# These town hall meetings have been interesting **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 23, 2017, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549 "2017-02-23T13:53:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/201 "2017-03-02T00:10:34Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > The reason I’m on SSDI is because I cannot maintain a job any more. Do you understand SSDI at all? Tough shit. Loser. I don’t want a single penny of my taxes supporting you. if you can’t afford to handle your shit, tough. Buy your own food, pay your own rent, pay for your own medical treatment. Get a job or starve. Welfare queen. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/202 "2017-03-02T00:11:48Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > For starters, I’m seeing “Member” rather than “Guest” on curlocat’s posts – that means some of our money got spent on these bloviations, right? Why is my tax money paying for that? ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/203 "2017-03-02T06:39:43Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Have you reached retirement age? If not, then in your case, you’re _mooching off_ everyone else’s pension plan to get a kind of welfare. Pensions are for the elderly. You’re not elderly. Whatever. If you don’t want to believe that SSDI isn’t welfare, I’m not going to keep banging my head against your stupid. > [@](#): > > Just because it’s administered by the Social Security Administration, and is paid out of the same pot of money, doesn’t change the nature of the beast. At least, that’s what the conservatives tell me. Maybe you’d do better if you didn’t just believe what you are told. > [@](#): > > Good grief, you can’t even make up your mind whether it should be mandatory (“someone else should have a say as to whether or not said woman creates more mouths to feed”) or a choice (“being given the option to not get pregnant would be a plus”). The idea is to make it mandatory if she applies for any sort of welfare. Her choice to do it and get free stuff or not do it and no free stuff. > [@](#): > > Like I said, liberals want to keep that option available for poor women, the vast majority of whom would gladly take it. Republican officeholders are almost unanimously against it. If you’re for it, stop ranting at liberals. (I know: “Why do you keep bringing up things that have nothing to do with the subject? Especially non starters like that.” Because it IS the subject. No, it isn’t. For one thing, I only “rant at liberals” regarding specific things, since I personally have many liberal views. For another, whether or not free or cheap BC is available has nothing to do with whether or not women who want welfare should be required to use some sort of long term BC. > [@](#): > > Look, including your suggestion of mandatory temporary sterilization, there are three options: > > 1. GOP: if poor women want birth control, they have to pay for it themselves. > 2. Dems: if poor women want birth control, insurance should pay for it. > 3. You: if poor women receive public assistance, they should undergo forced temporary sterilization. For you, there are only opinions that must be either GOP or Dem? > [@](#): > > But apparently you rank them 3, 1, 2. Which tells me that your goal isn’t minimizing the number of children born to women who can’t afford them, but rather you’re about punishing women for being poor, and taking away what choices they have. Well, that’s one of the dumbest things I’ve seen for awhile. My goal is try to get people to quit doing things they cannot afford, because the government will bail them out, which is many things - you just happened to jump on the BC part. It has nothing to do with punishing anyone and everything to do with trying to rid of the dependency on the government that so many people have; some minor, others for damn near everything. > [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Never in the history of capitalism have borrowers been the gatekeepers of who gets credit. It has always been the lenders. True the government pressured banks to make loans to black people with bad credit but the only way that really had any effect on the mortgage crisis is that it gave the bankers a dataset on which they could model the default rate on subprime loans. But it turns out that black families with bad credit but sufficient income defaulted a MUCH lower rates than white people with bad credit and insufficient income but they treated them the same for modeling purposes and their model blew up. Not sure what any of this has to do with what I said. > [@](#): > > This is anecdotal but the folks I know that hyperextended themselves to live in a home they couldn’t really afford did it for a few reasons. They thought that the price of homes would increase sufficiently to cover the interest and credit was very very loose. But for a lot of people it was about getting their kids into better schools. So you agree that many if not most of the people who lost their homes or are struggling upside down went into it knowing it was a gamble? And that is OK with you because it was about their kids? > [@](#): > > To be fair, most people can afford to attend their state school without saving a whole lot. Apparently it cost $13K plus a year to attend a UC school. > [@](#): > > Wait, how has medicare failed? I was actually thinking of Medicaid when I wrote that, but Medicare isn’t much better. When I was still in the biz, it was at least partially privatized, had a lot of problems with fraud and worked _very_ hard at not paying claims outside of routine Dr’s appts and things like that. I also didn’t say that either one of them had failed. > [@](#): > > The biggest problem with the welfare state is having to listen to all the folks from states that suck up social welfare dollars lecture folks from states that provide all those social welfare dollars. Ah, then, you have an inkling of how bad it is here. > [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > The SSDI fund tends to fluctuate along with the unemployment trust funds. IOW, we see huge spikes in disability claims during every