VIDEO: Bedlam Erupts At Town Hall In Orlando As GOP Rep. Defends Ending Medicare, Tax

[cal04]

VIDEO: Bedlam Erupts At Town Hall In Orlando As GOP Rep. Defends Ending Medicare, Tax Breaks For Rich
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/26/webster-town-hall-backlash-medicare-medicaid/
ThinkProgress filed this report from a town hall in Orlando, FL.

During a town hall in Orlando earlier today, Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL) faced a barrage of questions from outraged constituents about the Republican budget. The Orlando Sentinel accurately described the scene as “bedlam.”

For nearly an hour, Webster was peppered with one question after another about his support for ending Medicare, his desire to see tax breaks for the wealthy extended, and his vote to repeal health care reform, including its protections for people with preexisting conditions. For his part, Webster didn’t just avoid the questions by resorting to talking points, as most politicians commonly do. On numerous occasions, Webster simply declined to give an answer to contentious questions altogether, moving on to take a new question instead.

Questions critical of the Ryan budget were met by applause from nearly the entire audience. Watch highlights from the town hall:

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/26/webster-town-hall-backlash-medicare-medicaid/

Orlando Sentinel posted additional video of the "bedlam." See it here.
http://www.wftv.com/video/27677949/index.html

watch this video
man holds sign "hands off my medicare" and one lady "I had enough of this"
just wow!

[Warpy]

1. The old goats are finally starting to see the light

and that light is an oncoming freight train, headed right at them.

They wouldn't listen to us, but Ryan and his idiotic Heritage Foundation wet dream budget that the Republicans all stupidly voted for has gotten their attention and that party is going to feel the consequences from now on.

There's a reason the Tea Party is running out of gas. This is it.

[shanti]

4. it's about time too!

geez...

[still_one]

6. and why did these retired "Floridians" elect these peope? The repukes have never lied about their

intentions, they were very honest when they said get rid of Medicare, Social Security, EPA, etc.

Gee, so now they are outraged, where were they during the midterms?

[OKNancy]

19. You have no idea if "these" people voted for him or not. It could

be energized Democrats.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

22. You mean like Floridians voted for bu$h in 2000? -nt

[still_one]

41. Perhaps not, but it was closer than it should have been /nt

[bluestate10]

29. They were convinced there were welfare queens all over. And they voted that way. nt

[CrispyQ]

42. That's what I think too.

They live in fear that someone might get something they don't deserve & so they were happy to cut home heating assistance & WIC, never thinking that the services they depend on will get the cut.


First they went after home heating assistance for the elderly & I cheered them on.
Then they went after WIC & I was thrilled that those lazy women weren't getting any more free stuff on my dime.
Then they went after Medicare & now that it's about me, I finally care.

[Solomon]

47. Bizingo! They thought they were denying benefits for people

who don't deserve them.

[HighLowRoller87]

36. I ask the same question. I said it over and over and over again.....

Fasten your seat belts January 2011 because baby it will be one bitch of a ride.

[spooky3]

11. Why must THEIR ox be gored before they realize there is a problem?

[bullwinkle428]

13. Because they're selfish bastards that only pay attention to politics

for 2-3 weeks prior to an election.

[OKNancy]

21. did you even watch the videos? How about the younger black lady

who talked about her lupus and her concerns? She is worried and has a right to be.

[spooky3]

34. Where were people who are now outraged about Medicare when people lost

their 401k balances due to Wall Street thievery? When millions of people lost jobs and couldn't find comparable new jobs? When Scott Walker and other governors took away collective bargaining rights and retirement benefits? etc., etc. Were they outraged, or if not outraged, did they stand with others whose rights, benefits they had earned, etc., were being taken away unjustly? Did they make their representatives aware that these actions are not acceptable? At the very least, did every single one of them vote Democratic in the last election?

The point is NOT that people shouldn't be angry about the Republican proposals on Medicare. They should be. The point is that people should not be waiting until they personally are adversely affected to recognize what the Republicans are doing, before taking action.

On edit - Ed Schultz is making a similar point now, though he's focusing more on unions' withdrawing support for Democrat reps. (as opposed to voters and citizens) who haven't stood up with unions.

[bluestate10]

30. Human nature. They were a protected class. Not they are not.

They had no appreciation for democrats that were protecting them.

[bluestate10]

28. Things were find and dandy when it was the mythical welfare queen that

was going to take the shaft. But there are no welfare queens, and if there were, eliminating them from federal benefits would not do shit to reduce spending. The big money is in elder benefits and defense. Republicans will protect defense, so that leave elder care is a target. Maybe now the oldsters have a reason to point their golf carts toward Washington and raise hell.

[Canuckistanian]

32. I don't know why they were surprised

Repubs have been making noises for years about ending "entitlements"

And they haven't exactly been making it a secret that Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security have been in the crosshairs.

Did they take no notice of the Social Security privatization Lolapalooza tour during the Bush regime?

[Spinny Liberal]

33. Couldn't agree more

[raccoon]

46. Great post. It's amazing how people start paying attention when it's their ass about to go in the

fire.

[Not Me]

2. For those of you who don't know, Webster replaced Alan Grayson

I was just about to post this...cal04, you beat me to it.

[monmouth]

8. And the horror known as Alan West replaced Ron Klein. Much buyers

remorse but some good Dems going up against him when his term is up.

