U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee
You would think that at an event as important as a town hall meeting, being asked questions by citizens and constituents, a Congressman would lend their undivided attention to a citizen's question. Not so with U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.
Lee was taped at a town hall meeting talking on her cell phone while a citizen asked a question of her. The lady asking the question claims to be a cancer survivor who "like(s) our health care system just fine." She goes on to exclaim further that, "I am unemployed and am about to have to go buy my own policy and I don't want the government involved in my decision making."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L3FnWNkIzU
All the while, Rep. Lee is listening and talking on her cell phone. Even audience members state, "She's not even listening!"
The subcaptions on the video give a running explanation of events recorded. One questions how effectively the Obama administration's policies will perform with people like this writing it's guiding statutes.
A very good video depicting part of the problem--that Americans have been aimlessly passing through life and have not kept ourselves informed or our representatives accountable.
The woman asking Rep. Lee a question actually is making a statement. "I'm unemployed and am about to have to go out and buy my own insurance, and I don't want government-run health care!"
So this begs only one more question of Rep. Lee:
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW???
Comments
Yep, Sheila Jackson Lee's townhall meeting was pretty much a debacle. Really, though, this doesn't change the fact that this country is in desperate need of health care reform. The "invisible hand" of the free market has failed to regulate private health insurance companies, who routinely refuse coverage to people with pre-existing conditions like cancer. Let's start getting real about this and ask legislators serious questions about tax payer cost, options, and quality of care. Do people really think the U.S. is going to turn into Russia if Health Care Reform is passed? Seriously, folks, do you even understand what socialism is? If people are really this stupid, next up we really gotta double down on education reform.
As important as this subject is to the American people, regardless of which side you happen to be on, shows that Rep. Lee has been in Washington way too long. Unless this call was a family emergency, anything else could and should have waited until after the meeting. It was a pitiful display of Washington arrogance and indifference to the American people.
I'm an idiot. After the making the last post I realized that Obama has gone on record saying that he intends to implement a single payer plan incrementally. Step 1 is public health insurance. Nothing is more socialist than expanding government and giving it control over a sixth of the US economy. The jury was still out on socialism vs capitalism in the 1930's when welfare and social security were put in place. It still wasn't entirely clear to everyone when medicare, etc was implemented in the 1960. But, today there is no doubt about socialism's failures. We don't want it in our country!
Rude, disrespectful and a perfect example of our government's total lack of regard for the people who put them there. This disgraceful example of leadeship needs to be fired!
The label "socialism" isn't the issue jordan. The issue is this bill. I believe that most of the people (including me) feel that some reform is needed; however, this bill isn't the answer. Have you read H.R. 3200? Have you seen all of the new federal agencies that it proposes to create? Have you seen the billions of dollars that will be appropriated? Have you noticed it doesn't mention tort reform? Have you seen the new "Public Health Workforce" section? Have you noticed that nowhere does it mention how much money will be saved by any of the programs being implemented? Does it mandate that the public option compete fairly with private sector (i.e., not have its rates lowered artificially by tax subsidy)?
I think we can all agree that a smart thought out plan for health care reform that is easy for everyone to understand and covers all Americans is something that would be easy for all of us to get behind. I also think that working on the economy and creating jobs right now is a real emergency situation. I think if the President and the house extended the same effort on job creation that they have extended on this bogus bill that no one believes, we would be moving in the right direction. ! If there is so much savings that can be reclaimed by eliminating waste, why don't we go ahead and tackle that waste right now? Why don't we do the common sense things to improve our system right now and then work on the details. Why are they so against Torte Reform? Why are they totally against listening to us? Sheila Jackson has already made her bed, NO respect it's over. We don't want this and we don't trust the people that do. It's time to clean house in 2010 and take back America. The Townhall MOB
Jordan, thank you for chiming in. You are not an idiot. An idiot would have chosen not to correct himself! Thanks for your comments, folks--best response to an article yet!
I think that Sheila Jackson Lee now is the poster child for a Congress that does not listen to the American people.
The town halls have been a spectacle, but not because of the justifiably angry citizens. It's because of the arrogance of Representatives like Specter, Gene Green, and Jackson Lee. They hold town halls to pitch HR 3200. Green disallows citizens to his meetings that are not in his district even though his vote impacts all of us. Jackson Lee made a presentation to "dispell the myths" about health care, that tells you her mind is made up, as was apparent by her interviews on Fox and CNN. She didn't listen to me even after the meeting if she still cannot understand why a "robust public option" would not satisfy my concerns about health care.
We don't have to reboot health care to solve some of the pressing problems. We simply will never get perfection but each time Congress strives for that they take another piece of liberty from us.
Tracy Miller
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!