While checking status updates on facebook, I read this from Mona Shaw, a former candidate for Johnson County Auditor:
“Mona Shaw got kicked out the Whitehouse Healthcare Summit in Des Moines for trying to ask a question. Btw, Secret Service dudes can really squeeze hard.”
I’m not at the forum today (had my fill of Des Moines while attending meetings there over the weekend) so I can’t report as to what exactly happened. It seems to me, however, that removal from a public forum should only be carried out in extreme cases. To do otherwise begs the question of if this is truly a portion of a legitimate information gathering process or if it is merely marketing.
When it comes to the problems facing health care, Iowa has had more than its fair share of marketing. It’s time for a real discussion that is followed by real actions.
UPDATE —
I commented on Mona’s status, asking if she was serious. This is her reply:
“Totally. The Summit was really a pep rally for the Obama hybrid/mandate plan. Tight agenda just pitching that plan, choreographed with the planted ‘regular people’ up front prepared to talk it up. No Q & A, etc. LOTS of political brass and health insurance CEOs in reserved seats up front. Other points of view (e.g. single-payer) were not welcome. I almost sat down and sobbed. Instead I stood and tried to ask Culver a question about it and was promptly escroted out.”
“One Iowa legislator did ask me why I thought I had the right to ask a question when the summit was clearly not inviting questions.”