[cal04]

14. thanks for the info Not Me

why these people didn't re-elect Grayson is beyond me

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

3. How does it feel now you fucking scumbags? I knew these fuckwads would overreach but

never did I think they'd do it in 4 months.

[Poboy]

5. R'd

[jumptheshadow]

7. What comes around goes around

Republicans are getting a dose of karma, for sure.

[Richardo]

9. I want to see it on the national news - every single time.

[abelenkpe]

10. Republicans claim they are saving their grandkids from debt slavery

by denying their kids medicare and social security.

I really don't get that. They're going to burden those grandkids with caring for their parents because they stripped them of the healthcare benefits and retirement benefits they already worked and paid for, no?

Anyway, great to see people speaking out against the Ryan budget plan. :)

[librechik]

12. isn't this the asshole who beat out Alan Grayson last year?

haha poetic justice

[martymar64]

35. Grayson needs to win that seat back. I bet he can do it.

Congressman Grayson,

I beg you to run for that seat again and get it back. Apparently the buyer's remorse is starting to sink in to the voters in your district now that the Republicans have removed their masks and shown their true colors.
I feel that you can win that seat back. It would be the comeback story of this next election.
Please Sir, run!

[doc03]

15. If you haven't yet, read the USA Today. They had a Gallop poll

that said the American people support the Ryan budget over Obama's and they think the Republicans can handle the economy better than the Democrats. They also have another story supporting the Republicans saying how much each person gets in federal money. West Virginia was the highest, it said West Virginians received over 20% of their income from government programs.

[SaveAmerica]

16. Fox had a clip of Ryan's Town Hall yesterday that was so staged, was it

discussed here? It was so obviously rehearsed it was painful to watch

[monmouth]

17. The video is not to be missed. Cops telling non baggers to be calm,

sit down, etc. The baggers shaking their heads no when such good arguments are being presented. This is redneck country folks, they're getting what they deserve.

[sasha031]

18. Kama can be a beautiful thing

:)

[kentuck]

20. Do most of them have cops at their townhalls??

Do they need protection?

[CatWoman]

23. this is just great

fucking pig republicans :nuke:

[hifiguy]

24. It would appear that

the feces are in ever-closer proximity to the impeller. This could be most entertaining.

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. TAX THE RICH!!

Love it!!!

[madrchsod]

26. the black lady is a better spokesperson....

than 95% of the politicians i`ve heard discuss the medicaid program

[quaker bill]

27. These are my neighbors

and I could not be happier with them.

[marions ghost]

31. k& r

:applause:

[Hugabear]

37. This is the fucker who replaced Alan Grayson

Absolutely disgusting.

[cal04]

38. CNN:Crowd turns loud at town hall session for freshman GOP rep

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/26/crowd-turns-loud-at-town-hall-session-for-freshman-gop-rep/

House Republicans back home for congressional recess have been getting some tough questions about plans to overhaul Medicare, but GOP freshman Daniel Webster's town hall meeting in Orlando, Florida, Tuesday was beyond tough - it turned into a chaotic scene.

Webster used charts and graphs to try to explain the controversial House GOP budget he voted for, but he could barely be heard over angry yelling - mostly about the Medicare proposal.

As one man held a sign saying "keep your hands off my Medicare," another woman screamed that the congressman voted to give corporations a tax cut "but take away Medicare for people like me."

(snip)
Another man asked if Webster was voting to "privatize Medicare and cut VA benefits," and accused Webster of giving away "all these tax cuts."



House Republicans regroup amid Medicare anger
As Ryan and other congressmen feel the heat, GOP confers on refining message
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42773405/ns/politics-capitol_hill/

[ChairmanAgnostic]

40. Heh

I wonder what the new congressman is thinking now.

[Mojorabbit]

39. OMG this is the best thing I have seen in years

here in Fl. People are waking up!

[Scurrilous]

43. K & R

:thumbsup:

[newspeak]

44. Ryan stated that he sleeps well at night in regards to his budget

well, many sociopaths sleep well at night, especially when they are not the ones directly affected by his budget. He still has a decent wage and great health benefits. One thing I noticed he mentioned was Medicare Part D, WHICH HAS ADDED TO THE DEFICIT. Little Boot's great pharma giveaway-no pharma regulation or even medicare being allowed to negotiate prices. When this bill hit congress (house of rep.) there were repug who knew that the bill basically screwed the elderly and sick--those with a conscience voted "no", and the bill was going down. But, the speaker held the vote open to give the administration a chance to "bully" their fellow repugs into voting for a piece of shite "screw you" legislation. It's been a windfall for pharma and has added to the deficit. Ryan seems to exclude that from his talking points.

As our government programs become more privatized, we, the people, are the ones who will suffer even more so that Wall Street and corporations can eke out even more of a profit. I see even more corruption, greed, and no accountability privatizing public programs while costing us even more so that they can make a buck on our suffering!!!

Ryan still needs to answer what kind of medical care seniors and the sick are going to get from for profit insurance companies IF THEY TAKE THEM. And, how much medical care they will receive if there is a limit on the amount on their policy or if they have a high deductible just to pay for the piece of shite policy. He is not in reality or he's a greedy corporate tool and doesn't care about most of americans and their depleting standard of living.

[Poboy]

45. .