Democrat Barney Frank Throws Down at Town Hall Meeting

By Amanda Pendolino on August 19th, 2009

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With everybody getting all hot and bothered about health care reform, town hall meetings have become akin to Europeans freaking out about the World Cup. Okay, maybe a little less violent. But impassioned Americans are starting to yell and make accusations, and most politicians have chosen not to fight back against the crazies.

Not Barney Frank though. CNN reports that the Democratic representative from Massachusetts got pretty fired up last night at a two-hour meeting in Dartmouth, Mass. Though the crowd included both people who supported and opposed President Obama’s plan to overhaul the nation’s health care system, those in opposition were louder and more intense. Not too loud for Frank however. When they interrupted his answers to their questions, he shouted back, “Do you want me to talk about it or do you want to yell?”

“Disruption never helps your cause,” he repeated a few times. “It just looks like you’re afraid to have rational discussion.” Frank, who has often been a guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, got really riled up when a woman compared the health care proposals to policies from Nazi Germany. Frank asked her, “On what planet do you spend most of your time?” – which resulted in some cheering and applause from his supporters. He continued, “Trying to have a conversation with you would be like trying to argue with a dining room table. I have no interest in doing it.”

You rock, Barney.