Specter: Health care protesters don't represent America
By David Sunday Aug 16, 2009 6:00pmYou can view this video right here by getting the latest version of Flash Player!
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Sen. Arlen Specter has faced angry protesters at his town hall meetings about health care. But Specter says that the protesters are not representative of most Americans. "I think we have to bear in mind, although those people have a right to be heard, they're not really representative of America in my opinion. We have to be careful here not to let those town meetings dominate the scene and influence what we do on health policy," Specter told ABC's Jake Tapper.
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Wish he'd be more careful with statements like this. I'd say they're not representative of the majority of America. This just makes it sounds like "people who disagree are un-American".
His statement puts him square on the conservative side.
In a way he's right - Health care protestors represent the corporation, not the people.
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about supporting corporations over the people anyway?
Even my neighbor, who is a life long republican, and born again bible thumpin creationist is for health care reform.
These "protestors" are fascist thugs. Period. And they should be treated like fascists.
Specter says something I agree with but does not say it well. He better fine tune it. Watch every word he said will be chewed up and spit out again in the media.
When Specter joined the Democrats, I was cynical and suspicious, and pegged him for a real Blue Dog. Didn't figure he'd be THAT useful in progressive debates.
Aaaand now he's one of the most outspoken Senators on the Health Care debate? What happened? I mean, I'm pleasantly surprised that he's taking such hard stances, but surprised nevertheless.
I think he has a "D" (vs. DINO) primary challenger. . .
Joe Sestak: I "Intend" To Challenge Specter In Primary
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/27/joe-...
I really don't think, like most out there, than any of these Congress people have any real viewpoints of their own; they represent the people of their constituency.
Which ironically, is the way its supposed to be.
So long as they know that corporate lobbyists are not the constituency. I've come to believe that neither the media or DC really gives a shit anymore, its just who has the most cash and can draw the most respect in a crowd, the country or the world.
"I wanna be with that guy."
From high school to the White House, nothing changes the narrow runs the world.
Most represent their lobbyists and campaign donors. Not to mention the "special interests" and providers of hidden benefits that we know nothing about.
If they actually represented their constituents, 76% would be for a public option.
Exactly!
If he keeps this up I just may send money to his re-election.
He'll just switch parties after you give him money.
Just because you can't see his spots doesn't mean they aren't still there.
He will always be a snake in the grass. He is an opportunist.
... of SAYING the right thing... then VOTING the wrong way.
Never take this guy for granted.
seem to believe that it is enough to be angry and loud.
"I want my country back the way the Constitution sez"...has WTF to do with health care?
The Military/Industrial News-o-tainment division is doing a great job of playing to the Unsurance Corporations interests.
The crazy constitutionalist's should read the document. In the preamble it does include the phrase "promote the general welfare". I'm not a smart person or anything but loosely interpreted that says to me that we're supposed to "promote the general welfare..."
and, The Louisiana Purchase was bullshit!...funny stuff
Will lie out of both sides of both mouths on both faces.
They are told what to do, how to act by special interest groups on web sites. Rachel Maddow even showed the web sites on her show. These astroturf "protesters" are as phony as all the bribed congress people, and corporate media that have been slowly killing the "public option" with their negativity for many weeks now. Specter seems to care about this issue maybe because he has been through some serious health problems and can sympathize.
He's right you know.
We must give credit where credit is due.
I refuse to act like those thugs in the town hall meetings.
Senator Specter: Thank you for speaking the truth.
Give the guy credit for speaking the truth , coming from a Republican he deserves a medal .
but all to often in this country, the sheer amount of propaganda from the Repunks... no matter how false it might be... is able to overwhelm the truth because they control all of the avenues for information. A lesson we should be learning from the health care reform "debate".
This "debate" has officially caused Arlen Specter to be the guy making sense. That's just scary.
I'm also impressed at his willingness to apply the "not representative" label when it really does apply.
Note that he's not saying they're not REAL Americans, just that their opinion, as noisy as it may be, is not representative of the average. Which is 100% true.
Specter has always said the right thing, I am not sure about his voting record, but the short clips I have seen from him in commitys and on TV he has always been on the right side. He has made mistakes but he will say so, and work to fix it.
He is a true conservative and thats it, conservatives should support health care reform. I may just let Spectors office know where I stand on major issues and that I do apreciate his good hearted honesty and inteligence.
