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Dispatch from Barney Frank's Badass Town Hall Meeting in Dartmouth



Congressman Barney Frank didn’t just remove his gloves tonight when he stepped in the arena at the Dartmouth Council on Aging. The liberal heavyweight dipped his mitts in glue and glass, and proceeded to swing mercilessly at simpletons who came to spar. The event was not supposed to be a Town Hall shebang – Frank was scheduled to address the Dartmouth Democratic Town Committee, and ultimately chose the larger venue to entertain America’s infectious municipal congregation craze – but he was more than happy to pummel dingbats for two-and-a-half straight hours.

The scene was familiar to anyone in tune with cable news: flocks of anti-government foot soldiers in open-toed sandals and knee-high tube socks yelling things like: “No Obama Care.” They’re everyday constituents – the butcher, the baker, and the crystal meth maker – just much fouler in all regards. Though this contrarian subset gets information from model-types and preppy studs – you should have seen the brunette smoke show accompanying Fox News pretty boy Griff Jenkins – Obama’s vocal adversaries make an ugly bunch. That especially goes for when they fire up their grills; the group’s forced howls at the mere mention of FDR, Medicaid, and the Boston Globe were particularly babyish and crude. 
 
I’m not sure if they’re just political pedestrians who were achieving virgin civic orgasms, but several people there were snapping pics like it was Disney World: “Look honey – this is from when we ambushed that gay Jew congressman.” The crowd was mostly old, and, from what I can tell, about half with Frank and half against. There was a disappointing lack of rednecks, but Lyndon LaRouche supporters picked up the crazy slack. Distributing literature with pictures of President Obama sporting a Hitler ‘stache, they caught the ire of Frank, who asked one cute hippie chick LaRuskie: “On what planet do you spend most of your time?” (Note to Chuck Turner and other black politicians who have welcomed LaRouche support: it’s time to shoo them off).

Beside LaRouche drones, there weren’t too many full-blown Neanderthals; I was actually proud to discover that even our conservatives and bigots here in Massachusetts aren’t slow enough to believe that Obama wants to euthanize Wal-Mart greeters. But that doesn’t mean cats weren’t rude; after all – the throwdown was a ripe opportunity for ambitious healthcare gadflies to influence peers and snatch national spotlights. It worked; Larry King led with the batshit LaRouche bitch, and, on a smaller note, one attendee wearing a t-shirt that read “Time Is Running Out America” told his friend that the Obama Nazi pic was going on the fridge (right next to a “My Kid Crippled Your Honor Roll Student” bumper sticker, I presume).

Frank doesn’t like being called a “freaking liar” – particularly when he’s reading directly from the proposed healthcare bill (that several antagonists insisted he had not read, despite his being familiar enough with the document to locate specific sections). Still, the congressman traded flames with detractors around the room – even those speaking out of turn, and even when those people didn’t understand the difference between federal and state legislation. Among Frank’s resounding zingers: “It’s been 21 years since I’ve had a secret,” “Who do you think paid for the war, Santa Claus?” and “You’re acting like you just discovered that it’s August” – the latter his response when someone accurately accused him of favoring a universal coverage model.

Like his colleagues have across the country, in Dartmouth Frank stepped into an un-winnable war against intellectual geriatrics who dislike deficits, but refuse to even partially blame George W. Bush, and who argue in the same breath that federal healthcare providers are both economically implausible and potentially endowed with enough resources to wipe out private insurance companies. But unlike many of his congressional comrades, Frank is not afraid to combat stupidity with hilarity and evidence. He’s so good at it, in fact, that as long as interest lasts I suggest he hosts these shindigs every week and televises them.

Though none of the scuffles blossomed into bloodbaths, our South Coast trip was worthwhile. Everyone should witness first-hand that Town Hall heckling is not an “Astroturf” movement, as Keith Olbermann and his MSNBC cronies have incessantly reported. This is genuine outrage and rigmarole, folks; these savages are angry, and they won’t take facts for an answer. That said; one thing the majority of these protesters and interrupters are not: establishment conservatives. The room was peppered with tucked-shirt Republican operatives, but those who engaged the debate distanced themselves from the extremists by behaving (and in one case by denouncing the comparison of Hitler to Obama).

