Beckley Register Herald, August 17, 2009 – Link
Many Leave Assembly Not Sold on Proposal
“In some ways, it resembled other rowdy town hall meetings seen across the nation.
There was shouting. There was a large overflow crowd. Many were angry. There were also protesters. But the meeting itself was largely peaceful. For each loud boo, there were also those who clapped in applause for comments made by U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., during Monday’s town hall meeting.
The meeting was long, lasting more than four hours. When it finally ended, many thanked — and applauded — Rahall once again for hosting the event. Law enforcement officials were on hand, including Princeton Police Chief W.L. Harman and Mercer County Sheriff Don Meadows, but the crowd never became unruly. While some shouted, most raised their hands in hopes of asking a question.
However, many are still not sold on President Obama’s plan for health care reform.
“I’m concerned about the government intrusion into our health care and our personal rights,” said Fritz Hill of Princeton, one several protesters assembled outside of the entrance to the Princeton Health and Fitness Center.
“We are here to protest government-run health care,” Roman Stauffer added. “We don’t think it will be in the best interest of America for a government-run health care system.”
Stauffer said similar systems in other countries such as Canada are “not very good.”
A large anti-abortion banner also was temporarily hoisted by a small ladder truck above the entrance to the health and fitness center. It was removed a short time later.
Rahall said he didn’t expect the crowd to be as large as it was. The Princeton Fire Department ruled the maximum occupancy allowed inside a meeting room at the fitness center was 140. The crowd far exceeded that number and the meeting was moved outside.
Rahall, who said he will hold a conference call today with the Democratic leadership to discuss the concerns expressed Monday, added, “I am supportive of the public option, but I recognize there are other important parts of the reform that need to be addressed. We need to end discrimination based upon pre-existing conditions.”
Rahall said one message stood out at Monday’s meeting and he will share it with the leadership in Washington.
“I’ll take the most prevailing point which appears to be the fear of another government program,” Rahall said, adding that there appears to be a perception of “fear and mistrust” over a government-run program.
Rahall said he couldn’t speak to national media reports suggesting that President Obama is willing to abandon the public option aspect of the plan. Rahall said he too had read those reports, but could comment no further than what had already been reported.”
Here is a link to another story in the Beckley paper with a lot of telling quotes: http://www.register-herald.com/local/local_story_229225904.html
I read a lot of excuses. When the debate in Washington turns to the really important subjects, it is evident quite quickly that he is in way over his head.
Rahall has time to visit Saipan and Guam, but not time to read the bill. (It’s a long flight Nicky Joe)
Rahall can’t come up with a proposal of his own, because he can’t talk to his constituents and oversee his staff writing bills at the same time.
He was nothing more than a spectator on the climate change bill, when he represents the Congressional district most dependant on mining in the whole United States. He was unwilling to oppose the bill until Queen Nancy had her votes and released him to vote against it. And even then, he attacked opponents of the bill instead of the authors.
Now I know why when we had the biggest piece of pork in US history, Rahall was unable to wrangle any money for the Turnpike, Coalfields Expressway, or King Coal Highway. He is just useless.
Yet another great turnout for the conservative movement in West Virginia. Conservative Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and Libertarians are letting their voices be heard on healthcare reform and climate change. Hopefully we will get real change after the 2010 elections.
I attended the Town Hall Meeting yesterday & was appalled @ Rahall’s lack of knowledge of the bill along with his false statements & manipulatons of what is true. He admitted he had not read the bill & had no intenrions of doing so, b/c “I have staff that do that for me”, he said with his hand on his chest like some sort of monarch. He was extremely rude to attendees after opening the meeting with a request for respect. He actually said to one older gentleman, who had his question written down, “You read that really well, whoever wrote it for you.” One father of three voiced his concern & asked Rahall a few questions when he had a chance at the mic. Rahall “listened” & when the man was finished, Rahall said, “Next question. Over here, sir.” He wouldn’t even address this citizen’s concern’s about the negative effect this bill would have on his family. He is condescending & arrogant. He also alluded to the fact early in the meeting that capitalism & a free market do not work. This is a man that is not grounded in much of anything. He allows powerful Washington Dems to tell him what to believe. It is evident to me, that he will vote in favor of HR3200, going against the wishes of his constituency. He fails to realize he was elected to represent the views of the WE THE PEOPLE of the 3rd Congressional District of WV. We MUST replace him in 2010 w/ someone who has our countries best interest at heart, not his own desires. I wish everyone could have heard him yesterday & witnessed his blundering under pressure. Self serving elitists are going to be so surprised in 2010! & I can’t wait !
