Satire Defuses "Tea Party" in Menlo Park

Photos from August 26 Town Hall in Menlo Park, CA.

A dozen Raging Grannies dressed up as Billionaires for Wealthcare to the bemusement and confusion of the Tea Party "Patriots". The so-called patriots were there protesting against health care reform. The Granny mascot came too, a darling Audrey Hepburn lookalike with a "Poor Little Rich Girl" sign. Granny men and women friends who initially formed the San Mateo branch of "Billionaires for Wealthcare" rounded out the cast to more than 20.

Some of the teabaggers lacked imagination and thought the "Billionaires" were really on their side! That is, until they were cued in to the fact by a couple of their (dare I say it?) comrades that it was all satire. You could see the egg on their faces.

The Grannies were joined by friends, some of whom also dressed as billionaires, from San Mateo Country Democracy for America, San Mateo Peace Action, and other Single Payer Healthcare advocates.

The Menlo Park police were enjoying the show as they took it all in via a strong presence and a video cam. They gave the Grannies a few knowing winks as they recorded the entire scene. Tea Party People don't just hate taxes, they love guns, ergo the heightened security...

The pro Health Care Reform group easily outnumbered its detractors. They engaged their ideologically oriented competition in civil discourse. It was easy to find common ground with teabaggers as the "Billionaires" stayed in character as High Society and thanked the Tea Party-ers for supporting the rich by opposing health care reform!

The town hall meeting, which was not even about health care, but high speed rail, was well attended. When the council chambers filled to capacity, the overflow which numbered several hundred was seated outside on folding chairs.