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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Citizens of Hoover and surrounding towns gather outside the Hoover City Hall prior to the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Theresa Hawkins of Hoover, right, colors a sign with Aubrey Turner, 11, of Birmingham outside of Hoover City Hall prior to the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Various signs of protest litter the ground outside of Hoover City Hall on February 25, 2017. The town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer did not allow signs inside the building and many were left outside.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Citizens of Hoover and surrounding areas sign in at Hoover City Hall for the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al. Seating inside the council chambers room was limited to the available seats and did not allow for members of the public to stand, leaving many outside to wait while the meeting took place.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A woman displaying a Planned Parenthood button waits in line to enter the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Planned Parenthood volunteer Spencer Bowley passes out shirts in support of the organization as citizens file into Hoover City Hall for the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A man holds up a sign in support of President Trump releasing his tax returns outside of Hoover City Hall on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al. Hundreds gathered outside of the building in hopes of attending the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer.
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Photo courtesy of Robin Schultz/Bluff Park Drone
An overhead shot shows the crowd outside of Hoover City Hall prior to the start of the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Members of the media interview a citizen holding a sign outside of Hoover City Hall on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al. Hundreds showed up to the building in hopes of attending the town hall meeting with Rep. Gar Palmer.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Jim Mersmann of Hoover holds up various signs in support of religious tolerance and respect for the press and in disagreement with the plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. Many citizens from Hoover and surrounding areas showed up at Hoover City Hall in hopes of attending the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Tammi Taylor, right, of Birmingham discusses her views against Planned Parenthood with a family in favor of the organization outside of Hoover City Hall on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al. Hundreds of citizens from Hoover and surrounding areas showed up at the city hall in hopes of attending the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Doug Marsh, left, of Birmingham argues with Joe Freeman, right, of Birmingham outside of Hoover City Hall on February 25, 2017. Hundreds of people showed up to the city hall in hopes of attending the town hall meetings with Rep. Gary Palmer.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Citizens of Hoover and surrounding areas wait outside of Hoover City Hall in hopes of attending the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al. Admittance was allowed on a first-come first-served basis and was limited to seating only.
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Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Rep. Gary Palmer speaks at a town hall meeting at Hoover City Hall on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Carole Griffin stands and speaks at the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A member of the crowd holds up a sign reading "agree" during the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al. In favor of keeping the shouting to a minimum, attendees collaborated to raises signs displaying their agreement or disagreement with the issues being dicussed at the meeting.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Rep. Gary Palmer stands in the doorway of Hoover City Hall before addressing the crowd outside at the start of the town hall meeting on Febraury 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al. While hundreds showed up in hopes of attending, seating was limited and many were left outside while the town hall meeting took place.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Carole Griffin addresses the crowd waiting outside Hoover City Hall before Rep. Gary Palmer speaks during the town hall meeting on February, 25, 2017. While hundreds showed up in hopes of attending, seating was limited and many were left outside while the town hall meeting took place.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Rep. Gary Palmer speaks to the crowd outside of Hoover City Hall during the town hall meeting on February 25, 2017. While hundreds showed up in hopes of attending, seating was limited and many were left outside while the town hall meeting took place.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Carole Griffin addresses the crowd waiting outside Hoover City Hall before Rep. Gary Palmer speaks during the town hall meeting on Febryary, 25, 2017. While hundreds showed up in hopes of attending, seating was limited and many were left outside while the town hall meeting took place.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A member of the crowd asks a question regarding the Trump administrations relationship with the press during a town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Rep. Gary Palmer holds the microphone in place while a member of the public asks a question during a town hall meeting on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A woman in the crowd livestreams the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Members of the crowd look on as a woman asks a tax reform question to Rep. Gary Palmer during a town hall meeting on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Members of the public hold up signs in disagreement with a statement made by Rep. Gary Palmer during a town hall meeting on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A woman passionately voices her opinion on the matter of defunding Planned Parenthood during a town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A member of Rep. Gary Palmer's office directs organizations with invitations for Rep. Palmer to contact his office after the town hall meeting on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al. Many organizations offered up invitations to meet with the representative in hopes of connecting Palmer with local communities.