I knew that poor and working class Americans were surfacing in droves to rival their best interests, but it’s especially sad to see them up close. They’re clearly blinded by ignorance and fear; why else would they fight on behalf of greedy insurance companies? Why else would they oppose tax hikes for people making more than $325,000 a year? Judging by their clothes, jewelry, and cars, it’s unlikely that many people there have ever earned substantial six-figure salaries. Come to think of it, of course big bank jerkoffs who benefit from healthcare inaction didn’t show to battle Barney. After all, they have an army of white trash circus clowns, ideologues, and talk radio wannabes who are glad and willing to execute their dirty work.

  • Obamasafool said:

    You need to get off the kool aide my friend.

    August 19, 2009 10:58 AM
  • barney frank town hall | rielle hunter photo said:

    Pingback from  barney frank town hall  | rielle hunter photo

    August 19, 2009 11:25 AM
  • MC Slim JB said:

    Dear "Obamasafool": If the only contribution you can bring to the debate is that idiotic comment, you should at least learn to spell "Kool-Aid".

    August 19, 2009 11:41 AM
  • kool-aid said:

    also, try harder to come up with cultural references that make sense. No one from jonestown would be able to produce 800 words about anything. that event was a tragedy. the kool-aid part was the culmination of the brainwashing, not the cause. If you are trying to warn people against being brainwashed you should warn them to avoid the kool-aid, not to "get off" it. show some respect.    

    August 19, 2009 1:58 PM
  • Bobby said:

    I'm having difficulty believing you actually believe what you've written. You've written it with such bile and hate that, for a democrat, you sound more like the kind of Bush Nazi gearing up for fight against the terrorists. As a franklin roosevelt democrat, myself, I can only say that your rage comes from the perverted form of liberalism that has polluted this country since the days of the Hippies. your a bit disgusting in your present state, but I suppose you can change.

    "why else would they fight on behalf of greedy insurance companies?"

    Do you realize Obama has been meeting and dealinf with the major insurance companies, and the majority of them are in support of his reform? At the Adam Schiff Town Hall in Alhambra, one of the speakers was the CEO of KAISER PERMANENTE. You're an ill natured idiot.

    "Why else would they oppose tax hikes for people making more than $325,000 a year?"

    Hardly true, though Barney Frank can tell you a bit about how he bailed out the dead, putrifying financial system of the folks making 3,500,000 or more a year. add a zero, and quiz Barney Beef Frank on how his work on the housing crisis made the folks at Goldman Sachs and Lehman bros. richer. Idiot.

    "Come to think of it, of course big bank jerkoffs who benefit from healthcare inaction didn’t show to battle Barney. After all, they have an army of white trash circus clowns, ideologues, and talk radio wannabes who are glad and willing to execute their dirty work."

    You disrespectful little shit! the end of your sentance should read "after all, the big bank jerk offs are for obama's healthcare bill, because it will cut 2 trillion dollars from mediocare/medicaid, and ensure that the HMOs are untouched, therefore, why would they show up to haggle someone they agree with."

    the overhead cost of medicare is 2% the overhead cost of HMOs is 30% why are Frank and Obama not looking to destroy the HMOs? probably because that would be patriotic. Why are they not allocatting infrastructure money for the building of county hospitals in every county of the US. Would that not be a real "public option?" the fact is they are NOT for universal healthcare. if you belive that, then YOU ARE BRAINWASHED. Barney Frank is the kind of sophisticated sophist that Socrates would have had fun with. in ancient Athans. he is a bail out monkey and a fraud, who may still be making a little money on the side by maintaining a homosexual brothel in DC like in the old days. (I am in no means anti homosexual, just anti deviant degenerates).

    Do some work, moron, before you decide to insult the majority of the American Population. talking to you is like talking to a dining room table.

    August 19, 2009 2:57 PM
  • Jackie said:

    This article is as frank as Frank; great piece!!  I would like to submit an alternate theory on why the poor and working class are willing to fight for the obscenely wealthy, though I tend to believe that your theory about fear and ignorance is the most plausible.  My theory has to do with hope.  Most see hope as a positive thing.  But hope can have it's pitfalls; like false hope.  Friedrich Nietzsche believed that "Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man."  Is it possible that the poor and working class fight for the rich, because they hope to one day be the rich?  I think it is, because hope doesn't restrict itself to any certain level of intelligence or income level.  It isn't predisposed to common sense.  It just inexplicably exists, and sometimes for the worse.  Here's a perfect example of false-hope dumping on the reality of others.  Americans are particularly vulnerable to false hope ever since Horatio Alger started peddling his novels.  There's nothing wrong with hope, when used in moderation and tempered with common sense; two victims of this sad economy.  Meanwhile, I'll employ my hope with healthcare reform, the public option, and politicians like Frank.  

