Patrick Murphy PA08 - "This is not a town hall"

Big Hat Tip to Midnight Blue for this choice little video clip of Patrick "Patlosi" Murphy who was unable to find a way to duck his constituents at an event this past Saturday.  Murphy has a long history of avoiding direct meetings with his constituents.  When Congressmen and women across the United States took heat from their constituents last summer over health care, Congressman Murphy was attending the "Netroots Nation" convention instead.    Though the local paper urged Murphy to grant his constituents face time with their Congressman,  Mr. Murphy barely managed to phone it in  with AARP representative Ray Landis handling a good portion of the questions.

It looks as though his constituents decided to bring the town hall to him instead.  Murphy would have none of that though.   Murphy repeatedly rejects the idea to address the group saying "this is not a town hall."  Oh please, heaven forbid.  That doesn't stop Congressman Murphy from claiming he has held town halls, however. I wonder if these secret events were held in San Francisco or did the "Netroots Nation" convention count as a town hall?

The highlight of the clip comes when a flustered Murphy completely loses the floor to his challenger Mike Fitzpatrick.  Mike Fitzpatrick addressed the disappointed group after Murphy refused to address them. What a refreshing contrast to Murphy.   Hillbuzz posted this video adding, "Patrick Murphy in Pennsylvania sure looks like toast to us."  From your lips, as the saying goes.... please.

It All Comes Down to the Finance Committee

Here is the full video from today's town hall in Montana:

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One thing is clear from this meeting, it comes down to what happens in Senate Finance. The only bill that matters and where all eyes should be focused is on what is happening behind those closed doors. Sadly, there are no CSpan videos to show us how those efforts at bipartisan reform are progressing. The people at the table in the picture below will write the bill that matters; heaven help us.



Click on the image to enlarge