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"I can't imagine a single person who was present at last night's town hall meeting by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz who would say the event was productive or worthwhile. The opponents of health-care reform and the Democratic Congress showed no interest in a dialogue; they just wanted to scream.
The hatred extended to anyone else in the room who supported Wasserman Schultz, like a blond woman whose name was selected randomly during the Q&A session. That woman, Marjorie, who was in favor of health-care reform, began by explaining how earlier in the evening when she was called upon to speak, she had forgotten her question. The woman said she suffered from short-term memory loss.
"Oh, come on!" hissed an elderly woman several rows back, who opposed the reform.
Marjorie described how she'd been struggling to get health-care coverage in the years since the accident that caused the memory loss -- while working as special education teacher, a student threw a metal ball, hitting the blond woman in the head.
"Good!" declared the elderly woman, apparently pleased to learn of Marjorie's becoming disabled.
A majority of the crowd in Fort Lauderdale's city chambers was in favor of health-care reform, at least judging by the applause. But that only made for more chaos with the deafening minority that was opposed. Wasserman Schultz would make a statement, a tea party-type would scoff or yell out, and then supporters of the congresswoman would get into arguments with that tea partier.
Those who wished to ask Wasserman Schultz a question were invited to put it on an index card, then file it in one of three boxes: supporting the Democratic Congress, neutral, or opposed. The congresswoman was to alternate among the three.
Except that nearly every person who claimed to be neutral was not. So for every question by a supporter, the congresswoman fielded two questions from people who had very clearly made up their minds that she was the enemy.
One man whose card was pulled from the box of neutrals declared: "I will try to get you fired. I will try to get
bill repealed." And then, as if just remembering the ground rule that all speakers are to ask a question rather than make a statement, the man added: "What will you do then?"
"Sounds very neutral," said Wasserman Schultz dryly. "Obviously, I'm against repeal."
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