Well, as you know by scrolling down the page, I went to Carol Shea-Porter’s Town Hall last week and pretty much recorded all for those to see what actually happened during the meeting. As I posted here, Carol Shea-Porter chose a VERY small venue so as to deliberately keep the number of attendees small. Thus, as a blogger that is technically capable, I brought my Flip Cam – after all, this is the new century and that is simply a tool of the trade.
So, why do I start this post this way? Well, it’s mostly because of what’s posted after the jump – someone who decided to continue to drink the Socialist Kool-Aid that Shea-Porter and her posse of Progressives keep serving up. What is written is an attempt to show something other than what really transpired – thus, a record that cannot trumped by mere words. Now, let me say what I’m really thinking! Here is my Letter to the Editor in response:
To The Editor,
Every community has their village idiot; they also have that singular person labeled "THE stuffed shirt" masquerading as your betters. It appears that Jack Polidoro is trying to wear the mantle for both with a dash of busybody thrown in for good measure (appropriate for a man of his caliber). Ph.D, author, and a man of great note in his own mind, he patricianly attempts to lectures us all about his vainglorious sense of political civility, use of common day technology (e.g., Flip Cams), and Public Meeting laws from the dizzying height of a 2 X 2 laid flat on the ground.
He is one of those that IF you do not behave just according to his partisan sensibilities, you are judged to be no more worthy than a heathen barbarian at which most civilized folks merely turn up their noses. Yet, that last action may be difficult for Jack to do; the impression from his Letters to the Editor is that he may be permanently in that position (like this guy or gal (Obama, Pelosi)):
As with the tenor of his other Letters, the disdain literally drips off the page for those that disagree with him.
Certainly, the Carol Shea-Porter Town Hall I went to was far different than the one he attended. What he wrote was a lame attempt to show something other than what really transpired. Certainly, there were responses that ran contrary to what Carol Shea-Porter told the crowd; the video he rails against recorded them. Some people were quite pointed in their questioning; the video recorded that as well. Certainly Carol Shea-Porter answered them; most often, using a filibustering method (to the point of berating a Senior when she used up his 2 minutes and did not allow for a follow up); the video recorded that as well. And almost all of that video is now on GraniteGrok available for ALL to see and judge for themselves of the truth of his clamorous claims. Frankly, his insinuation that the meeting was completely chaotic and impolite is shattered. And no technical wizardry was applied; the uploaded video was edited only so far as turning it into “question videos”.
His one purpose, braying like the Donkey he represents, was to smear the opposition just as others of his ilk are trying to paint TEA Party and other healthcare opposition as uncivil brutes, homophobes, and racists. I’m not surprised at his attack – he’s been doing this for a while in the local papers vis-a-vis other Conservatives. Heh – he’s actually become more of a punching bag for his holier-than-thou-attitude. Jack’s overly abused sense of civility is for the unloyal and uncouth opposition is to sit like school children sitting at attention, old school style: hands on the desk, heads bowed, and mouths shut; nothing else suffices. Tell me, Jack, how does it feel to be spiritual BFFs with Henry Waxman’s strong arm tactics? And isn’t it cute when he goes parochial with his resentment of anyone outside of Laconia? That’s civility?
Results?
That’s why vidcams appear at public meetings with no permission is needed; the pictures don’t lie. Millions use YouTube – try to keep up, please. As for polling – it must be crushing to know that Rasmussen and Gallup (national organizations, Jack) just reported folks prefer the TEA Party more than Obama! And if City Councilors and Mayors weren’t complaining about the crowd behaviour, methinks thou dost complain too much! "Hallowed Chambers" – can you worship “High Government" with any more intensity? I love correcting a Ph.D. – it’s GraniteGrok.COM; you know, where all the video is (do your homework correctly, please).
So, Jack, how did it feel to do that nose plant from that dizzying height of that 2 X 2?
I’m waiting for Jack to jump all over the grammatical "error" I left him – he loves to go after the little things and not to the bigger picture. Can you spot it / them?
His Letter from Saturday’s Laconia Citizen:
Jack Polidoro
Editor, The Citizen:
Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter has taken it upon herself Easter weekend and the following week to meet with voters in numerous towns in New Hampshire. I was fortunate to be at the Laconia Town Meeting on 4/1, irrespective of the disarray at times.
