Bachmann gets push back from constituents

One of the most conservative members of the House took some flak from her constituents yesterday in a raucous town hall.

Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-Minn.) event in Lake Elmo was certainly not dominated by liberals. But pro-reform advocates certainly made their voices more loudly heard than previously.

First, as the video below shows, Bachmann could barely get through her introductory remarks before the angry catcalls began (skip to the 2:00 mark):


For more context, consider this account from the St. Paul Pioneer-Press:

Christine Norton, of Cottage Grove, challenged Bachmann's premise that the Democratic plan means a government takeover. Under some proposals, a panel of medical professionals would set standards for insurance coverage.

Bachmann responded that the government would pick the panel members and ultimately decide the standards.

"It's still government calling the tune," she said. "I want consumers calling the tune."

When John Beyer, of Stillwater, challenged the widely debunked claim that Obama's plan would create end-of-life "death panels," Bachmann replied that the House Democratic bill would create "53 new bureaucracies" between patients and their doctors. "Washington bureaucrats" would make their health decisions, she asserted. She didn't mention death panels.

Ilya Gorodisher, of May Township, accused her of "stretching truth to the point of lies" by, for instance, asserting that Obama has proposed a government takeover of health care. Bachmann responded that even if private insurance remains an option under the president's plan, "the government will dictate what you can buy."

A Woodbury woman told the tale of how her insurance company canceled her policy after she became ill and asked how Bachmann would stop insurers that "drop me the minute I get sick." The congresswoman said the solution was to offer consumers more insurance options so they could pick the cost and level of coverage they want.

More from KFGO:

There was an edge to some of the questions Bachmann fielded at Lake Elmo.

And catcalls, both supportive and otherwise, came from the crowd.

"Sit down ACORN," yelled a man at one questioner, using the name of an organization Bachmann has often criticized.

"Nobody is proposing this," came a voice out of the audience when Bachmann--brandishing a pack of papers she said contained negative headlines about the medical system in the United Kingdom--spoke of socialized medicine.

There's only a few days left of August recess, but it certainly seems that Democratic groups are beginning to organize their supporters to combat the conservative dominance at past town halls.

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