The Clyburn Town Hall Tap Dance, Part II

The Whipper Finally Has a Health Care Town Hall .... Sort Of.

Tonight, word finally got out that, after weeks of delays and avoidance, Congressman Jim Clyburn was finally having a Town Hall meeting on Health Care. I found out at 7:00PM .... Unfortunately, it started at 6:30 PM an hour and a half away in Columbia. Thanks, Will..

Luckily for us, word gets out a lot better in Columbia than it does in Florence, so there were people there to protest, and to listen to what Jim had to say. There is only one small problem. The 'Town Hall' is part of a presentation called "Saving the Next Generation: Statewide Community Action Town Hall Meeting". What is it? Well, it's an initiative , sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the SC HIV/Aids Task Force. Clyburn was the Guest Speaker, and it was moderated by BET and Tom Joyner Show star Jeff Johnson. Here is a copy of the flyer from the agenda.....

There seems to be an overlying theme to who they wanted to attend, but from what we were told, it was a mixed audience.

How did we get all of this information? Luckily, we have friends, and through the magic of Facebook and Twitter (this is how it helps us, Waldo), Liana Orr kept us up to date with the event. Thanks Liana !! Now, the problem that those who came to ask questions is that they had to sit through the original presentation first. After about 3 hours, poor Liana had to go, but Clyburn was promising to answer the protestors questions - if they lived that long.

If i had to guess, I'd say that the Health Care meeting was a last minute add-on to the event, so Clyburn could say that he did have a Town Hall on the issue, while making it as unfriendly for opponents as possible. Good call. Not that fighting HIV and AIDS in the future isn't important. But to have to sit through three hours of explaining MSM - not mainstream media, but Men having sex with Men - and having to give your HIV status before getting on with them on Facebook will tets anyone's willingness to wait it out....

As little as was said before Liana left, The Whipmaster did give a small nugget on Health Care. For those of you that were thinking that Nationalized Health Care would mean that you got everything you needed, and Uncle Sam would pay the bill, you might want to reconsider. Clyburn used a metaphor to explain the kind or coverage - or lack thereof - that Americans might expect.....

"Every American Will be Entitled to a Ford Focus. Now, if You Want a Town Car, You Can pay For It"........

Two things struck me as funny. First, he used THAT word - entitled. Don't you just love the word entitlement? Secondly, I find it very ironic that he used the car metaphor, because the taxpayer funded car that Clyburn drives is .... YOU GUESSED IT ..... a Lincoln Town Car. So, he has the Town Car Health Care, and even the car itself - thanks to you. Sucker !!!!

If you waited the whole thing out, please let us know what went on at the Drew Wellness Center - which by the way, has recieved millions of dollars in Federal Bucks.

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