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Tempers Flare At Barney Frank's Town Hall Meeting

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Aug 19, 2009 6:56 am US/Eastern

Tempers Flare At Barney Frank's Town Hall Meeting

Reporting
Eileen Curran

DARTMOUTH (WBZ) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: Barney Frank talks to reporters after the Dartmouth town hall meeting Aug. 18, 2009.
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: Health Care Town Hall Meetings Get Rowdy

Tempers flared as more than 500 people crammed the Dartmouth Council on Aging building for a town hall meeting with Congressman Barney Frank Tuesday night.

Across the country, similar meetings have drawn lots of people angry over the proposed healthcare reform bill.

This meeting was no different.

"Let the private citizens do this," said Mary Kreider, a healthcare worker from Middleborough.

"This is not a federal government issue, this is a people issue."

The line of people waiting to ask questions stretched out the door.

One man sporting a cowboy hat wanted to know:
"How can we trust a government that is shoving things through without us having a reasonable discussion?"

Frank answered, "This is not being hurried through, it's being debated."

Frequently, Frank was interrupted by boos.

A man in the back kept calling the congressman a "liar".

Frank responded by saying "Disruption never helps your cause. It just looks like you're afraid of rational discussion."

Afterwards, Frank said he wasn't surprised by the tone of the meeting and was actually expecting it.

"Do you think I've been living in a pod somewhere?"

There was one humorous note.

When a man accused Frank of keeping secrets about the healthcare plan, the openly gay congressman said, "Sir, it's been 21 years since I had a secret."

Frank says he'll hold another town meeting next month.

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