Town halls gone wild

[spinbaby]

From Politico:

Screaming constituents, protesters dragged out by the cops, congressmen fearful for their safety — welcome to the new town-hall-style meeting
, the once-staid forum that is rapidly turning into a house of horrors for members of Congress.

On the eve of the August recess, members are reporting meetings that have gone terribly awry, marked by angry, sign-carrying mobs and disruptive behavior. In at least one case, a congressman has stopped holding town hall events because the situation has spiraled so far out of control.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25646.html

This article really caught my interest because I was at a town-hall meeting last week with PA Republican Tim Murphy and experienced a packed auditorium featuring a very LOUD and belligerent minority against reform. Looking back on it, there was one woman who I'm sure was a plant.

[liberal N proud]

1. My fear is the ones that are loud and unruly will sway their representatives

The few loud disruptive protesters will manage to make it appear the people don't want health insurance reform.

[Winterblues]

4. Believe me they know that fact very well

The squeeky wheel does indeed get the grease... we need to start squeeking or just give up because we know they aren't about to quit.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. In St Louis, the antis banged on the windows and door of McCaskill's office

Her staff called the cops and the antis went nuts all over the internet complaining that Claire wouldn't meet with them. So she set up a meeting!!

They showed up at her office WITHOUT MAKING AN APPOINTMENT and were so disruptive the cops had to come and tell them to leave.

Then Claire caved in!!!

This is just going to get worse before it gets better.

I am so frustrated. I tried to organize a rally here at our blue dog Dem's office but my fellow Democrats don't want to 'harass' him. This week, the teabaggers were back protesting against health care reform in front of his office. Last month, they were there protesting against cap and trade. The month before that, it was taxes and the Stimulus Bill. And of course, lots of media attention every time.

But Democrats don't want to bother him. :mad:

[NYC_SKP]

3. I think these disruptions are an organized teabagger-type action. nt

[spinbaby]

5. I think they are, too

At the meeting I was in, they all seemed to be in the top center of the auditorium, clustered together. A woman with a rather abrasive voice seated in that area told a story of how, when she grew up in Britain, she had to wait a year for a tonsillectomy. Then a bit later, when another woman was telling about being in the emergency room and having a clerk demanding a co-pay up front, the woman with the abrasive voice started yelling loudly that she worked in health care and that this was a lie.

The "British" woman, by the way, sounded like she grew up in West Virginia. I lived many years in that fine state and know the twang.