Terra Sigillata

Billionaires For Bush now against healthcare reform

Posted by Abel Pharmboy on August 14, 2009
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i-a053a4fd8ab2389fd587bc7fb842a279-Billionaires Against Healthcare 515px.jpg

Here’s the updated version of the group, Billionaires For Bush, doing their clever schtick prior to a healthcare town hall forum last evening in Durham, NC (Yes, they are standing in front of a Hummer H2).

A robust crowd of 850 people filled the B.N. Duke Auditorium on the campus of North Carolina Central University to hear from a panel led by Congressman David Price (D-NC4).

[N.B. - not well-known is that the Duke family purchased 25 acres of land to create the campus for this historically-black college four miles across town; hence, the university honored the gift by naming its central performance auditorium after the then-executor of the Duke Endowment.]

Over 100 people had to be turned away and there appeared to be only one skirmish that required police intervention.

The whole story and video report can be viewed here at WRAL-TV.

ibiblio pioneer and UNC-Chapel Hill Professor Paul Jones also provided timely and informative Twitter updates (@smalljones) while also coining the term, “Deather.”

One quick final note from the WRAL report: friend of ScienceOnline bloggers, Rep Brad Miller (D-NC13), has canceled his future public forums because of a death threat made to his office, choosing instead to meet with small groups of concerned citizens.

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Comments

  1. #1 Fred
    August 14, 2009

    If you would like to stand up for single payer health care (medicare for all) in a democratic and constructive way please consider joining our voting bloc at:
    http://www.votingbloc.org/Health_Bloc.php

  2. #2 Chris
    August 14, 2009

    I saw your group in Durham and you guys were AWESOME. It really lightened the mood and gave the forces of good the upper hand. Of course, the opponents of health care reform don’t understand sarcasm, but that cost them an election too, didn’t it.

    Keep up the great work!!!

    Chris from Raleigh

  3. #3 hiphop
    August 15, 2009

    It’s interesting that those tattoos do a better job of realistically representing the cephalopod eye (the one that’s visible in each, anyway!) than most cartoons do. There are probably cartoony versions of cephalopods on tattoos too though.

  4. #4 Libertarian Girl
    August 28, 2009

    I was at the town hall, and I was shocked when I came home and read Paul Jones’ updates. I always had respect for him and read his blog, but I really thought he was not objective with what he saw there at all (surprising for a journalism professor) or presented it even remotely accurately. There are many examples I could give, but for instance, here was one of his tweets: “Retired doctor wants to talk the deather talk, rationing, tort reform, Santa claus and too many medical tests. Price has good answers.”

    The man in question had to have been in his 90s, was stooped over, obviously on the northern side of elderly and started out by saying that he had been a doctor for 65 years. He asked about death panels and rationing (how can you blame him? the man is in his 90s and obviously his biggest concern is whether that is included because it most relates to him being 90something years old and understandably having his death on his mind– he’s probably not going to be anywhere near first in line if rationing takes place (side note: of course it will take place and it does now)). He ended by saying, “If you believe this will balance the budget, you also believe in Santa Claus and the tooth fairy.” It was a funny comment that even many Democrats agree with, as evidenced by the fact that Obama’s bill has not gone through the House and Senate where he has majorities.

    Yet, notice how Jones presented it: the man is a “deather” talking about Santa Claus, implying that the man was mentally ill or something. I found that just weird. I was taught to have respect for my elders, and the least you can do is not twist what they say to make them appear mentally unsound. I would hate to be a Republican in one of Jones’ classes or even a Democrat who disagreed with him on any issue if this is how he treats even mild-mannered 90something opponents simply asking questions.

    I am against our current system and am for reforms of it, but someone who thought along my lines in the pro-reform line was editorialized by Jones as a “con sneaking into the pro line.” I guess health care reform is not health care reform unless it’s exactly Obama’s plan. How does that make any sense, especially when Obama’s plan keeps changing? I think we should have a rational debate about ideas leading to a better solution, not the misrepresentation given by these Twitter updates.

  5. #5 George Sturdivant
    August 30, 2009

    Unless Orrin Hatch, John Macain and Judd Gregg start acking like mature Statesman and take control of their party, there wont be any bipartisan support. These, I feel are the Republican Senior Leaders and they need to take Druggy Boy Limbaugh, Sean, I never met a rich person that I wouldnt shill for ,and the rest of the Goon Squade that does the bidding for this country wealthiest, to the wood shed. What ever happened to Class, Good Manners, respect for your fellow man. This is the most hateful bunch of poor excuse of Christian Right talkers that I have whitnesses in my last 50 years. I always ask myself, when I’m making a voting decision, helping others etc. is WHAT WOULD GOD DO?
    Yes, I am a Christian, no I’m not a preacher and certainly not one of the socalled Christian Rights.
    We need to get our POLITICS and POLITICIANS back into being cival and respectful with each other. Alot more good work would get done.