    August 19, 2009 3:14 PM
  • PoorPoor Bobby said:

    Dearest Bobby, Please discover spellcheck.

    God loves you at least.

    August 19, 2009 3:15 PM
  • bobby said:

    why don't you counter what I said rather than pull the oldest and dumbest trick in the book, PoorPoor Bobby? Because you can't. don't waste my time, idiot, or is it ideit?

    Bobby.

    August 19, 2009 3:28 PM
  • PoorPoor Bobby said:

    Dearest Bobby, You are not capable of rational discussion, and you really do not know how to spell it.  See you in church on Sunday.

    August 19, 2009 3:53 PM
  • JC said:

    Bobby - your inability to spell and punctuate properly reflects a deeper level of idiocy that detracts from the points you are trying to make. It's perfectly valid to point to your grammar as a sign that you're probably not very smart. If you don't understand how retarded it is to say "sophisticated sophist," how can you understand anything about health care policy?

    August 19, 2009 5:36 PM
  • JC said:

    real comments --

    Chris, I love your writing. Your self-righteous indignation makes me feel warm and fuzzy, and the fact that can back up your bile with truth is the keef sprinkles on top of the bowl. I'm glad you mentioned that these same people somehow have GWB amnesia, cuz that's been pissing me off, but I haven't heard it mentioned yet. Our deficit, our bullshit, even the media mergers that have fed the phalanx of idiocy, all happened under W's watch. All this misdirected rage would be more pathetic than infuriating if I wasn't called a terrorist last year and now I'm a gov't stooge.

    Is there a video of this whole meeting somewhere? I laughed my ass off watching the Larry King clip, and I would definitely watch Barney's douche-bashing every week if given the chance.

    August 19, 2009 6:05 PM
  • L.E.Crick said:

    Whether you agree with him or not, Barney Frank is one of the most knowledgeable Members of Congress.  This is undeniable to anyone who is versed in politics and is a policy dork who understands the issues.  As far as criticism of him regarding the "bail-out," while supporting responsible expansion of home ownership, he was also advocating regulating all loan originators back before the bottom dropped out of the housing market (that is until Tom Delay expressly told him "no" on behalf of George Bush's White House).  Any claim that he had an active role precipitating the mortgage crisis and the subsequent economic decline is ill informed pundit regurgitation.  

    With regard to the comment regarding the basement brothel, may I offer this fact check: Barney Frank had no knowledge of any impropriety occuring in his townhouse (or his basement for that matter).  He personally requested the House Ethics Committee investigate the matter so that he could be cleared (by comparison to Rep. Foley who resigned so he would be beyond their oversight).  The Ethics Committee cleared him.  Outright.  It seems that whenever a wanna-be pundit is faced with their own congnitive dissonence, they grasp to these unsubstantiated allegations to some how undercut the reality - Barney Frank is a smart man who understands the issues and makes decisions based on what he believes best serves the United States of America and his constituents.  Thank God he'll win re-election again by at least 70% and can tell the truth to these idiots without worrying about being outsted by fox and friends.

    August 19, 2009 8:01 PM
  • links for 2009-08-19 (Jarrett House North) said:

    Pingback from  links for 2009-08-19 (Jarrett House North)

    August 19, 2009 9:53 PM
  • All Sorts of Town Hall Coverage for that Hip-Hop Ass | JumpTheTurnstyle said:

    Pingback from  All Sorts of Town Hall Coverage for that Hip-Hop Ass | JumpTheTurnstyle

    August 19, 2009 10:01 PM
  • Frank stands up to anti-Obama loon at health care town hall - Page 11 - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum said:

    Pingback from  Frank stands up to anti-Obama loon at health care town hall - Page 11 - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum

    August 19, 2009 10:33 PM
  • Frank stands up to anti-Obama loon at health care town hall - Page 11 - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum said:

    Pingback from  Frank stands up to anti-Obama loon at health care town hall - Page 11 - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum

    August 19, 2009 10:39 PM
  • barney frank town hall | rielle hunter photo said:

    Pingback from  barney frank town hall  | rielle hunter photo

    August 20, 2009 1:08 AM
  • john said:

    youre all a bunch of ideits

    August 26, 2009 6:32 PM

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