Facing voter discontent, lawmakers skip town halls

AP via SFGate ^ | 9/2/11 | JERI CLAUSING, Associated Press

[SmithL]

Too much yelling, not enough listening.

Facing organized, often raucous confrontations at political events, some members of Congress this summer abandoned the long-time tradition of open meetings with the folks back home.

It was goodbye to one of the few remaining opportunities for voters and lawmakers to talk face to face.

Some cited security in the aftermath of the shooting that severely wounded Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords at a meet-and-greet event in January. Others blamed grass-roots groups for commandeering the town halls. Still others opted for smaller, sometimes private or paid events.

Whatever the explanation, the dearth of meetings sparked criticism that lawmakers were dodging their constituents when Congress is held in such low regard. A recent Associated Press-GFK poll showed 87 percent of Americans disapprove of lawmakers' job performance.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., described the trend as disappointing.

[Doogle]

Too much yelling, not enough listening. ...????...forgot too much lying

[FlingWingFlyer]

Too much yelling, not enough listening.

Ummmm. Who came up with the idea that the American people should LISTEN to their PUBLIC SERVANTS?! Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?

[bigheadfred]

They’s a gettin’ skeered of the people. Soon there will be no where to run to. No place to hide.

[molson209]

Tea Party did it !!

[ontap]

Jeb Hensarling is having townhall meeting just about every week!

[maine yankee]

alergic to tar and feathers

[Soul Seeker]

Cowards

[wac3rd]

So, we pay for lifetime pay, pensions and benefits we will never get, junkets across the globe and dozen of staffers...not to mention steaks, booze and trips courtesy of lobbyists...Government-paid plane rides and unattributed perks on the public dime...and you won’t come meet your bosses?

[Jack Hydrazine]

Is anyone bringing the cake?

[elpadre]

remember them at the ballot box!

[hinckley buzzard]

When the government fears the people there is liberty. When the people fear the government there is tyranny.

Jefferson, I think.

[dk88]

Here is my Q&R for my leftie friends:

Are you satisfied with the government’s handling of the economy?

Welcome to the TEA PARTY.

[RayChuang88]

After what happened in 2009 when all those angry town hall meetings denouncing Obamacare, small wonder why the Democrats in Congress are skipping town hall meetings.

Especially when they could be subject to a figurative tar and feathering from the hostile constituents....

[Rumplemeyer]

These clowns need to remember they work for us, we ask the questions, they answer the questions. It is called accountability.

You don't like being questioned, find an other job.

[bigheadfred]

Jefferson, I think.

Jefferson? Sounds a lot like ME! ;-)

[flamberge]

"My" Congressman was confident and skilled enough at working the crowd that he held a series of town hall meetings in all corners of his district.

Of course he has a "safe seat" with a solid Democrat majority to vote for his re-election. The only organized faction to appear was from the Lyndon LaRouche supporters - and the Congressman appears to get along quite well with them.

I have seen this Congressman speaking with constituents who were not so friendly. He deals with them tactfully and with respect.

The unfortunate fact in this district is that a real majority of the voters want socialist government and are not willing to compromise with their opponents in any way. Every failure that piles up around around them merely causes them to dig in and insist that government must do more.

The politicians who rule here are quite accurate representatives of what most of the voters want("Free stuff for meeeeee!"). Reality that might contradict the desires of the people is not a consideration. "You cannot reason someone out of something that they did not reason themselves into".

Conservatives must plan accordingly.