Town halls gone wild

Politico ^ | 7/31/09 | ALEX ISENSTADT

[ttjemery]

Screaming constituents, protesters dragged out by the cops, congressmen fearful for their safety — welcome to the new town-hall-style meeting, the once-staid forum that is rapidly turning into a house of horrors for members of Congress.

On the eve of the August recess, members are reporting meetings that have gone terribly awry, marked by angry, sign-carrying mobs and disruptive behavior. In at least one case, a congressman has stopped holding town hall events because the situation has spiraled so far out of control.

“I had felt they would be pointless,” Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) told POLITICO, referring to his recent decision to suspend the events in his Long Island district. “There is no point in meeting with my constituents and [to] listen to them and have them listen to you if what is basically an unruly mob prevents you from having an intelligent conversation.”

In Bishop’s case, his decision came on the heels of a June 22 event he held in Setauket, N.Y., in which protesters dominated the meeting by shouting criticisms at the congressman for his positions on energy policy, health care and the bailout of the auto industry.

Within an hour of the disruption, police were called in to escort the 59-year-old Democrat — who has held more than 100 town hall meetings since he was elected in 2002 — to his car safely.

“I have no problem with someone disagreeing with positions I hold,” Bishop said, noting that, for the time being, he was using other platforms to communicate with his constituents. “But I also believe no one is served if you can’t talk through differences.”

Bishop isn’t the only one confronted by boiling anger and rising incivility. At a health care town hall event in Syracuse, N.Y., earlier this month, police were called in to restore order, and at least one heckler was taken away by local police. Close to 100 sign-carrying protesters greeted Rep. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.) at a late June community college small-business development forum in Panama City, Fla. Last week, Danville, Va., anti-tax tea party activists claimed they were “refused an opportunity” to ask Rep. Thomas Perriello (D-Va.) a question at a town hall event and instructed by a plainclothes police officer to leave the property after they attempted to hold up protest signs.

[autumnraine]

But all the former hippies pat themselves on the back for civil disobedience changing things.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Come on down, Ike Skelton.

[RightWingNut]

Is anyone willing to be this weenie will be reelected ??

[Yudan]

Torches and pitchforks. LOVE IT!

It’s about time.

[pgkdan]

They need more of this at every town hall meeting held across the country this August! Protest outside but be polite inside so you’ll get a chance to make your points.

[NordP]

"In at least one case, a congressman has stopped holding town hall events because the situation has spiraled so far out of control. “I had felt they would be pointless,” Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) told POLITICO,"

Yeah, Tim...it's really SUCH the bummer that you'd have to listen to the ramifications of your actions...those PESKY "little people" - why even bother???

Oh Tim...one more thing...next election....YOU'RE FIRED!!!

[ttjemery]

I agree, we did that at Mark Kirks office about a month ago with his crap n traitor vote.

[Jeff Head]

The town halls are going wild because the people are tied of the lies and the absolute monstrosities that these Congressmen, particularly the DNC, are producing.

It should be a message to them about what is coming in 2010.

The Dem Health Care Plan, Obama Care, provides another perfect opportunity to drive that message home.

Here is a link to the full House Democrat Health Care Plan in PDF. In Section 1233 E & F, pages 426-433, you find the part about mandatory end-of-life counseling for anyone over 65 years of age. Section 152 Page 50: All healthcare services will be provided without regard to "personal characteristcs" which is not defined within the document but is understood to include immigration status.

Section 224 b Page 125: The Secretary shall design and implement the payment mechanisms and policies under this section in a manner that — (1) seeks to (B) reduce health disparities (including racial, ethnic and other disparities).

A lot more provisions now being documented at that site.

Donwload it, read it, study it, then hammer your reps over it and pass it on to all you know asking them to do the same.

HOUSE DEMOCRAT HEALTH CARE PLAN - http://www.jeffhead.com/DemHealthCare.htm

Also, here's a large image of the Democratic (Obama) Health Plan chart-another Obama empty promise. This is the one the House democrats are censuring. Email these links or the image to everyone you know.

Decmocrat (Obama) Health Plan
http://www.jeffhead.com/DemHealthCare.htm

Obama and all those pushing his radical agenda are abject marxist ideologues. Their "fundamental; change" is nothing more than a destruction of the American free market and fundamental republican principle.

A PETITION FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RESTORATION

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

A 4TH OF JULY TEA PARTY SPEECH

UNITED SOCIALIST STATES OF AMERICA - A SONG
By Ron and Kay Rivoli

...and on the lighter side, take your mind off the Obamanation for a few minutes and enjoy some beautiful Western US scenery slideshows.

JEFF HEAD'S WESTERN US SCENERY SLIDE SHOWS

[newfreep]

[Redleg Duke]

But, yet, these pissed off constituents will probably go to the polls in November 2010 and vote this nitwit back in for two more years!

[fatnotlazy]

Of course, these Congresspeople could take a page from the Obama playbook and hold “staged” town hall meetings. All true believers — no one to ask those pesky questions.

And maybe a teleprompter for the Congressperson???

[libstripper]

EXCELLENT!!! This is exactly how we kept RINO Sundquist and the DemonRats from sticking us with a state income tax here in Tennessee. Some of the legislators were so streeed they almost had heart attacks. KEEP UP THE PRESSURE!!!

[MrB]

No townhalls in my district...
Guess he’ll have to see a couple of hundred people with signs (or torches and pitchforks).

[SueRae]

This is just the beginning. Sitting in their ivory towers, the talking heads in D.C. have been insulated, ignoring the cries of their constituents on the stupid legialtion they’ve voted for. Our voices have not been heard or we wouldn’t be in this much of a mess. People are FED UP with governemtn not listening, now we are becoming much more vocal and active. Get used to it Congress, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

[kromike]

“I have no problem with someone disagreeing with positions I hold,” Bishop said, noting that, for the time being, he was using other platforms to communicate with his constituents. “But I also believe no one is served if you can’t talk through differences.”

Talk about being unable to see the forest for the trees. This twit is voting for life-destroying legislation that he doesn't bother to read, and he treats the anger of his constituents as some sort of polite, tea-and-crumpets debate.

[Marty62]

“But I also believe no one is served if you can’t talk through differences.”
.....................
Since when have the Reps in Congress and Senate EVER listened to the people that put them in office. There is a disease that they all contract when they walk through those doors. It’s called: Arrogance,resulting in deafness to the electorate, pathological lying, and greed.

[Cheapskate]

(Congressman to attendees)”you may speak whenever you wise up and agree with me!”

[ripley]

“Is anyone willing to be(t) this weenie will be reelected??”

Probably in a landslide. The majority of the “electorate” loves the pretentious, dictatorial, self-appointed intellectual geniuses of the Democrat party. It makes them feel “enfranchised” and powerful.

(Scu&bags representing scu&bags.)

IMHO

[joygrace]

Here is a list of upcoming Healthcare Townhalls. Need Freeper attendence please.

Townhalls

Please POST your TownHall or please post your REPRESENTATIVE or SENATOR who are NOT holding a Townhall or public forum. Don't let them hide from us without knowing their names. Please call them and find out.

We need to call out ALL the Cowards who are hiding from us.

Thank you Freepers. You are simply the best!!