Yesterday evening AZ Senators Kyl and McCain, so-called “leaders” of the Republican “fight” against the Reid “health care” vapor bill, tried, apparently, to have a Tele- Town Hall last night with select Arizonans. A few conservatives got wind of it and got on the call. I had a prior commitment (son’s first (private, of course) Christmas play), so I could not miss it. I did sign up for the call with McCain’s press office, to see if they would call me (they didn’t). McCain’s press office told me McCain had a press release on his web site about the call (he didn’t). Incompetence? Perfidy? I’m a precinct committeeman and the McCain office has my e-mail address, as does Kyl’s, but of course I never received an e-mail alert from either.

(I predicted before the call that if asked, Kyl and McCain would make excuses for not actually fighting the bill by using every parliamentary tactic they could and, if asked what conservatives could BEST “do” to fight the Dems would say not a word about actually getting involved in the real ball game of politics — that is, coming into the Party to strengthen it by becoming a grass roots precinct committeeman. I was proven right.)

So I got the word out to some of the Arizona conservatives who hang out at ResistNet.com where I also try to recruit precinct committeemen. Here’s an account by one precinct committeeman who was able to get onto the call:

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I did get on about 20 mins into the call–unfortunately I was driving at the time so I did not get to hear much of their initial conversation, nor was I able to get into the queue to ask a question.

BUT one person asked why the Constitutionality of this bill has not been brought up. The response was that they are hearing that a lot from callers and at this point whether the bill is constitutional or not is not relevant. Should the bill pass then the Constitutionality would be an issue in a court of law. (Kyl) REAL lame answer if you ask me. That is up to a court to decide. McCain deferred to Kyl on that question because he wasn’t a lawyer–you see what the lawyer’s answer was.

An 82 year old woman, who was holding her temper in check, expressed her outrage at the Repubs for allowing all the bills to get through like cap and trade, bailouts, the health care, all of them. She said this was no longer the USA but the Repubs were allowing the balance of power to be shifted to the White House and we were heading for a dictatorship. She wanted to know what THEY were going to do about it. Answer (this WAS good) “elections have consequences” and they were doing all they could being in the minorty. She said that there used to be agreement and support for the winning side not the divisions that we see today and she had noticed it over the last 5-6 elections.

McCain at one point said that there were certain parliamentary procedures that they should and will be taking to slow the bill down even further. One of those was to demand to have the amendments and the bills read on to the floor. He then recounted that when he and Durban were on the floor for discussion he asked Durban if he had a copy of the proposed bill and Durban said “NO” they are just getting the amendments as they are coming up. So the bill that is on line is NOT the bill that they are amending and voting on. It apparently is just a “version” of the bill which explains the difference I have heard in the number of pages, or maybe that includes amendments that have passed. ( just a little different from the discussion that Stephen had with Kyl’s office—btw, filibustering IS very productive!!)

There were several blah, blah, blah questions that McCain already spouted off about on Hannity and Fox today and the MSM over the weekend–we’ve all heard the sound bites. One lady called very upset because her medical ins bill was $1,200 per mo. now and if it went up anymore there was no way she was going to be able to pay it. She wanted assurance that it wouldn’t go up anymore. Kyl suggested that there was several things that people could do to fill the gaps with programs that are already in place in AZ for families that are in that notch bracket—well, I can tell you that is a waste of time. My grandson had to have his appendix out and spent 4 days in the hospital. My daughters share was over $4,000. with insurance. We ran the gamut of options and they didn’t qualify for SCHIP, AHCCCS, Medicaid, or any other “program” They make too much money–about $40,000 for a family of 4 is too much money!!!

They also claimed that Congress did not vote themselves a raise this year or for the last 2 years—I think that is a lie but I’ll have to double check–unless someone knows for sure. They also confessed that Federal workers got a 2% raise and didn’t seem real upset by it when one man went off because HE was on SS and didn’t get his COLA this year. McCain said that the people who have paid into this their whole lives should get the money they deserve but didn’t volunteer to put a stop to the 2% raise.

McCain/Kyl also stated that there were a lot of things that could be done at the state level and have been in AZ, but that Texas was the “test” state with their medical malpractice reform but never quite got the words “10th Amendment” out of either mouth. From the discussion between the two of them I got the distinct impression that they see this as their business as Senators to take care of things across the board even though McCain mentioned that AZ had passed legislation to reduce medical malpractice awards–(not enough though)—then there was more but I was screaming into the phone my outrage and missed it–probably the most profound thing they said all night and I missed it!!

When asked what we the people can do to help get this stopped the reply from McLame was to keep calling, faxing, writing because it is having an effect. Again I was screaming “then tell the Senators to un block their phones and faxes–and make sure there is plenty of paper in them too.” All in all they took about a dozen calls.

They are going to be doing it again next week on Tuesday night. They could just NOT do it and make the Dems read the damn thing on the floor. That will take until Christmas!! The phone call info was NOT in the Sierra Vista paper today either.

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You can read the whole thing over at ResistNet.com:

http://www.resistnet.com/group/arizonachapterofthepatrioticresistance?commentId=2600775%3AComment%3A1848584&xg_source=msg_com_group

Thank you.
ColdWarrior