The Heritage Foundation - Leadership for America

August 4, 2009 Phyllis Stind - Appleton WI writes:

Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the Green Bay town hall last night, so I decided to go to the one in Appleton this morning. About 300 people showed up and they had 2 cops at the door blocking people from going in. We were told that the meeting room was full (less than 100 capacity, no standing allowed) so a couple hundred of us didn’t get to see or talk to Kagen. All we could do was write down questions and drop them off. FRUSTRATING!

August 4, 2009 Sandra, Franklin, WI writes:

Perhaps Rep. Kagen should speak to Rep. Paul Ryan from Wisconsin who is proposing real solutions. If he wants Obamacare, let him and all the other Congressman try it out for a few years on their own dime, be rationed and wait for months for their appointments. The rest of us can choose to live under a capitalist system and receive the best health care in the world.

August 5, 2009 Grace, Florida writes:

This is interesting. Cops at the door? Where were the cops in Phildelphia when the Black Panthers were ridiculing voters? People are angry I don’t think their violent - yet.

August 5, 2009 jim smith writes:

As soon as these demo reps catch on, they’ll schedule Town Hall meetings for the inside of their cars with all the windows closed. America doesn’t like the Nobama plan. And think what would happen if even he read the bill, he’d like it even more. Don’t let these socialists take away your FREEEDOM!

August 5, 2009 Jerry from Chicago writes:

If these Congressmen were smart they would have these townhall meetings in venues large enough to accomodate lage crowds. Even more important, they should open their meetings with the statement “I am here today to listen to all of you and want to know if you folks support national health care or not. Health care reform doesn’t necessarily have to mean national health care. I will try to the best of my ability to answer your questions.”

But before making such a statement, I would be damn sure I read the House bill 3200. I would also be prepared to answer the question “Will you give up your federal employee health care program and subject yourself and your family to what is being proposed by the government for the rest of us, and if not, why not?”

August 5, 2009 Linda in Texas writes:

I want to know WHEN the reps and senators began to think that they do not work for the people of America. Who are they working for? Perhaps that is the secret to be uncovered. I hope everyone gets out in 2010 and votes them all out.

August 5, 2009 Diana, MO writes:

Our elected officials work for us, the American people and it is time they remember that. People that are able to attend the ‘town halls’ are not on the fringe, radical or as “Plastic Polosi” is now stating; “plants from the Insurance industry…at the meetings…”
The American people (vast,from all walks of life, and ever growing in numbers) are angry and fed up with our government officials, that mostly use their ‘power’ to run tight with lobbyists and other elitists, and could care less about the people in the home districts. Both parties are guilty of this and prefer to just mostly stay in DC with ‘their kind’ and not stay in touch with reality and the folks back home. It will be a very sad day in our country, if and when, this health care ‘takeover’ by the Fed’s comes to fruition.
People just want to live their lives, with no or minimumal, intrusion from our ELECTED government. It is our Constitutional right and duty to keep the government at a minimum on their power and oversight into the American peoples lives.
Please do not let OUR America slip away!!

August 5, 2009 Lloyd Scallan - New Orleans writes:

All of those that have attended a town hall or public hearing to protest should consider themselves lucky. My Senator (Mary Landrieu) won’t even reply to my request to where, when, or if she intends to face her constituents. She has already stated she is supporting Obama’s bill. Of course, she votes for every socialist bill that the DEMS tell her to vote for. That’s OK. None of us will forget come next election.

August 5, 2009 Laura Van Overschelde, Mississippi writes:

It maybe a red herring that the Congress was so angry with the previous administration that they had no intention to pass legislation that would give any positive credit to GWB. That can be debated at another time. We have this mess to deal with the health care issue and the smoke and mirror hoax of “Cap and Trade” now before us. And it is very alarming that the Obama Administration CHOOSES TO IGNORE the Americans who are able to be heard. Sticking your head in the sand and calling us “organized” by Republican, conservative groups, or others is of no use to either us or the President’s efforts. Maybe he doesn’t understand the American People are much smarter that those HE was able to hoodwink into joining ACORN. The independent spirit of the American People is much more savvy than Obama is recognizing. And that independent spirit is alive and well, showing its head and is not pleased that this POTUS IS NOT SEEING THAT HIS PRESENT AGENDA IS NOT AGREEABLE TO US. Thank God that the very wise Founders provided for the rights of free speech and assembly. Remember the Constitution with our Bill of Rights, Mr. Obama?
Maybe the POTUS is too young to remember the crowds that assembled in Washington protesting the Viet Nam War and its impact on the generation of Americans who gave the ultimate sacrifice for a cause that was not clearly positive for America! You see, Mr. Obama, those of us who are thinking people, do not need some leader to think for us, we can and DO THINK FOR OURSELVES. And we also recognize when some one (even the POTUS) is trying to put one over on us, unnecessarily!

