I attended a town hall yesterday (Tenn - 1). This is a solid Republican district, held since Reconstruction. Incumbent is Dr Phil Roe - third term.
Last night was the second town hall of his that I attended. In 2009, on the heels of incipient passage of OBamacare, it was standing room only (maybe 500 in attendance) and people were allowed to speak.
Yesterday, there were perhaps 75 in attendance and questions had to be submitted in writing. Bottom line that I took away is that Roe will dance to Boehner’s lead.
I regret the question I submitted. It was about the Mountain City soldier who was murdered at Ft Hood. I had intended to ask him about Stockman’s discharge effort on Benghazi special prosecutor.
But, the news from the trial on yesterday (SPC Frederick Greene was shot twelve times charging the jihadist in that “worplace violence”) made me change my mind.
Roe responded with boilerplate.
I do not understand why Roe did not want to hear the voice of his people. Limiting us to written questions does not enable a full expression of our views. I hope to get an answer for that.
I would imagine that limiting audiences to written questions was a suggested specification by the RNC (or RCCC, in Roe's case). And it was designed for the precise purpose you suggest -- to avoid giving the audience a chance to fully express their views.
They don't want to know what we think...because they don't care what we think.
I would have raised some serious sand about the written question requirement. That's a real cop-out.
Why is obvious. your views don’t matter. The thing is that you have to make a conscious choice to accept the reality your eyes and ears are showing you.
Vo one likes admitting to themselves their party left them. But Reagan did it. So can rank and file conservatives. The other option is to continue empowering a GOP that is indistinguishable from the Democrats.