recession. Its no coincidence that SSDI funds have been depleting since 2008 and is probably going to go broke in a year or two. Many of the people on SSDI are really just on extended unemployment after their unemployment benefits have run out. > > [DI Trust Fund, a Social Security fund](https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/STATS/table4a2.html) Are you aware that most of what you just said and none of your cite has anything to do with whether or not one can get SSDI by just “choosing not to work”? Is this considered to be a legit way to debate these days? It seems to happen quite a lot. > [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Is SSDI sufficient to provide for children? Should people on SSDI also be temporarily sterilized? No, and sure. > [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > SSDI is not a pension plan. SS is a pension plan. The government wrote in a disability rider. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/204 "2017-03-02T06:54:40Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Not very well, I’m afraid. I think you’re saying you’re entitled to buy luxuries with the money stolen from **Mr. Farnaby** at gunpoint because you have a note from a doctor saying you’re too lazy to work. Welfare Mama is _not_ entitled to buy luxuries with her share of **Mr. Farnaby** ’s money because she couldn’t afford a psychiatrist to write her a note. Am I close? Snort. Are you really so stupid that you think all that one needs is a note from a doctor to get SSDI? Is this what you folks do, throw out idiotic made up stuff just because you don’t like someone’s opinions on a subject? > [@SteveG1](#): > > Tough shit. Loser. > > I don’t want a single penny of my taxes supporting you. if you can’t afford to handle your shit, tough. Buy your own food, pay your own rent, pay for your own medical treatment. Get a job or starve. > > Welfare queen. Another snort. “Welfare queens” are supposed to be those who have kids in order to get things from the government that they haven’t earned or paid into. I, however, am taking back the money the government forced me to pay in for 35 years, at a loss BTW. Your taxes are not supporting me. Before you continue to spread this lie, maybe you should do some Googling on the subject? Start [here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/03/11/stop-with-the-zombie-lies-no-social-security-is-not-going-broke/?utm_term=.38e1149bcaa9). And stop to think why it is that I am concerned about all the taxes I am paying to give people houses, food, healthcare and everything else - you all are taking money from us at a rate that means my husband and I may have to sell our house when he retires. So how about you all start teaching personal responsibility and delayed gratification - maybe by the time you reach retirement age, you will not be forced to support so many irresponsible people. Really, the lack of knowledge on a subject you are are saying _I’m_ a hypocrite about is stunning. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/205 "2017-03-02T07:14:09Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > So, again, raise the price and people will stop getting care, _even care they need and even care they can afford_. Increasing cost sharing is a powerful, blunt, and dangerous tool. But I think the key passage is this: > [@](#): > > Workers — both the healthy and the sick — skipped out on care indiscriminately. “Prevention, imaging or drugs, consumers were cutting back on all those,” Chandra said. “That’s a sign they don’t really know what care is valuable and what care isn’t valuable.” These people appear to be choosing out of ignorance. They’re not saying _“I have a serious medical problem but I’m going to choose to leave it untreated because I’d rather spend the money on something else.”_ Instead, they’re denying to themselves that their problem is actually as serious as it is. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/206 "2017-03-02T07:17:12Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Your taxes are not supporting me. Before you continue to spread this lie, maybe you should do some Googling on the subject? Start [here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/03/11/stop-with-the-zombie-lies-no-social-security-is-not-going-broke/?utm_term=.38e1149bcaa9). And stop to think why it is that I am concerned about all the taxes I am paying to give people houses, food, healthcare and everything else - you all are taking money from us at a rate that means my husband and I may have to sell our house when he retires. So how about you all start teaching personal responsibility and delayed gratification - maybe by the time you reach retirement age, you will not be forced to support so many irresponsible people. > > Really, the lack of knowledge on a subject you are are saying _I’m_ a hypocrite about is stunning. Well, thanks for showing all that you are really the ignorant one. And your link does not show what you claim, it actually shows that Social Security will not go broke as many right wingers claim. And a third big failure it is clear that SteveG1 is channeling your typical Trump or tea party republican. Go bark your inability to learn to them. > **[5 facts about Social Security](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2015/08/18/5-facts-about-social-security/)** > > Social Security has developed into one of the most popular federal programs, though that popularity is tempered by concern over its long-term financial outlook. > [@](#): > > Social Security is, and always has been, an inter-generational transfer of wealth. > > The taxes paid by today’s workers and their employers don’t go into dedicated individual accounts (although 32% of Americans think they do, according to the 2014 Pew Research survey). Nor do Social Security checks represent a return on invested capital, though you might be forgiven for thinking so since the “personalized Social Security statements” that used to be mailed out once a year and now are available online detail your payment history and projected monthly benefits. **Rather, the benefits received by today’s retirees are funded by the taxes paid by today’s workers** ; **when those workers retire, their benefits will be paid for by the next generation of workers’ taxes** (caveat: see Point 3). Your benefit amount is based on your earnings history and age at retirement, not on how much you and your employer paid in Social Security taxes [Bold and underline mine.] ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/207 "2017-03-02T07:54:20Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Your taxes are not supporting me. The FICA taxes that employed people like us are paying most definitely **are** supporting your SSDI benefits. As **your own link** says, > [@](#): > > Workers pay Social Security taxes, which are then distributed to today’s recipients as benefits. [QUOTE=curlcoat] And stop to think why it is that I am concerned about all the taxes I am paying to give people houses, food, healthcare and everything else - you all are taking money from us at a rate that means my husband and I may have to sell our house when he retires. [/quote] This is either flat-out hypocrisy or just plain old cognitive dissonance. You’re bitching about the taxes you say you pay to help provide assistance for other people, but completely oblivious to the fact that other people’s taxes are also being used to provide the assistance **you** receive. (Yes, they are. Your own link clearly said so.) You don’t think people receiving benefits partly supported by your tax dollars are entitled to have a child they can’t afford, but you have no problem taking it for granted that you are entitled to own a house you can’t afford while other people’s tax dollars pay for benefits to you. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/208 "2017-03-02T10:19:24Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Whatever. If you don’t want to believe that SSDI isn’t welfare, I’m not going to keep banging my head against your stupid. Since it seems to be a matter of belief on your part that it’s not, I agree that there’s no point in banging my head any further. [/QUOTE] The idea is to make it mandatory if she applies for any sort of welfare. Her choice to do it and get free stuff or not do it and no free stuff. [/QUOTE] Well, glad you’ve made it clear what you’re advocating. > [@](#): > > For you, there are only opinions that must be either GOP or Dem? They are two clear and distinct schools of thought. There are other opinions, but these two usually represent the range of political possibility in this country. And you will note that I did include a third option - yours - which oddly enough > [@](#): > > Well, that’s one of the dumbest things I’ve seen for awhile. My goal is try to get people to quit doing things they cannot afford, because the government will bail them out, which is many things - you just happened to jump on the BC part. First of all, it’s hard to get to the meat of what an ideology is really about without getting into a specific issue. Otherwise, everybody’s just handwaving and saying vague things about ‘freedom’ and ‘personal responsibility’ and shit. Second, it’s the issue you brought up. You were the one accusing us libruls of heartlessness towards poor women and their potential offspring on the birth control issue. I divided the political choice space up into, again: 1. No birth-control assistance at all to poor women (standard GOP position) 2. Make birth control easily available to poor women (standard Dem position) 3. Force birth control on poor women if they want to eat (your position) Which pretty much covers the waterfront. > [@](#): > > It has nothing to do with punishing anyone and everything to do with trying to rid of the dependency on the government that so many people have; some minor, others for damn near everything. Taking away a person’s control over his or her body is inherently punitive. Option #2 is about helping poor women avoid pregnancy. Option #3 is also about that, but via bullying and extortion. It’s also infantilizing that person: it’s the government stepping in and making their choices for them, rather than enabling them to make good choices for themselves. That’s how you _condition_ people for dependency. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/209 "2017-03-02T15:19:08Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Another snort. “Welfare queens” are supposed to be those who have kids in order to get things from the government that they haven’t earned or paid into. I, however, am taking back the money the government forced me to pay in for 35 years, at a loss BTW. How do you figure it was at a loss? Hubby not planning on a long retirement? Or are you including income taxes spent on national defense, law enforcement, etc.? All of that was just to benefit freeloading Welfare Mama, I guess, not you. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/210 "2017-03-02T15:25:18Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > But I think the key passage is this:These people appear to be choosing out of ignorance. They’re not saying _“I have a serious medical problem but I’m going to choose to leave it untreated because I’d rather spend the money on something else.”_ Instead, they’re denying to themselves that their problem is actually as serious as it is. Did you read the part about the doctor with tachycardia? I have no idea why you are fighting so hard against the idea that raising the cost of something makes some people not buy it even when they need it and can afford it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/211 "2017-03-02T15:47:05Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Apparently it cost $13K plus a year to attend a UC school. So what? The Cal State system averages half that ($6704). Handy of you to pick the more expensive system for your example. Deadbeat. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/212 "2017-03-02T16:08:25Z")
People do pay into the Social Security system. People who collect for a long time take out more than they put in. Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) is paid for by the Medicare payroll tax. Medicare Parts B and D (physician and drug coverage, respectively) are mostly paid for by general revenues–the same source as TANF, Medicaid, etc.) If someone is on SSDI with a condition that will not shorten their lifespan, they will likely take in tens or hundreds of thousands more than they paid. Any time they spend on Medicare (generally people are eligible for Medicare after two years on SSDI) and use physician or drug services they are taking in more than they paid. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/213 "2017-03-02T16:23:42Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Snort. Are you really so stupid that you think all that one needs is a note from a doctor to get SSDI? Is this what you folks do, throw out idiotic made up stuff just because you don’t like someone’s opinions on a subject? > > Another snort. “Welfare queens” are supposed to be those who have kids in order to get things from the government that they haven’t earned or paid into. I, however, am taking back the money the government forced me to pay in for 35 years, at a loss BTW. > > Your taxes are not supporting me. Before you continue to spread this lie, maybe you should do some Googling on the subject? Start [here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/03/11/stop-with-the-zombie-lies-no-social-security-is-not-going-broke/?utm_term=.38e1149bcaa9). And stop to think why it is that I am concerned about all the taxes I am paying to give people houses, food, healthcare and everything else - you all are taking money from us at a rate that means my husband and I may have to sell our house when he retires. So how about you all start teaching personal responsibility and delayed gratification - maybe by the time you reach retirement age, you will not be forced to support so many irresponsible people. > > Really, the lack of knowledge on a subject you are are saying _I’m_ a hypocrite about is stunning. You should have planned better. Had better jobs. Saved some money. etc etc etc etc. LOSER. I’m concerned about MY taxes. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/214 "2017-03-02T18:16:48Z")
We have so many _GOP/Trump is stupid/malicious_ threads, I’m not sure which one is appropriate. But this one seems concerned with the ACA replacement (and anyway, needs a reprieve from the **curlcoat** show). Do you think [the new GOP healthcare plan](http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/03/only-republicans-are-allowed-to-see-new-health-care-plan.html) should be transparent so we can all understand and debate it? Or would you prefer it be kept secret and foisted on the public with no debate? Either way, the GOP is catering to you! > [@](#): > > Yesterday, House Speaker Paul Ryan boasted that his party would follow a deliberate, transparent process to repeal and replace Obamacare. “This is how the legislative process is supposed to be designed,” he told the Today show. “We’re not hatching some bill in a backroom and plopping it on the American people’s front door.” > > Today, House Republicans made it known that they will release their plan tomorrow and that it will only be made available to House Republicans. Representative Chris Collins tells the Washington Examiner the plan “would be made available Thursday morning to Republicans in a basement room of an office building that adjoins the Capitol.” > > It is not clear what distinction Ryan draws between a “backroom” and a “basement room” only members of his party may access. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/215 "2017-03-02T18:30:20Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > So what? The Cal State system averages half that ($6704). Handy of you to pick the more expensive system for your example. > > Deadbeat. And you can do the first two years in the community colleges for less than that. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/216 "2017-03-02T19:20:03Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > SS is a pension plan. The government wrote in a disability rider. Your disability payments are not a fucking pension plan, you parasite. A pension plan will give EVERY contributor money back at the time they retire/leave the plan. A pension plan is designed as a savings plan, where \*\*everyone \*\*contribute when they are earning, and then \*\*everyone \*\*gets benefits when they are not. But not you. No, you are special. \*\*Everyone \*\*contributes, but only the special people get benefits. Some of them deserve them, but others are likely fakers and cheats, who are getting benefits paid for by others. I wonder which one you are? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/217 "2017-03-02T21:25:32Z")
Social Security is not a pension plan at all, if you want to get technical about it. It’s an annuity. . ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/218 "2017-03-02T21:31:58Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Do you think [the new GOP healthcare plan](http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/03/only-republicans-are-allowed-to-see-new-health-care-plan.html) should be transparent so we can all understand and debate it? Or would you prefer it be kept secret and foisted on the public with no debate? Either way, the GOP is catering to you! Not only is it secret - it’s hidden. [It’s like a legislative scavenger hunt](http://www.vox.com/2017/3/2/14792196/gop-obamacare-bill-search). It would be funny if it weren’t, you know, life and death for people dependent on the contents of the super secret, hidden bill. (actually, it’s still kind of funny). ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/219 "2017-03-03T00:29:17Z")
Sounds kinda like the GOP health care plan: “It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying, ‘Beware of the Leopard.’” -Arthur Dent ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549/220 "2017-03-03T01:39:17Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > The reason I’m on SSDI is because I cannot maintain a job any more. You’re just lucky global warming has reduced the availability of ice floes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-town-hall-meetings-have-been-interesting/780549.md?page=12)