Town Hall Constituents Face Off With Sean Duffy Over Killing Medicare

[democracy1st]

Run time: 04:12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrzTu6fK0mk   Posted on YouTube: April 22, 2011 By YouTube Member: ThinkProgress2 Views on YouTube: 2955   Posted on DU: April 23, 2011 By DU Member: democracy1st Views on DU: 2186

 
All across America, a Main Street Movement has broken out to defend the middle class against right-wing attacks on labor rights and basic public services. In recent days, this movement has turned on GOP House members who voted to effectively end Medicare and turn seniors over to private insurance companies when they approved Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) radical budget bill.

On Tuesday, Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI) was the latest congressman to face the ire of Main Street America during a town hall event with constituents who stopped being polite and started getting real.

First, constituents explained they were upset that Ryan’s plan would cut off people under the age of 55 from Medicare. Then, others directly challenged Duffy about defending tax breaks for the wealthy for voting to effectively replace Medicare with a voucher system:

CONSTITUENT: I hear you saying two contradictory things about taxes. One you want to reform the tax code so that corporations to pay more, and two you don’t want corporations to pay so much so that they’ll somehow stimulate business. So I don’t understand that contradiction. The CBO <…> the Ryan program proposes to turn Medicare into a voucher program.

DUFFY: It doesn’t, No it doesn’t.

DIFFERENT CONSTITUENT: Yes it does.

DUFFY: No, it doesn’t there’s no voucher.

CONSTITUENT: That’s what my understanding of what it is.

DUFFY: No.

CONSTITUENT: They count the cost to seniors if it goes into a voucher program, it’s going to be trillions of dollars for those young men like this guy in front.

DUFFY: It’s a premium support it’s not a voucher. The bottom line is if we do nothing, if we do nothing, you can all say this is all fine and dandy, you can get it and I know any young people here you can all get this program.

CONSTITUENT: I agree that if we do nothing we’re in trouble, that’s why we have to raise taxes on the rich, and raise taxes on the corporations who have never been richer than they have now. And you guys just cut their taxes again.

ANOTHER CONSTITUENT: Oh, Yeah!

DUFFY: When you say cutting taxes, if taxes maintain the same level and rate is that a tax cut.

CONSTITUENT: To maintain the same level that was long ago, that was sold on the premise of creating jobs by giving more money to the wealthy.

OTHER CONSTITUENTS: Yeah!

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/22/town-hall-sean-duffy-medicare/


This isn’t the first time Duffy has faced the ire of his own constituents at a town hall. Earlier this year, he told some constituents that he is struggling to get by on his $174,000 salary. Wisconsin Democrats responded by holding a “food and clothing drive for poor Sean Duffy.”

[underpants]

1. I saw this last night - he has the moves of an airport hotel motivational speaker

that was what I got from him. He is an empty suit who came to do a presentation and was not expecting any kind of actual input.

[curiousdemo]

6. Republican are getting push back

from their constituency on the Ryan Plan. They're squirming like the lizards they are. Some of them are getting nervous and regretting their vote on the Ryan Plan, or none Plan. :nopity:

[underpants]

15. They are used to appearing on no-questioned-asked TV

the people is another story

[KansDem]

16. "...he has the moves of an airport hotel motivational speaker"

:rofl: Your description is spot-on!

"Airport hotel motivational speaker"

I'm adding this image to my repertoire of descriptions!

[PA Democrat]

2. "Premium support"???? What BS. It's a voucher program that will

force seniors to buy crappy high-deductible insurance that they can't afford to use. The insurance pigs LOVE these types of plans because they are extremely profitable for them.

[The Wizard]

3. Here's one for the lying Congressman

How about raising corporate taxes and closing the current loopholes while introducing others that reward business for putting Americans to work.
Republicans still cling to Reagan's bizarre and flawed supply side bullshit.
Trickle down: Upper management gets golden parachutes, and the working class gets golden showers.
Republicans are obviously insane or prevaricating. Insane because they keep employing the same policy and expect different results; prevaricating because it's in their DNA.
In essence they're liars and thieves.

[HolyCity2012]

4. I love the new direction these town hall meetings are starting to take.

I implore everyone who reads this to please get involved at the local level!

FUCK the presidential election in 2012! Get involved today at the ground floor.

If you want "change" and expect it from a single person who you will probably never meet then you are barking up the wrong tree.

We The People have the power to be the catalyst for real progress in our United States of America.

Sincerely, HC2012

[Thunderstruck]

5. I'd like for once to see these Regressive assholes speaking to a

group of college students instead of the old geezers I'm seeing in this and other town hall vids who mostly agree with them.

[Pharaoh]

8. Or going on the daily show

and have Jon tear them apart.

[swag]

7. Gotta kick this one. Kick.

[louslobbs]

9. Same little thug that cried about not being able to live on $174,000 per yr. He's a light weight

and he's in way over his head when it comes to politics. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.......unless they're teabaggers of course or six day sinners with the Sunday get out of jail free card of, asking forgiveness. Their actions will tell you everything their words do not, especially when they get caught cheating on their spouses, looking for male to male sex in airport bathrooms, visiting high priced call girls, molesting children, beating women......you know, the usual God Fearing Republicon behavior that most hide very well, while a few get caught. Thank the Universe for the internet. Nothing like catching the dirt bags red handed and being able to spread it all over for everyone to see. Anyone can see the truth, except those that are blinded by their bibles, hate, racism, lack of education, FOX/GOP network lies, or bought off by the Koch Klan for a free meal and bus ride to a phony political gathering.
Lou

[wysingm]

10. Vouchers Or Premium Support

Vouchers Or Premium Support: What’s In A Name?

In response, Robert Reischauer and I coined the term “premium support” to refer to a type of health plan, that, like vouchers, would give people dollar payments they could apply to the cost of health insurance plans they would choose from a limited menu and that would include protections that voucher plans lacked.

Why I Have Moved Away From Premium Support

... there is something distinctly odd when the same people who are working hard to repeal health insurance exchanges for the non-elderly, non-disabled population simultaneously call for setting up such exchanges for the elderly and disabled. If there are populations for whom exchanges have the least chance of success, it is for the elderly and disabled, where the stakes in risk selection are highest.

Vigorous supporters of market-based controls on health spending should start where chances for success are greatest. That means proceeding resolutely to implement the Affordable Care Act, not repeal it, and to wait for radical change in Medicare until we see how the new system works.

http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2011/04/06/vouchers-or-premium-support-whats-in-a-name/

[ooglymoogly]

11. Wait a minute here. This voucher program is not a handover of money

to folks in need. The flim flam here is that a voucher is given. NOT ACTUAL CASH!!! that a fool can use to enrich and redeem for and from the insurance fraudsters for whatever the "fraudsters" feel like doling out for an essentially worthless voucher. Am I missing something here. The actual cash is given to the fraudsters. Do I have this right or am I misreading the propaganda which never mentions that no cash for the people is involved but is just another boondoggle way of transferring wealth to the "insurance" fraudsters.

[pacalo]

14. My impression is that those fortunate enough to find an insurance company that will cover them

would get a $15k credit in medical services for the year. When that money's gone, you're on your own. Lord help those who have a catastrophic illness.

[ooglymoogly]

12. What is this world coming to, when a baby faced politician can't even sell

shares in the Brooklyn Bridge to diehard republicans anymore. The pugs will soon have to fold their con and slink away. The glare of the spotlight is just becoming too intense.

[pacalo]

13. It was so obvious that he wasn't taking these questions/comments seriously.

He's trying to sell used cars to an audience who's been around the block many more times than the naive scamster is giving them credit for.