She addressed all questions in a civil manner and was gracious to those that chastised, ridiculed and lambasted her with barbs and rude behavior…behavior that in their minds said she was blowin’ smoke, was inaccurate, ill-informed in her duties or lying.
In the Laconia City Hall there is certain decorum expected of attendees and Mayor Seymour outlined that fact in his introduction of the guest. It was selectively disregarded! In addition, in the foyer, is a “notice” that cell phone use is not permitted in the building. I assume that recording devices are not allowed either unless they are official news organizations, LRPA or people who have prior permission for use in public chambers by the city manager, council or mayor.
In the course of the meeting, decorum was breached by belligerent guests, most of whom were from out of town and implicitly recognizable from Gilford. It was clear the numerous people in the first three rows (and a few in the back) were “agin’ the lady” since they neither followed the instructions for questioning her by random selection (ticket draw) or the fact that once your two minute (or less) question/ comment was offered, you were “done,” in the interest of others (60 or so) and in the interest of time. That did not set well with the dissidents that desired a “dialogue” in turn, or “out of turn,” since they hooted, hollered, interrupted and disrespected a sitting U.S. Congresswoman – a noted guest in Laconia!
At one point an overly pompous, vocal attendee in the front row took a cell phone call and began to chat while the Congresswoman spoke directly in front of him. She, smiling, graciously told him to “please answer it” when it rang. There was no apology from him for the disruption. A travesty.
There were three sitting members of the city council and the current and past mayor in the audience that I had hoped would moderate the unruly and disrespectful opponents relevant to parliamentary procedures and house rules already defined. No one did and they meet often in those hallowed chambers of local government, demanding proper etiquette and respect for themselves. Rules are rules!
Perhaps next time if they invite Judd Gregg, for balance, he can explain why he didn’t follow his constituents’ requests and vote “for” healthcare reform.
Any “moderator” of the meeting would have allowed for more questions, dissuaded ill behavior and disrespectful intimidation of the guest speaker. The derision shown was mainly from folks outside of Laconia. Maybe the Gilford Town Hall allows for such behavior.
Anyone who asked a question at the meeting was “filmed on mini-video or cell phone camera” surruptiously by local conservative Skip Murphy of granitegrok.org. Congresswoman Shea-Porter was filmed by him the entire night, statements and answers. That may not seem like a concern to you until you realize that “at his discretion” he uploads those edited clips onto his blog with tasty little comments, and also youtube.com. He and a former defunct radio show host colleague have done that numerous times often adding little “balloons” or liner notes with captions of their choice. They did it to Mr. Obama during the campaign and when he spoke at the Belknap Mill courtyard about environmental issues/ challenges. They have clips of the Congresswoman on youtube as we speak, some from older appearances.
Hello! – can you say non-desired Candid Camera, Laconians!! You were recorded against your will, pro or con. City Hall officials / the city manager and you may wish to contact him to see what he and his cohorts plan to do with the recordings or edited clips.
Aside from the persistent uncivil performances and ill behavior by an audience on the “right,” (some with obvious tee-shirts of preference), there were registered Independents and Democrats that balanced the room and complimented the Congresswoman on doing “something.” She backed up her statements with facts, data, preferences and desires for all Americans. One gentleman touted that a WMUR poll said “no” to healthcare reform, statewide. WMUR? My God, they maybe poll 700-1000 people (at most) in a state of 1.5 million and 900,000 voters. How many “registered voters” were polled, sir? What percentage was the standard deviation/error (+/- 4, 10, 40%)? WMUR aligns itself with the Union Leader – can you say biased? Some of us elected her for “change” and healthcare reform at a minimum. Nobody polled us and USA Today and CNN would disagree with you – they’re national.
The rude behavior and disregard for the rules of the Town Hall meeting by opponents embarrassed Laconia’s “political civility” as a city government/ operation.
One wonders how any politician in a respected position of the U. S. Government even desires that job and would take the abuse of unmitigated and often erroneous assaults from opposing views – some personal in intention. Had children been there, they would have “not seen” democracy in action, but ill-behavior that we teach them each day not to do, and is wrong!
In the future, I hope City Hall entertains more of these meetings and appoints a formal moderator to assist and maintain decorum and respect for any of our elected officials that speak to our residents, voters, either democratic or republican.
Jack Polidoro
Laconia