Funny thing about how conservatives choose to define themselves. Deficits were not a problem under Bush, but under a Democratic president they are? If the same money were being given to private insurers I'll bet they'd be trampling themselves to pass it.
What he said, if Joe Sestak wasn't breathing down his neck.But I am glad either way.Maybe with Sestak around, Pennsylvanians are going to have better representation no matter how it turns out.Although, I don't think Sestak talks out of both sides of his mouth like Specter.
I suspect he would be better than Specter but not much.
... actually making sense!
So, what's Spector's new angle? Seriously, he's wearing a pink tie and making sense. What's up with all that?
For speaking truthfully, even if a bit awkwardly. My sense is that you actually meant that the Tea-Baggers / Health Care protesters DO NOT represent the Majority of the American People. OTOH, we can be certain that they DO represent the Majority of Corporate Health Care Providers.
Senator, if you are willing to stand four-square behind a Senate equivalent to HR-676, a Single Payer solution to this country's Heath Care fiasco, up to and including the House-Senate consensus-building, then I would consider you to truly be a reformed Republican converted to the Democratic Party.
Please forgive my skepticism about your conversion until that time. And IF your conversion happens to fall short, say perhaps at the actual point of casting your vote(s) in this regard, do not be surprised if I, and many, many other constituents work toward your loss of your Primary Contest in 2010, in favor of a real Democrat.
Hopefully, sir, you will be looking for redemption for the past sins you have committed as a Republican, and especially for your nonsensical stance regarding the "Magic Bullet", a science fiction tale too weird to pass muster even as a work of fiction. If you decide to improve the legacy that you will leave behind, a claim of helping to pass Single Payer Health Care (HR-676) would go a long way in that regard.
For someone who has been in Congress as long as Specter has, it is irresponsible for him to use language so loosely. Many of these people may be beyond reason, but there are some people that just need to have their anger redirected.
I don't know why members of Congress don't try to structure their Town Halls in a way that requires people asking questions to reference specific parts of any of the committees's legislation when framing their questions. Time and time again you will see these protesters get asked where things they are stating as fact are in the legislation. More times than not, they say they haven't read the legislation, they heard it from Fox, they heard it from a Congress member, or they heard it from talk radio.
Put technology to use and display legislation on a big screen and have people who have researched the legislation and know roughly where different subjects are in the legislation do a quick search and pull up provisions or something relevant to the questions that are raised.
Afterall he has made a career out of not representing the people!
He should know what he is talking about.
republicanism is a mental illness!
Thank you Arlen Specter for acknowledging that fact. As a reasonable minded person with legitimate questions regarding health care reform, I find it horrifying to watch the kind of rude belligerent behavior that's been unleashed at these town hall meetings by right wing groups. The media, as usual, has done a poor job of calling it out and placing the blame where it belongs. These people do not represent the majority of Americans. I really pray to God that most Americans aren't that rude. They are being stoked by misinformation and given marching orders with specific instructions on how to behave badly by groups like Freedom Works. We can thank Rachel Maddow for doing her homework and exposing these people and who's really behind them.
Remember, as Canuckistanis, we pray to the Flying Spaghetti Monster that USA does not get single-payer or even watered-down public healthcare.
Our productivity lead over US industry depends on your greed, stupidity and class warfare.
If you, you get good healtcare, you might start considering quality affordable education like in Canada, too!
Our objection to the whole screwed-up political process in USA is that we're going to end up paying for America whether we like it or not. That's what Wall Street intended when it farmed out US debt to the rest of the World.
:(
Yeh! Ain't the WALLSTREETBANKSTERS just a hoot????
They get all the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and everyone else on Earth cleans up after them, pussy-foots around them, and please don't tell me these good ol' folks on WALLSTREET are anything except ZIONISTS!! gag!!!! Nothing more repulsive on the face of the Earth than BLOODYISRAEL.
To me, Arlen Spector will always represent the 'magic bullet' that made 3 right-hand turns. O-bought-ma stands behind this piece of shit, and just because it's before primaries it speaks the Democratic line. And, Rahmie, whose worse than Rove as far as I'm concerned. This piece of shit is what the DLC brings us, traitors that they are.
Who on Earth gets to say what is and isn't American? That's just stupid. It sounds a little too much like the Bush crowd for those of us who protested the invasion of Iraq. Condemning dissenters for lack of patriotism...now THAT'S un-American!
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