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Subject: Barney Frank vs the Wingnuts
BC:
Last night I was on overnight shift, so I watched
most of that town
hall meeting on C-SPAN. Man, it was shocking.
I was born and spent
most of my life in Massachusetts, and it is one
of the most liberal,
progressive and Democratic states in this pitiful
country.
But the Glen Beck-O'Really-Hannity-Limbaugh dupes
were out in force at
that meeting. It was hard to tell, but
I think the crown was one half wingnuts,
other half normal Mass types. But what was really
shocking was to see these
wingnut ignoramuses dressed in their $4 Wal-Mart
T shirts (same ones I wear)
and $10 jeans staunchly defending the insurance
companies, the rich and the
medical establishment! They were yelling
at Barney (a rare Dem WITH a spine)
and weren't giving him much of a chance to answer
questions he was asked,
even questions they asked. He spent far
too much time trying to calm them down
and get the answer out.
One of his gems, when accused by one wingnut of
favoring single payer insurance,
was that he had been on public record for 20
years as being in favor of single payer,
had co-sponsored bills for single payer, and
still favored it. He said "you people act
like you just woke up and discovered it was August".
Now I have my problems with
Barney in his handling of some of the bank bailout
stuff and what might have gone on
there, but mostly he knows his stuff inside and
out, and was willing to explain the
FACTS to the wingnuts, but they would just shout
him down.
He was trying to explain how they would tax individuals
with incomes over $350,000
- and companies that were using off shore havens
to dodge taxes, like the settlement
with the Swiss Bank UBS to get the names of those
tax evaders. Well, a literal HOWL
went up in the crowd from the wingnuts, about
how the Feds can't raise taxes, blah, blah, blah.
Man, it was amazing. Now unlike you, I
am not a betting man, but I would wager my
whole paycheck, a good one this week for once,
that not one wingnut in that crowd of
Wal-Mart fashionistas, (1) made over $350K a
year, (2) owned or was a major stock
holder in a health insurance company, or (3)
had a significant off shore or secret UBS
bank account.
But they were defending to the death the rich
bastards who victimize THEM.
It was frightening to watch. And I highly
recommend that all Dems and independent
progressives and other SANE people watch that
C-SCAN broadcast of Rep. Barney
Frank holding town meeting in Dartmouth, Mass.
Just to know what we are up against.
If I have a chance to attend one here I will.
I doubt I'd dare to attend one in OK,
at least not without a Glock.
Best,
Neil in Maine
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