Report from a Town Hall

I've been having internet trouble but I wanted to get you guys this report a source sent me from the Lyons Town Hall meeting:

Highlights:

• not familiar with HR811 on voting integrity
• wasn't aware of Washington Post series on Walter Reed hospital hasn't been to Walter Reed
• Syracuse VA was a "dangerous place" 18 years ago, now it is "first class"
• we "could do better" [on Veterans medical care], but we "can be proud of the quality of care our Veterans are getting"
• "I think I do owe an explanation" [on my vote to authorize military intervention in Iraq]
• "It's my view that the war has changed in the past year."
• "I am not advocating the withdrawal of our troops. I simply don't believe that whether it is 20,000 troops or 100,000 troops it will make any difference."
• The war in Iraq "won't be resolved militarily."
• "A political solution [in Iraq] is the only solution."
• "I didn't set the vote up. I had to respond." [to the vote to authorize military intervention in Iraq]
• "I don't know exactly what's right [to do about Iraq]."
• "I've never heard that before." "That's ridiculous." [that Social Security Disability hearings can take 2-3 years -- a point of common knowledge in the legal and labor communities, pertaining to either SSI, WC, NLRB, and similar federal hearing administration proceedings -- far too many articles and analyses already written to mention!]
• "I've never, ever gotten involved in one of those." [union-management contract negotiations]
• "Perhaps if a union contacted me officially..." [he totally lost focus here - labor leadership needs to speak up on this issue of whether he has failed to respond to their requests for help...seems to me I heard more than one story about this along the campaign trail and will be calling those leaders today with this report]