August 5, 2009 Dave from Las Vegas writes:

The idea that America has a representative form of government is ludicrous. Our Congressmen no longer represent our collective interests. Rather, they represent the narrow special interests of moneyed lobbyists and partisan politics. We need to remind them of where their true duty lies by confronting them at every opportunity.

Our founding document, the Declaration of Independence, lays fourth the fate they shall suffer if they continue to abuse their authority and trample on the rights of those they govern.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

August 5, 2009 Dan, NJ writes:

Take Action Against Gov Health Care

Make your voice heard. Here is a petition that will automatically send an email to YOUR Senators and Congressman:

http://www.petition2congress.com/2/2066/stop-madness/

August 5, 2009 Lynn B. DeSpain writes:

No matter what Obama tell us about costs of National Medical Care, nor what Congress tells us, the proof is in the, “Gas Guzzler” rebates of $4,500 that congress set aside for people to trade in certain vehicles and by better milage vehicles. Congress had figured the Billion Dollars would last through October! It was gone in two weeks!
That should tell all of America all we need to know about what it will really cost all of us for National Health Care! Do not trust the Government to tell you the truth about anything! For one reason or another, the Government believes us all to ignorant to understand what is best for us, and they, to elite to explain.
Hozro

August 5, 2009 Renee DeShane Lowesville, VA writes:

When I emailed my 2 Senators about this whole health care mess, I asked what is the rush? We need to be very careful when proposing something that will change the lives of every American. Why not just insure the 47 million? Why would we change everyone to accomodate only a few? I received an answer from Senator Webb which sounded like the talking points given to the Congresspeople going home for August. Of course he didn’t address any questions I asked. Senator Warner has never replied at all, and this was a month ago. At least I have a Congressman, Bob Goodlatte, who calls it like it is, and even has a web site devoted to killing this Turkey. nofedmed.org

August 5, 2009 Martha, Arkansas writes:

Listen up everyone…..we are the government, plain and simple. We pay the salaries of these people (who get a lifetime salary and free health care on us) and we need to let them know who is boss. There are 18 states that allow for recalls of senators, Wisconsin is one of them. Look up the procedures and start the process. I don’t know about anyone else, but I am sick and tired of these crooks and thieves treating me and my fellow Americans like a bunch of idiots. We are not, and we need to show them power in numbers. It is up to us to take care of each other - for too long we have sat back and just allowed the 500+ elected officials tell us what to do, when to do it and take our hard-earned money to pay for it. Stop this madness by using the resources God gave us - each other. Get together and conceive a plan to put America back together.

August 6, 2009 william boyer writes:

What frustrates me the most is that the people are no longer listened to. It wasn’t that long ago that the left’s slogan was “power to the people.” Of course that meant people of their choice. Now that THE people are speaking up, the left has grown nastier and resorted to every lie and distortion they can muster. Nancy Pelosi is a disgrace, a dreadful woman who shows up with thousands of dollars of clothing and jewelry on her person, claiming to have the best interests of the people in mind and then refuses to answer or plainly lies when she is challenged about some of her remarks. She and that whole nasty crew behind her must go.

August 6, 2009 Bobbie Jay writes:

Government works for WE THE PEOPLE. Anything the true Americans dissent to and any actions taken, is all PROVOKED by PEOPLE OF GOVERNMENT THAT WORK FOR US, WE THE PEOPLE! GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN THEMSELVES THEIR OWN RIGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ABOVE WE THE PEOPLE, OUR RIGHTS!!!!!

GOVERNMENT DOES NOT WANT THE TRUTH TO BE KNOWN!!!!!!!

August 11, 2009 Shawnee, Missouri writes:

When our government was first adopted, they worked for us. But as things have continued to change over the years, and as people have become more materialistic, and more worried about money than anything else in their lives, we have turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to what has been happening in Washington. They silently slip things in, over and over again, and we have tolerated it, until we are in the situation we are now. People, we had better get our heads out of the sand, and start paying attention to what is going on.Wake up, America, or prepare to suffer the consequences!

August 11, 2009 Shawnee, Missouri writes:

Martha from Arkansas, I’m with you!! If enough of us of one mind can come together, peacefully, there is nothing we can’t accomplish!! We need to take America back!!