Given that Asheville is a blue wavelet in a red congressional sea (N.C. Districts Nos. 10 and 11), I’m surprised Rep. Patrick McHenry still holds town hall meetings in Asheville, as reported in Mountain Xpress: “McHenry, Buncombe Residents Clash at Riceville Town Hall” [Aug.7]. At least McHenry shows up, compared to Rep. Mark Meadows, largely MIA on the homefront.
I still believe town hall meetings provide rare “face to face” encounters with one’s congressman; however wide that divide may be, you can personally express your views.
I go and speak at McHenry town hall meetings in outlier counties and cities — from Shelby to Hickory — to get a “feel” for the district and to express a progressive opinion, especially on Medicare for All (M4A) — a voice in the “wilderness”?
In Hickory, I reminded the audience (100-plus) that traditional Medicare, a beloved government program, was 54 years old on July 30, signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965. At that time, Medicare was deemed “socialism” by the AMA and the health care industry.
McHenry will never support M4A, but I’d like to believe a few in the audience were listening. The point is to share information wherever possible.
— Roger Turner
Asheville
LOL but if you’re giving medical care out to illegals what’s going to happen to us? Oh let me guess, I’ll be put on a waiting list and die merely because I’m white. Anything you communists stand for simply means you pick who lives and who dies. And they’ll be chosen on the basis of political support. Ain’t it funny that no one is swimming back to Cuba for their health care?
Communis are not a solution. Anything you propose will mean death to one group while propping up another. And in the end what’ll happen is the same as else where. You’ll support border walls then to keep people in. There’s a reason why the Berlin Wall was built and the Stasi was the best of the best. It wasn’t to keep people out.
Let’s see Asheville claims to be.progressive. But in reality is controlled by cronies who live off of property taxes, allows corporations to dictate the rules, and hides the health risks of getting in the French Broad. And I guarantee you would take down any signs
that displayedd ecoli levels and jail those that put them up. And yet you think they’ll give out quality health care?
If you’re going to make stuff up, at least be creative: tell us that the socialists are planning to forcibly remove one of your kidneys for transplant JuSt bEcAusE yOu ArE white. And they’ll confiscate your lawn tractor. And make bacon illegal.
Must be nice to have all that spare time to work yourself into a paranoid froth about things that aren’t going to happen instead of worrying about the things that are happening.
Thank you, Mr. Turner, for your inspiring letter about active citizenship and civility.
Agreed. A precious commodity these days.
“I’m surprised Rep. Patrick McHenry still holds town hall meetings in Asheville”
Technically, he doesn’t. He always holds them just outside the city limits, whether it’s Riceville VFD or Land of Sky Shrine Club or Artspace or somewhere else in the unincorporated county. But in fairness, he does show up.