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Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Members of the media line the back wall of the council chambers during the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A woman from the Jewish Community Center gets emotional while reading a prepared statement to Rep. Gary Palmer about the various threats the JCC and other local organizations have received in the recent weeks during a town hall meeting on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Crowd members point to a woman raising her hand at the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on Febraury 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Members of the crowd raise their hands with questions for Rep. Gary Palmer during a town hall meeting on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A member of the crowd waves an American flag during the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A woman raises her "agree" sign as another member of the crowd speaks about the issue of school choice during a town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Rep. Gary Palmer speaks at a town hall meeting at Hoover City Hall on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Members of the crowd raise their various signs as a member of the crowd speaks to Rep. Gary Palmer during a town hall meeting on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A man holds up a sign reading "Represent Us!" during a town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Sarah Finnegan
Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Members of the crowd stand a speak during a town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A young woman angrily leaves the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer prior to its conclusion on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
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Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Members of the public file out of the council chambers at Hoover City Hall after the conclusion of the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al.
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Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
A crowd cheers as meeting attendees exit Hoover City Hall after the conclusion fo the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 in Hoover, Al.
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Gary Palmer Town Hall Meeting
Members of the media interview a man outside the town hall meeting with Rep. Gary Palmer on February 25, 2017 at Hoover City Hall in Hoover, Al.
Hundreds of people gathered outside of Hoover City Hall the morning of Feb. 25 to participate in the town hall meeting held by Representative Gary Palmer, and while only approximately 140 guests fit in the chambers, they made sure their voices were heard.
Throughout the meeting, Palmer took questions and comments from residents of his district who were concerned with healthcare, Planned Parenthood, recent threats against Islamic and Jewish communities, immigration, the EPA, education and the general state of the country under President Donald Trump.
In the press briefing before the town hall, Palmer spoke to the idea to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare or the ACA, and echoed his sentiments from the Eggs and Issues breakfast held on Feb. 21.
“It’s failing,” he said. “It’s collapsing under its own weight, and I think we have an obligation to tell the American people the truth and what it takes to fix it.”
He continued, saying that currently they are looking at a plan that would “phase in,” and incorporate what he called a “health savings account” as well as “other options for preexisting conditions.”
“I’d hope to make sure that we have a plan to have all people insured " he said to the crowd.
Members of the crowd also questioned Palmer about what is being done and what is going to be done about recent threatening acts to local Islamic and Jewish communities.
“I think it’s a federal issue,” he said, “…and I’m very concerned where this is headed.”
He added that he believes these issues should be addressed through law enforcement and through intelligence agencies. This conversation continued to hear from members of the community who are concerned with potential changes to immigration policies.
“I feel like we can do so much better for the immigrant community,” said a local resident to Palmer. “I want you to know that we feel, here, in Alabama, that we [as immigrants] feel less than equal and we should not feel like that.”
Palmer agreed that everyone should feel welcomed as American citizens, but added that those who are here should become citizens legally. “As I’ve said, we’re not going to deport 11 million people…but at the same time, a nation without borders is not a nation,” Palmer said. He added that he is for an immigration reform and more secure borders.
Other community members expressed their concern with how Palmer is going to protect public school resources and education funding under school choice. “I’m a 30 year public school teacher, and I believe that public education is a defense of democracy and freedom,” said a local teacher. “We need to do everything we can to support public education in America because if we don’t, and it goes away to private and charter, we are diluting ourselves and we are deluding ourselves.”
Palmer stated that he plans to continue to fund programs that are working and succeeding, but added he is “not willing to confine people to a failed school if there is another option.”
One of the final questions brought up by one of the guests addressed the bill Palmer introduced to regulate the actions of the Environmental Protection Agency, and what that could mean for both the agency and the environment.
“What you’ve got to understand is that, if you allow agencies to make law … you can’t hold anybody accountable. You don’t vote for agency directors or bureaucrats, you don’t even know their names,” Palmer said. “They’re bypassing Congress, and what I’m saying is if we’re going to do this, we need to do it legislatively so that you can hold people accountable.”
He continued saying that he does believe there is climate change, but through natural variation. “I do not think our biggest problem is anthropomorphic climate change. And you’re wrong about the arctic ice sheets, they’re expanding,” he said. “Look it up.”
While many questions and comments weren’t answered due to time constraints, resident Laura Nadell felt the town hall had a positive outcome.
“I thought that we did a lot to hopefully convince to other representatives to hold town hall meetings,” she said. “I don’t know that he necessarily answered a lot of questions pointedly … but I still respect him and thank him for coming out.” Nadell added that she hopes he still listens to and considers the opinions of his constituents, even those who are progressives and Democrats.
Palmer did agree to schedule another town hall meeting after hearing the outcries of those who were unable to fit in Hoover City Hall, asking for an additional chance to speak with him in a larger, more accommodating location.
To view the town hall in its entirety, see our Facebook video.
