You know…if things are going to change in this country it is going to be because of ordinary Americans talking to their representatives one-on-one in their states and districts. There are two examples I’ve read in the last day, where Democratic politicians were forced to listen to the truth from well informed constituents. The more civil of the two is retold by Jane Hamsher at firedoglake. She and Howie Klein met with Jon Tester at the home of a supporter. Go ahead and read it. After Tester tried to dance around the Senate’s inability to end the war, he looked like he knew he wasn’t getting the job done.
Howie said afterwards that he looked forlorn.
And Tester should look forlorn. But Tester’s problems paled compared with those of Rep. Peter Welsh (D-VT). Welsh held a town meeting in Barre, Vermont, and it turned very, very ugly.
The plan was for Welch to answer the questions directly, yes or no, after which he would be given ten minutes to say what he wanted, and then the floor would be open for questions.
And then all hell broke loose.
Welch wanted to speak before the questions, not after them, mentioning something about wanting to correct something that Legare said about him that he said was untrue. At that point, people started yelling. And yelling. Some people were quite adamant that Welch would adhere to the format. Others were yelling because they wanted to allow Welch to speak at that moment. So the next ten or fifteen minutes was consumed by lots of shouting. Everyone was shouting. People were shouting at Welch. At each other. Microphones were grabbed. It was pretty chaotic. Welch stood his ground, and I’m quite surprised he didn’t just walk out of there, because it was quite hostile. You could tell he was very unnerved.
Unnerved, forlorn…afraid of mobs with pitchforks…ultimately it will be scenes like these that will force Democrats to show some spine and will scare Republicans into listening to the will of the people.
If your representative is making appearances near you during the holiday recesses, please try to get out there and confront them in person. Make them uncomfortable. Come armed with the facts. And when they try to make bullshit excuses, give them hell. Actually, just tell the truth and they’ll think it’s hell.
Who are these Dems afraid of, the voters or the military-industrial complex?
This is what they’re saying they’re afraid of:
link
if they’re smart they’ll be scared of us.
If YOU were Bob Casey, would you pleased if a dickhead like me showed up and stared asking questions?
Hey Brendan- bob casey? That piece of garbage is just one more example of the reason that the dems are going to get their asses handed tp them at a time when they should be handing out the ass kickings!
Bob Casey and Brendan Skwire do not mix.
Actually, Casey’s office and I enjoy… well if not perfect relations, then better than you might expect.
Every time I send out a DL bulletin targeting casey I call them up, read it, and explain that I’d much rather send out something nice. “Won’t Casey vote this way or that? then I can tell my mailing list of 800 activist democrats in Philadelphia that Bob Casey deserves support…”
If you want to talk about things that don’t mix, try Brendan Skwire and Arlen Specter’s office. That’s a match made in hell.
Brendan,
Let me know when and where. I’d like to be there to see it–and to back you up and cheer you on!
Yeah, you’ll “confront them” just one time. Right before someone with SECURITY on their cap asks you to please leave because “you are being disruptive” by pressing for answers to hard questions. The bubble they are in mustn’t be breached by dissent. That is the rule.
And next time the guy won’t even let you in.