Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
During the recent Congressional recess, House Budget Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) decided that he wasn’t going to hold any public face-to-face town meetings with the constituents in his district. Instead, according to Politico, he opted for town hall-style meetings that were strictly “pay-per-view.” And Ryan wasn’t the only
member of Congress who chose to charge people for the privilege of speaking to them.
In a Politico article, Reid Epstein wrote:
By outsourcing the events to third parties that charge an entry fee to raise money, members of Congress can eliminate most of the riffraff while still — in some cases — allowing reporters and TV cameras for a positive local news story.
Evidently, Ryan didn’t want to be confronted at public forums with any protesters or with angry backlash or questions from voters upset with his positions on issues like taxes, Medicare, and Social Security—as he was last spring.
Yet, Ryan still faced angry Wisconsinites at a “pay-per-view” luncheon at a Rotary Club. One 71-year-old retired plumber was actually pushed to the ground and handcuffed by police at the event. Watch the videos:
It seems the natives have been getting restless in the Badger state. It’s hard to keep them quiet when the economy is in such trouble, so many people are unemployed, and some members of Congress insist on giving tax breaks to the wealthy and to corporations while the average American sees the quality of his/her middle-class life being eroded.
In a Mother Jones article dated August 26, 2011, Andy Kroll wrote:
Over the past week, hundreds of people, a mix of constituents and other angry Wisconsinites, have marched outside Ryan’s Kenosha and Racine offices, angry over what they see as Ryan’s inaccessibility and refusal to face his constituents in a free, public, in-person town hall. For four days, they also held sit-ins inside Ryan’s Kenosha office—until police kicked them out. The only in-person event on Ryan’s recess calendar is an appearance at a Rotary hall outside his district with a $15 entrance fee; by contrast, Ryan held more than a dozen town halls in 2009. “This is a jobs crisis in his congressional district, an emergency,” says Scott Page, 37, an unemployed Kenosha resident. “Yet he’s not even listening to his own constituents.”
David Dayen (FireDogLake) wrote that the major media didn’t appear to be perturbed by this “indictment of our system.” He wrote:
The elites are by now used to walling themselves off in Davos or Aspen, unable to hear the concerns of the people whose lives they hold in their hands. They get very embarrassed when they are confronted by the rabble. So much so that they get the authorities to push the rabble around and make sure they don’t step out of line again. This looks a lot like hiring Pinkerton thugs to break up union protesters in the 19th century to me.
Is this what life in a representative democracy should look like? Shouldn’t our representatives and senators hold town hall meetings where their constituents can speak to them in a public forum? Shouldn’t the politicians we send to Washington, D.C., be listening to the concerns and answering the questions of all of the people whom they represent? Isn’t that their job?
SOURCES
Paul Ryan Mocks Senior Citizen Handcuffed At His Town Hall: ‘I Hope He’s Taking His Blood Pressure Medication’ (Think Progress)
Unemployed Constituents Stage Sit-In At Paul Ryan’s Office, Ryan’s Staff Calls The Cops (Think Progress)
Talk to Paul Ryan? It’ll cost you (Politico)
Republican Lawmakers Face Angry, Confused Constituents on Medicare, Budget Cuts (ABC News)
Afraid To Face Angry Voters, Rep. Paul Ryan Sneaks Out A Back Door After Raucous Town Hall (Crooks and Liars)
Paul Ryan Dodges Angry Cheeseheads (Mother Jones)
The New Gilded Age: Protesters Roughed Up at Paul Ryan Pay-Per-View Town Hall (FireDogLake)
We are in 2012 and there are people saying that, “I know a woman’s place in the House” unbeliveable
You’re so awesome! I don’t think I’ve truly read through something like that before. So good to discover somebody with some unique thoughts on this subject. Really.. thanks for starting this up. This website is something that is needed on the web, someone with a little originality!
Psychoanalyzing the tea party with Stan Peele and Rush Limbaugh
Published: Sunday, September 11, 2011, 1:01 AM
By Paul Mulshine/The Star Ledger
:=)
”
“I think they’re yearning for some sort of halcyon past that just wasn’t there in the first place,” he said. “There’s never been this ideal period in America. A lot of people talk about Colonial times, but how do you like outhouses?”
:=)
“A lot of these people have time to attend these rallies only because they’re on Social Security and Medicare,” said Peele. “It’s an imaginary, almost psychotic point of view. They’re not in touch with reality.”
http://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine/2011/09/psychoanalyzing_the_tea_party.html
The only law that applies to elected officials actually meeting with constituents is the one that gives you the vote. If we don’t like the way they do it- or no- hold that against them next time they are up for election.
I don’t though recall this being a problem before 2010 and the teabagger tactic of turning town halls into chaos as a way to shut down debate. It looks to me like the Democratic pols don’t want to have to deal with teabagger bullies and the Republican politicians don’t want any actual dialog with their constituents.
Early on I saw a number of vids where people were removed from Republican town halls just for asking questions the pol didn’t want to answer even though the questions weren’t hostile and happened during the Q&A period.
Looks like politicians of both stripe just aren’t going to put up with anything they don’t want to put up with regarding town halls.
——
Off Topic….But…
This is one of the funniest commercials I have seen in a while….
Any American citizen who pays to see their Congressional reps is a fool.
