Massachusetts Politics News

President Obama will bring his healthcare-stimulus road tour to New Hampshire next week, the White House just announced. The town hall will be in the Portsmouth area on Tuesday. More details to come. It will be Obama's first foray into...

From Health Care For America Now, a counter-thug strategy. One might add that we need bodies, people, numbers at these town hall meetings. They wanted a scrap -- let's give 'em a scrap.

1. Do not debate on their "policy" points. Remember, they are seeking a platform to distort the truth about reform by making health care about abortion, rationing, euthanasia, etc. Rather than try to reply with the truth (which won't move them anyway) we should respond with our message and at every turn re-focus the agenda on communicating with the Member of Congress.
2. Interrupt them when they get disruptive and refocus the meeting: Line up a number of people who feel comfortable interrupting and prepare them with statements like:
   • "Excuse me, I came today to listen to Representative XXX explain how this bill is going to make health care more affordable for me and my family.

[Posted on behalf of The Fernald League for the Retarded, Inc.]

Having been to two of Governor Deval Patrick's "town hall meetings" that he's currently holding across the state, I think I'm getting some insight into both some of his strengths and some of his weaknesses as a leader and a campaigner for a second term in office.

First of all, I'd say that these meetings further blur the already blurry line between governing and campaigning.  Obviously, Patrick didn't invent them.  Town hall meetings held by politicians have become a ubiquitous feature of the political landscape, from presidential campaigns on down. 

They have the look and feel of both public hearings--in that ordinary citizens are invited to present their concerns and grievances to the governor--and of political campaign stops.

The Democratic National Committee today launched a web ad slamming the GOP and allied conservative groups for sending activists to healthcare town halls where they are shouting questions and criticisms. "The right wing extremist Republican base is back," the...