Newsflash from the New York Times on the town hall spectacles we witnessed in August:
For all the shouting that has dominated these town hall meetings on health care lately, they have yielded a few important insights. The first is that the town hall itself has probably reached the end of its usefulness in the Internet age; if you’re looking for thoughtful dialogue, you might as well hold your next meeting on the stern of a Somali pirate ship. The second is that we now have a visual sense of the kind of voter who is militantly opposed to Obama’s health care agenda and, more broadly, to the president himself.
The typical anti-Obama activist tends to be white, male and — perhaps most significant — advanced in age.
The most vocal folks at the town halls did not look like youngest, most diverse generation that supports health insurance reform by wide margins.
If you missed the fun, there is still a chance to get visible and have your voice heard as Congress gets back to work next week. Join one of the many health care rallies across the country and send Congress back to Washington, D.C. with the message of reform ringing in their ears. Click here to sign up! Shouting, cool t-shirts, and signs are encouraged.
~Thomas, Rock the Vote
