is better than its people– the sum is greater than its parts– and they’re both right. So, put one down in the approval column. Those people don’t represent “America” as a whole to me–I agree with Specter that we can’t “let those town meetings make the scene that influences what we do on health policy” — “those” referring to the ones where the noisy shouting scared angry confused rude handful are attracting the most attention and sucking the constructive energy out of the room. Everyone– EVERYONE– has a right to be heard– the ones who are upset and the ones who are not.

Specter also said that in a truly free society individuals would not be forced to carry insurance. He is blissfully unaware of the individual mandate in Obamacare.
The man is an ignorant moron.

So when a Senator represents 2 million people they should make their decision based on the 200 who have shown up? Or more accurately the 20 who yell and scream and won’t let anyone else talk?
————————————-
As opposed to the 15 or 20 people who usually show at these events at get the “ear” of a senator?
Also, like anything your seeing in highlight TV, your seeing what gets ratings. Even at those meeting where people did yell, that was not the tone for entire meeting.
By the way, the yelling and disrespect cuts both ways. From spectrer’s foolish rants of “wait A minute, Wait a minute, wait a minute” to Sheila Jackson-Lee’s incredibly rude move of using a cell phone while a person was asking a question. (If she was indeed using some dopey “hotline”, she could have at least had the common courtesy to tell the people what she was doing”)
As you have been so in favor of showing everyone poll numbers over the past year, I would point out that every poll is showing more people disappove of this form of healthcare reform than approve it.
That debate has been shifting, and the polls that are showing Dem/Rep/Indep breakdowns are all showing that the shift is occuring with INDEPENDENTS.
Despite the lefts constant hammering at those people who have shown up and voiced their displeasure, the overwhleming evidence shows this is MUCH, MUCH MORE than the Republican Base.
These are exact same people who gave Obama & the Dems total control.
Dems & Liberals made a huge mistake in how they have handled this from the bill being nothing more than a glorified guideline to all the foolish labeling of everyday Americans who oppose this plan.

Health Care in America (“The Haves” Vs. “The Have-Not’s”)
Many protesters attending those Town Hall Meeting and against the White House Health Care Proposal are from generations of people who came here who have (and had) nothing in the country they came from.
I wonder about the future, as the world rapidly returns to the economics of one hundred years ago, including an ever widening difference in feeling, ideas and interests between the “haves” and the “have-nots”, where privilege and access count for all, and everyone else gets the left overs.
We forget that less than one hundred years ago, class defined one’s life, and those who were not part of “proper society” lived extremely unpleasant lives and preformed endless hard work. Most of the people who died on the Titanic were poor, the White Star line, in keeping with the custom of the day, did not believe passengers in steerage deserved lifeboats.
This is America and “The Have-nots” deserves Health Care!

—Bowing to Republican pressure and an uneasy public, President Barack Obama’s administration signaled Sunday it is ready to abandon the idea of giving Americans the option of government-run insurance as part of a new health care system.—
Oh that Republican pressure! I guess no one told Obama that the Democrats have, in addition to the presidency and the House of Representatives, a filibuster-proof majority of 60 in the Senate. And yet AP is blaming Republicans with stopping the public option instead of admitting Obama is an empty suit president who tried to ram through socialist medicine and failed.

For all of you who are complaining about not having a voice…your voices are coming through loud and clear. Your are the only ones being highlighted on t.v. not the ones who have not heath care and are in desperate need of a program. The ones who area attending the meetings and are not shouting are the ones whose voices are not being heard.

—Bowing to Republican pressure and an uneasy public, President Barack Obama’s administration signaled Sunday it is ready to abandon the idea of giving Americans the option of government-run insurance as part of a new health care system.—
Oh that Republican pressure! I guess no one told Obama that the Democrats have, in addition to the presidency and the House of Representatives, a filibuster-proof majority of 60 in the Senate. And yet AP is blaming Republicans with stopping the public option instead of admitting Obama is an empty suit president who tried to ram through socialist medicine and failed.
Posted by: I’m not a President, but I Play One on TV | Aug 17, 2009
***
Google that topic again. You’re behind as is your source, and your interpretation of the whole deal is inaccurate. The public option isn’t off the table yet– athough in the Senate bill it will likely be some form of non-profit co-op.

“Many protesters attending those Town Hall Meeting and against the White House Health Care Proposal are from generations of people who came here who have (and had) nothing in the country they came from.” ~ revelyn Matilda Minor
Exactly. They worked hard and have been rewarded. What is the point of striving to better oneself and one’s position (to go from being a “have-not” to a “have”) if not to have a better life for you and you progeny?
Why are some people just expecting it to be handed to them at no cost with no effort?

My grandfather raised me a southern democrat and he would roll over in his grave at the crap Arlen Spector spilled out of his mouth about only Republicans being up in arms about the health care bill. If you to make me and the other people of american, Other than the ppl who have stock in the companies, dont tell me what kind of insurance I need or which doctor I can see. LOWER my damn premiums. My employeer raised mine by 100 a month this year. Its untelling what it will be next year. Lets quit playing “Lets make the politicians as much money as we can give them” and start taking care of ourselves.

People like Spector have not even half -way done their jobs. And we keep electing them to NOT REPRESENT US.All of Congress should be on term limits! TWO TERMS IS ENOUGH.Then the lobbyists will get lost…..and then real citizens will run the country.No more good old boy deals.

I agree RyanC. Except this is 2009 and if people will vote for the person not the party we have chance to change a lot of things.If the elected doesn’t do what they promise educate the people on things like recall.Real change has to start somewhere.
I believe the words Democrat and Republican need to be replaced with words like Citizen and Patriot.We need to at least try. Besides we been told “no good crisis should go to waste”.

I agree,between the press and our education system most people don’t even know the basics of our government or how it got where it is …