Jeez Elaine, this one has really brought out the Repug crazy rightys…good work….Love reading what members of the Know-nothing party like to rant about…
Roco,
I am for the woman to have the choice and Government to stay out of it…One way or the other….Neither endorse or oppose….
I had said early on that I thought Jon Huntsman was the brightest/smartest of the current GOP Field….I still think that…Now that he has released his Tax ideals…While it has some merit…everyone pays equally based in the income tax bracket that they are in…What a lot of folks are missing…People looking for a Job, a home, Insurance…don’t have the luxury of investing extra income…Because they don’t have it…..a lot of folks are putting the horse before the cart…
Obama has been a total disappointment…I never voted for him…and never considered it….I was for John Edwards and once he was out…..I was for John McCain….and once he got Palin….a NUT JOB in my opinion….I voted for Nader….Yes…the state I voted in is obligated to put every party on the ballot….so long as the filing fee is paid or the requisite number of signatures are collected ….and they …I am searching for the term….I think it is a generally recognized party….I think once year a state wide candidate for Governor got like 328 votes….so the threshold is low….
So to answer your question unless you think Huntsman is a whack job…that would answer the question for you…
AY:
one can be against abortion and pro-women. I personally think abortion is wrong and would counsel my daughter to have the child and put her up for adoption. The child, not my daughter.
Whomever is accusing of you of being anti-woman is incorrect in my opinion. Now if the pro-life candidate is also a whack-job crazy fundamentalist type, your accuser may have a point.
Wootsy’s…..
I know a woman’s place in the House…..and Senate…..I think most men that are smart know that women can do anything a man can do….one thing women can do and no amount of trying men can never have babies…at least not with the science that we know today….
AY Republicans don’t hate women….they just hate women that don’t do what they say or follow thier carefully prescribed rules and party lines, in short, women that don’t ‘know thier place’……………
That is what was stated to me….That since I was unhappy with Obama and was actively looking for another candidate to vote for and the only field that has any one running is the GOP….then I must be a republican….and since I am republican and none of the present candidates are pro choice….then I must be a misogynous…. read the Huntsman thread you’ll see what I am saying…
I did not know that if you supported a candidate that was pro life….You had to hate women…..It appears that…if I am unhappy with 99.9 per cent of what Obama is presently doing and he is pro choice….but if I am looking at a candidate that I like about 60% of his ideals but he is pro life….I hate women….See how easy it is to draw that conclusion….it makes no sense to me….but I figure I would share with you….that if you are republican….You by some people definition you hate women and therefore are misogynistic… see? I am still puzzled….
AY:
“If you are a republican….I bet you hate women….right?”
why would you say that?
NoWay,
They certainly would never ever do something like that….Now drunk…a different story….stoned….never….wink, wink….
“Kind of helps when the prosecutors testifying witness is stoned”
Even more when it is the prosecutor who is stoned.
@Elaine
Thanks for the update.
Now it looks like 44% of Democrats and 50% of Republicans are holding (or planning to hold) Town Hall meetings.
Do Democrats do the same thing?
“For instance, on Aug. 23, 2011, U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis) spoke to the Rotary Club of Milwaukee. That event was not open to the public — just to members and their guests, who paid $17.50 each. Numerous other politicians (including Ryan and Moore together in 2009) have appeared at Newsmaker Luncheons sponsored by the Milwaukee Press Club. At those events, which are open to the public, a fee is charged — for the lunch.”
http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/sep/06/state-democratic-party-wisconsin/wisconsin-democratic-party-says-republican-represe/
I do see one startling difference; No video from the events held by Democrats.
Roco,
If you are a republican….I bet you hate women….right?
By the way….Anyone in politics is above hyperbole….right? Anyone representing a client in court is as well….I know….I was once told by a Judge but for it being a courtroom…I had committed the greatest act of sander she had ever heard….again…I had to look up the definition of hyperbole……I then looked at her and stated the Rules of Professional Responsibility mandated that I zealously represent my clients case….and so what was her point….Thank god…this was a Video Courtroom…She went from pale white….to looking like she had been in the sun way, way too long…..
I had a habit of ordering her transcripts….she did not like that…..It was kind of like….replaying the game tape…on Saturday mornings….I was looking to see her movements….to see exactly whether I needed to object to opposing counsel…watch how far she’d let me feed a witness before she took matters in her own hands after the prosecutor go distracted by co-counsel…
I had one judge one time interrupt my line of questioning … to a witness to see if the Prosecutor was going to object….Much to my surprise…not…the Prosecutor started objecting….By then the case was won….The jury was the clients…..Kind of helps when the prosecutors testifying witness is stoned….and everyone knows it…..
http://cryliberty.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/tea-partiers-assaulted-at-senator-mccaskills-kitchen-table-talk-townhall-meeting/
Sorry for the lack of video to support the claims, but unlike Rep. Ryan’s event, Senator McCaskill doesn’t permit video.
NoWay,
I should have included the following update to the No labels article:
“*UPDATE: Since first releasing our survey, 18 members of Congress (16 Democrats and 2 Republicans) have come forward with town hall meetings that were held in August. When No Labels first contacted Congressional offices, staffers in those offices had reported that no public town hall meetings were being held, which we methodically recorded. This increases the percentage of representatives holding open town hall meetings to 44% from 40%.”