Nicky Jo says that capitalism and free-markets do not work. Since he’s lived in a state where capitalism and free-markets have not been allowed to flourish, in which he as aided and abetted, how would he know.
His critics are “simply dishonest,” Obama said during his health-care town-hall meeting in Grand Junction, Colorado, on Saturday.
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/wehner/76252
What kills me is that we suffered through endless Congressional hearings on steroid use in baseball, but on something this monumental, there are no hearings? How crazy is that?!
Throw the bums out.
I understand that the health care bill and the Cap and Trade bill have taken most of the attention lately, please be concerned that the politics of our local government is also very important.
I believe the local current politicians are relishing in the lack of attention they are receiving due to all the concern about the national issues. We must be ever active in the local issues and work towards making West Virginia citizens aware of the lack of progress to a more business friendly state.
Can you imagine how hard it would be for the currently serving delegates in the Democratic Party to ask a voter to return them to their current positions after the dismal results of the past 80 years? We must bring this to the attention of all the citizens of West Virginia in a never ending message, let the drum beat begin.
Due to the over regulation and taxation of the business community many cannot grow and investment in new businesses will not occur.
We have another opportunity in 2010 to make the necessary changes to help move our state out of last place or near the bottom in most categories. We must begin now to make the those necessary changes in the house of Delegates in the 30th and 31st districts, we have a great opportunity to win a seat on the Kanawha County Commission ( a very important position).
These are all possibilities if we prepare and work towards those goals. Get involved, participate in the discussions and encourage your friends and neighbors how important these times are.
Nick Joe is not the exception, he is the norm for Washington elites. These “representatives” actually see themselves as essential people and the rest of us a surfs. He obviously doesn’t care what we think because he knows that when it comes voting time many, many ignorant people will simply pull the straight democrat lever and vote for him. That is unless we can beat him in the primary. Everyone needs to be looking around your town for a good candidate that we can all get behind to beat him in the primary. Lets get started now and build a team he can’t overcome. I’m from Logan and I believe we have a good potential candidate in County Commissioner, Art Kirkendall. Anyone have another name? Lets beat Nick NOW!
Rahall acknowledged today on TalkLine that the people he represents are opposed to gov’t run health care. However, he still supports a “robust” public option.
I attended the town hall meeting yesterday in Princeton.
First let me say that although I am a fiscal conservative, I believe in helping other people not as fortunate as me and I have done that consistantly in my life. I have fought for the rights of the mentally ill and the mentally retarded, as well as other folks who have no voice. Social programs need to be done in a fiscally conservative manner so that the money that is available goes as far as possible.
Second, let me say that this fiasco of a meeting was a prime example of the good planning and execution of a government run project. Anyone who has seen television lately knows that the crowds are big at these events. So the sponsors put the folks in a room for 140 people. After it is filled to overflowing, they then decided that that was a mistake and then take the event outside. And they think they can run our health system!! They cannot even plan a simple meeting!!
Rahall said that Medicare is a good example of a government run health system. Yet, to pay for the poposed healthcare reform, they say there is 500 BILLION dollars in waste and fraud in Medicare. DUH!
Rahall also said yesterday that he not only supports the government option, but he strongly supports a SINGLE-PAYER SYSTEM. He did reassure us that we need not worry, as that idea would never pass in Congress. I wonder how he is going to vote?
In today’s news I heard that private insurance companies sued a city in Canada to provide health insusance for folks in that city. The suit made it to their Supreme Court. The Court agreed with the insurance companies and also said the the Canadian Health System is “IMPLODING”. And the idiots in Washingon want to take us down that road.
Someone in the crowd yesterday asked why we don’t start by fixing the problems with the inurance companies such as portability, pre-existing condition discrimination etc. Why do we have to have more government in our faces. How does Rahall and the others in Congress come off thinking they know what we need in our lives? I guess living in Washington for 33 years has given him the idea he is different than us. Actually, he is. We are a lot smarter and know what is good for US!
AS a final thought, Rahall really did a number on himself when he questioned the gentleman about who had written his question for him. Although his arrogance showed in numerous places in the meeting, that one was the most dispicable. Who does he think he is? Yes, Nicky Joe, some of us can think on our own and don’t have to be given “talking points” in order to speak!
Congressman Rahall had listed on his website Logan WV as the next meeting date, Tuesday August 25th, but now the listing is removed. Before the removal, it was noted that this meeting was open only to the media. This kind of arrogance should never be tolerated by the citizens of S. WV.