Specter Feels the Heat from Local Residents

Senator Arlen Specter listens to one of thirty people permitted to ask questions or make comments during a Town Hall meeting held at the Belmont Complex yesterday.

by Tiffany Chaffee

Senator Arlen Specter felt the summer heat Thursday afternoon from approximately two-hundred people who attended the town hall meeting at the Belmont Complex.

Spector entered the conference room at the Belmont to cheers and a standing ovation from his supporters, and boos from those who oppose him.

“I understand that you are here because you are concerned that the government is moving into more areas than they should,” said Specter to cheers from the crowd.  “The whole picture is open for civil discussion.  I am here to listen to your concerns.”

Specter allotted time for thirty questions to be asked, most of which revolved around healthcare reform.  Whenever attendees started filing in, a female staff member asked if they had a question.  The first thirty people, who said they had a question, were given a slip with a number printed on it.

Specter started out by telling the crowd that President Obama wouldn’t sign a bill that would increase the national deficit.  Some of the crowd responded with boos and shouts of “you’re lying” and “he’s a thug.”

“I am neither naive nor stupid,” said a woman selected to speak.  “My trust and faith in the United States Government has been destroyed.  It is abundantly clear to me that an overwhelming majority of Pennsylvania and U.S. citizens are opposed to universal health care.”

Specter answered her by saying that he does not support nationalized health insurance, but it would be another option or choice for those who don’t have it. 

Another woman brought up the point that the Health Benefits Advisory Committee would be made up of nine individuals appointed by the President, and the people were going to set the standard for the public option.  She asked Specter on his opinion of all the power given to the government.

“I will not support a bill which precludes what your doctor deciding what care you should receive,” answered Specter.  “I will not put the decision [of health] into the hands of a bureaucrat.”

“I think a lot of people’s frustration and anger comes out of a serious sense of insecurity about the future,” said a man from the audience.  “Senator Specter, can you speak to how the health care reform will provide stability for Americans and American families?”

“Health care reform will provide security and stability because preexisting conditions will not be basis for cancellation,” responded Specter.  “There will not be gender discrimination and it cannot be cancelled once you have the policy.”

“I’m sure when people decide to go into the medical field, we want to provide quality care for all people,” said a young man who is a University of Pittsburgh medical student.  “Insurance companies have too much power in medical decision making.  Its interest is in turning a profit for their shareholders.  How does the health care bill address this obvious, clear, and fundamental conflict of interest?”

“Insurance companies’ making a profit is capitalism,” answered Senator Specter, with simplicity.  “People will have a choice of what plan they want to buy.”

Senator Arlen Specter

Some attendees questioned the rapid push to get the bill passed.  Specter explained that there was an effort made to pass the bill in July, which was impractical.  “We are taking our time.  By taking time and having meetings, we can find out what the American people think about it.  There are meetings going on all over the country.  I will be reporting back to my Washington colleagues that the temperature in Kittanning is 213 degrees Fahrenheit.”

“There is such a disconnect between Washington and the people in the country,” the man continued.  “You have set yourselves up on a level that you do not identify with your own constituents.  You and your family have the best of everything.  You have great income, you have power and prestige.”

Specter agreed Washington has lost touch, but refused to identify with his colleagues.  “I will disagree with you that I have lost touch with my people.”

A woman shouted over boos from the crowd, “You changed to Democrat.  The Republicans put you in office.”

Specter’s answer was discrete.  “The American people are sick and tired of all the bickering on political ground and are more concerned with the next election than right now.”

After several attendees stormed out of the meeting in anger, Specter closed the meeting by saying, “I’ll tell my Washington colleagues I was wrong.  It’s not 213 degrees Fahrenheit, its 235 degrees Fahrenheit!”

Traffic Gridlocked During Senator’s Visit

Long lines formed outside the Belmont Complex with people hoping to be one of the 200 permitted into the Town Hall meeting with Senator Arlen Spector yesterday.

 

 

by Tiffany Chaffee

It is not often vehicles are lined up past the Franklin Village Mall waiting to make their way down the hill to Route 268.  They were delayed because of traffic attempting to make its way into the Belmont Complex to have a chance to debate with Senator Arlen  Specter during his 90-minute visit to Armstrong County.

People started lining up outside the complex early this morning, but many were turned away, not getting the chance to hear Specter because the venue only held 200 people.  There were another thousand trying to get into the Belmont parking lot.

In order to get Specter to the Belmont on time, the private motorcade drove around traffic on Route 268 on the opposite side of the road.

A State Police helicopter hovered above the area and troopers were on the ground assisting in traffic control.  State and local police, were stationed at the complex to perform crowd control in the parking lots.

During a meeting with media following the town hall meeting, Specter was asked why the meeting wasn’t moved to a larger venue.  “[The conference room] was the largest venue in the area,” Specter explained to the media.  “We didn’t anticipate this large of a crowd when we first planned this some time ago.  We had no expectation that anything like that would be necessary.  I’m not trying to avoid crowds.”

After the town hall meeting, police again directed traffic to get the hundreds of cars out of the Belmont and surrounding area parking lots.