Rick Larsen: "I've Got Facts On My Side, You've Got Glenn Beck"

A Democratic lawmaker, faced with a batty question at a town hall Wednesday, derided conservative pundit Glenn Beck for propagating lies about health care legislation.

Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) was asked, "Why are all Americans being forced into a government-run health care and insurance plan when only 46 million out of 312 million are uninsured?" The questioner went on to suggest that most people without insurance could get it without government assistance and concluded, "I'd be willing for the government to buy insurance policies for the 8.2 million chronically uninsured, but the other 37.8 million are not the responsibility of the American citizens and ... and I am unwilling to throw my present health care away for them."

Larsen responded: "With regards to the first comment about being forced to buy health care, I'll say it again... The bill does not force anybody to buy health care ... The bill does not force people to change their health care plan. If you're in a plan, you will not be forced into the public option. You will not be forced into the health insurance exchange. Now folks will say that's not true, but I've got facts on my side and you've got Glenn Beck on your side. It's just not going to play out that way."

Video, via Crooks and Liars:

Larsen had moved the town hall to a minor league baseball stadium because of the expected turnout.

Members of the audience laughed and applauded after Larsen response to the question. But as unfounded rumors about so-called "death panels" have managed to actually affect legislation in the Senate, it's clear that sometimes having the facts on your side isn't enough.

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Comments

[thetruthmustbetold]

OMG I hope this Glen Beck slamming doesn't turn into another
"Let's bash Sarah Palin". More time was spent attacking her and her
pet sled dog. Nobody could show the slightest respect for this young
mother and her family.

[Minsi]

Someone who promotes hatred and racism usually doesn't get much respect. Forgot those days when she was running for Vice President?

[ObamAtomic]

Thank you!

[ObamAtomic]

What is with you ? Are you the official defender of Sara Palin?
Laughing :),lol,haha!

[Vxx]

Is life really this foggy for you? Did you hear a single sentence she uttered during her campaign or recently? She is the personification of the sort of anti-intellectualism that has driven anyone who can think out of the Republican party (including me, though I left when Bush was appointed in 2000).

[GregJL]

Young? Since when is 45 young?

[Hirnlego]

Glenn Beck vs. Glenn Beck
CNN vs FOX:
http://www.cynical-c.com/?p=13979

(leads to a daily show piece)

[skullman]

Its good to see a Democrat with a pair. Where are the rest?

[hmldjr]

I agree.

[Bude]

Which of these two statements made by Glenn Beck, within the last year, does he believe?
A) We have the best health care system, in the world.
B) Our health care system is a nightmare.

Straight from the horses mouth.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/ns/msnbc_tv-countdown_with_keith_olbermann#32424198

[doublels]

Thanks for the link. Great video. There it is with Beck...hating the current health care system a mere year & a half ago and now...DON'T YOU TOUCH OUR HEALTHCARE!! Don't his listeners remember anything he says!!

[MJinCanada]

Remember when you were in high school, and all the kids who did badly on history tests always whined "Why do we have to remember this dumb stuff?" That's the demographic he and the other blathering heads are aimed at.

To remember something, it has to connect with at least one other thought or memory in your head.

[blingbling65943]

I doubt he really believes either one is true, he's a liar.

And its not me who is saying that, it is Glen saying that.

He makes no qualms about what he does, he is an entertainer,

In his mind calling him a liar is like calling Brad Pitt a liar when he plays a old man who is growing younger in a movie.

Its all an act, its just scary, REALLY phucken scary when I hear people quote him as the truth.

[Rjchinook]

Faux News & Beck are being well paid to spew all this propaganda against our President!

[paulabflat]

i like this guy a lot.

i was thinkin' at first that the camera operator wasn't friendly. whew!

is the tide turning?

[Bude]

Yes, it is!

[weatherwaxx]

I hope Northern Sun puts this quote out as a bumper sticker!

[MisterHands]

When it come to ped.o.philia, no one does it better than an Evangelicals.

FBI agents raided Tony Alamo Christian Ministries headquarters as part of a child pornography investigation. This investigation involved allegations of physical abuse, sexual abuse and allegations of polygamy and underage marriage.

In late July 2009 Republican Tony Alamo was convicted on 10 counts of transporting minors across state lines for sexual purposes, sexual assault and other crimes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Alamo
-------
Republican Richard A. Dasen Sr., conservative activist and benefactor to many Christian groups- was arrested after paying a 15 year old girl for sex.Once again, thats where the story begins.

Upon careful auditing of Dasens expenditures, police estimated that Dasen spent more than 5 million dollars on prostitutes over the last decade as owner of Christian Financial Counseling.
----
Joe Barron, one of the 40 ministers at Prestonwood Baptist Church, one of the largest churches in the United States with 26,000 members, was arrested on May 15, 2008 for solicitation of a minor after driving from the Dallas area to Bryan, Texas, in order to allegedly engage in sexual relations with what he thought to be a 13 year-old girl he had met online. The "girl" turned out to be an undercover law enforcement official.

[punkingale]

Here's plenty more sick Republicans: www.armchairsubversive.com

[ECBA88]

True, but unrelated to the topic at hand.

[tandrmcdonald]

This is related to health care insurance reform...how? I don't care if you throw some slime, but do it in the pedophile legislators section, .please.

[PatA]

When it comes to repuglicans, it never pays for us to have the facts on our side.

[poaster]

I do agree our healthcare system is not working. Look what it has done to the mental state of Glenn Beck, made it worse.

[tangelan]

Has anyone posted that segment from the Daily Show where Glenn Beck claims his mistreatment in the American healthcare system? It was right after his but t surgery. Now it's the best in the world. That segment needs to be shown to the angry protestors outside of townhall meetings. If that's not snapshot of hypoc risy, nothing is.

[msjimmied]

Here ya go!

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-august-13-2009/glenn-beck-s-operation

[tangelan]

Thanks. Posted to my FB account.

[Davidicus]

You go, Representative Larsen... keep on fighting... you'll be fine... just keep it up, and don't back down.

[lynettema]

Unless we get out and work for this reform, we will not get it. The screamers are winning. Reform is on the right side. If we don't do anything, health care costs will continue to soar and more and more people will lose their insurance - even those who say today they like their present health insurance. Whatever you did to get President Obama elected, you need to do to get reform passed. Go to town halls, write letters to your Congresspeople, write letters to the editor, knock on doors. If the Palins of this country win by screaming and lying on this issue, they will do this for every issue that needs change in this country. We need to show them just who won last Nov.

[poobah]

Bet it still isn't enough to wean him from Fox Snooze.

[capalzo]

Here's a question.! Does ever one like Medicare?? Besides the waste of funding, does it work?? To all the veteran's. Keep in mind, there is no perfect system. Minor delays and waits, should not count.

To all Veteran's. Does the VA work? If so, please give examples. If it does not work, what could make it better???

[punkingale]

My husband couldn't be happier with his care at the Birmingham VA. I can get Medicare at the end of this year.

[Sicario]

I am a Viet Nam Vet who recently went through cancer treatment at the VA hospital in Milwaukee, WI.

I had Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma level 4 and was told I had 2 months to live, by my Doctor.

That was August 3, 2005. Because of the service and care given at the VA Hospital, I am today cancer free.

Yes capalzo the VA works.

[Vxx]

I don't know a single person on Medicare who doesn't like it unless they've just idiotically failed to pay attention to how it works. I *have* met people who are stuck in the rancid "donut of death" window where Medicare was intentionally crippled by Republicans to give the insurance industry one last chance to screw patients in a certain age/income bracket.

[Jompa]

Equivocation!!!!!