The 46 Questions Asked of Rep. Rob Wittman at his town hall at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va.
01. How long do you have to be in Congress to get health insurance?
02. What is health pension for member of Congress?
03. What do you pay for your Congressional health plan?
04. How can we help young people working in small businesses w their health insurance?
05. What are your feelings re public option?
06. Older woman rose and called Obama a right wing radical communist. Question: What would Wittman do to stop the right wing communist in our country from taking over?
07. Is there a way to make health care bill available online?
08. What alternative do we have if Obama rams this thing through? (When Wittman told audience to contact Sens. Webb and Warner the crowd grumbled and one woman was heard to say: they’re not listening…)
09. Bill has too many blank spaces and the devil is in the details… explain cloture to me. (Wittman then explained in detail how a bill moves thru the House and the Senate).
10. Praised Wittman’s website and YouTube content. How can we stop waste, fraud, and abuse in the health care system?
11. Woman on medicare. I paid $600 for these shoes I have on thru medicare why?
12. Why isn’t legislation easier to read and understand?
13. You are in Congress to help and protect us. I want to know what you are doing to take care of us? Who wrote this bill and how did they do it within 6 months of Obama being in office? Who authored this bill?
14. What is difference between inefficiency in health care costs and another tax or a large premium and a tax? I’d might as well be paying another tax.
15. Some woman gets up and reads some odd pseudo-militia-patriot-less-government screed (crowd applauds). No question.
16. Man with “I love my country it’s my government i’m afraid of,” T-shirt stands up, holds up a constitution and asks Wittman: Where in here does it say the government should control our health care?
17. Questioner hits up Warner for being in Asia and having a bad website. Woman on medicare. Asks vague question about primary care coverage system.
18. Electronic medical filing would save money why don’t we have that? Daughter received bill for 22K because wrong bill was sent to her.
19. QUESTION NOT ON HEALTH CARE — QUESTION ON IRAN and the UN — Surprise!
What should we do next concerning Iran.
20. Would you get rid of social security if you had the opportunity?
21. Will you oppose medicare cuts in the final bill?
22. Critical of Obama, auto bailout, cap and trade, internet control of by White House. Members I am concerned about the validity and qualifications of Barack Obama to hold the office of the Presidency. Questions Obama’s citizenship and questions “sealed records” concerning President Obama.
23. Uncalled on man of about 55 yells loudly from balcony: “Do you think Obama is a citizen!” Three or four times very loudly. Wittman refused to answer though they man was very loud and persistent.
24. How did stimulus package get written so quickly who wrote it? Things are happening so fast and we don’t have time to figure out what’s going on.
25. Is it true that stimulus package was written by the Apollo Group?
26. Guy who says he met Wittman at “the tea party in Newport News,” asks how we can take reinstitute “the 10 commandments and the constitution” back into American life.
27. How can we stop waste and inefficiency in the health care system?
28. How can we counter the influence of big business and big money in the health care debate.
29. How can we control influence of lobbying (same guy as #28).
30. Man critical of people w signs outside in favor of public option is critical of them and receives applause. Says he is “violently opposed” to anymore government intrusion in our lives and receives a standing ovation. Statement no question.
31. Man tells of concerns re government spending too much money. We need to try to cut spending. Statement no question.
32. How did this bill come together? What groups were involved?
33. I don’t agree with anything in HR 3200 but what is the Republicans health care plan? Where is your plan?
34. Why isn’t tort reform in the bill? Why aren’t Republicans talking about it?
35. “Rev. Carter” of NN gets up and defends public option and a low key riot almost breaks. Wittman calms crowd and Carter continues. Is there any chance you will vote for the bill? Any chance at all?
36. Seventy-eight year old man commends Wittman on town hall and criticized Rep. Scott for having an “invite only” mtg. Wittman inturrupts man and informs him of Rep. Scott’s town hall Tuesday night. Man then goes into anti-Gov screed about drilling in the U.S. and too much government in our lives. Brings up power plant in Surry that we should be using. Says the words “read the bill, read the bill,” over and over again. Talks at length.
37. Why no tort reform in bill?
38. Who forces odd things into these bills? Drug addiction, sex changes? How does this stuff get covered in the bill?
39. Are illegal aliens part of this health plan?
40. Isn’t the real problem the government?
41. Is there some way you get put legislation forward to get rid of Czars.
42. How did Van Johnson get involved in writing this bill?
43. Woman who declares herself a Democrat declares support for public option. How do you defend our health care system when you look at the infant mortality rates and other stats?
44. I’ve just gotten out of college and want to discuss public option… vague, rambling…
45. Statement regarding trusting the government — no question. Vague medicare reference.
46. Statement from black man in audience regarding “blacks are not here because they chose not to come,” and when you hear calls of racism they are not true… LAST QUESTION.
