Mass Strike Closes August With a Bang

September 2, 2009 (LPAC)—The mass strike showed no signs of slowing down on Monday, Aug, 31. Over 12,000 people got off their couches and went to at least 16 Congressional town hall meetings, yesterday, at most of which a great deal of opposition to the Obama health reform plan was demonstrated.

Here's a rundown of the known meetings:

* Sam Farr (D-CA)—An estimated 800 people attended a town hall meeting in Salinas, Cal., reported to be "loud and rowdy." People shouted insults and booed Farr when he spoke about the public option, though the crowd was reported to be more supportive of reform than against it. One woman was reported to be handing out LaRouchePAC literature reading "Act now to stop Obama's Nazi health plan." [San Jose Mercury News]

* Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) held a "raucous" town hall meeting in Petaluma attended by about 1,200 people. Woolsey spoke mostly in favor of the plan, but dozens spoke on both sides of the debate "amid constant jeers and chants." [pressdemocrat.com]

* Jim Himes (D-CT) addressed "a divided and highly charged group of about 200 people" in Greenwich. Himes spoke in favor of a public option. He was asked about "death panels" and claimed that "There is nothing in this bill that will deny life-saving care to any American." Some people outside who could not get in were carrying signs saying "We the people... do not pull the plug on the elderly."

* Baron Hill (D-IN) — 400 people packed a meeting room at Indiana University SE, with 200 more people outside. The questions were reported to be civil but "spirited." [Courier- Journal, Louisville, KY]

* Mark Souder (R-IN) "got an earful" from an estimated 600 people in Middlebury for nearly 4 hours, with some cheering and jeering. [wsbt.com]

* Dave Loebsack (D-IA) — 75 people attended a one-hour forum in Ottumwa that Loebask described as one of the "least raucous" he had held. [ottumwa.com]

* Joseph Cao (R-LA) addressed 100 people in a meeting in Kenner's Rivertown in New Orleans. The crowd was mostly "vehemently opposed" to a government-backed insurance plan, but Cao urged people to wait to see what the final bill looks like. One 76-year-old woman told Cao that the plan is "going to kill seniors." [N.O. Times Picayune]

* Peter Hoesktra (R-MI) told a crowd, estimated to be near 1,000 people, in Holland, that he has "great discomfort" about the plan. [wzzm13.com]

* Betty McCollum (D-MN) spent most of her town hall meeting at Macalester College blaming the Republicans for trying to stop health care reform, and in fact, took heat from some in the audience for not doing enough to counter GOP misinformation. [The Minnesota Independent] Minnesota Public Radio estimated that 350 people were in attendance with another 300 outside.

* Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) greeted by "mix of heckling, boos, applause" at a meeting in Springfield. She defended herself by saying her job is to represent the people of Missouri and that any bill that passes will have to pass "the common sense test," not what party leaders say. Nonetheless, she got many hostile questions. [Springfield News-Leader] Joplin globe estimated the crowd at 1,100.

* Eric Massa (D-NY) told a crowd of 800 in Horseheads that the health care bill now in Congress probably will not pass in its present form. He said it was too flawed for him to support, and he predicted that the debate is going to go on for a while. Most of those who spoke from the floor were against government involvement. [stargazette.com]

* John Sullivan addressed 200 people in a meeting in Broken Arrow, Okla. [Broken Arrow Ledger]

* Representatives Sam Johnson, Joe Barton, Jeb Hensarling and Pete Sessions (all Texas Republicans) held a joint meeting in Richardson and answered questions from an audience of nearly 2,200 which was largely supportive of the four.

* Norm Dicks (D-WA) spoke to about 1,100 people in Kitsap, arguing that the current rate of the cost of health care is unsustainable, but he also said he's comfortable with Congress taking its time. The crowd was apparently relatively sedate until Dicks said he favored the public option and then got passionate from there. [Kitsap Sun]

* Brian Baird (D-WA) faced nearly 1,000 people in Olympia.

* Rob Wittman (R-VA) addressed 440 people inside, with 150 to 200 people outside in Newport News. He was reportedly well received by the crowd because of his opposition to HR3200.