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By Alex Isenstadt
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 temporarily 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.
The targets in most cases are House Democrats, who over the past few months have tackled controversial legislation including a $787 billion economic stimulus package, a landmark energy proposal and an overhaul of the nation’s health care system.
Democrats, acknowledging the increasing unruliness of the town-hall-style events, say the hot-button issues they are taking on have a lot to do with it.
“I think it’s just the fact that we are dealing with some of the most important public policy issues in a generation,” said Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), who was confronted by a protester angry about his position on health care reform at a town hall event several weeks ago.
“I think in general what is going on is we are tackling issues that have been ignored for a long time, and I think that is disruptive to a lot of people,” said Bishop, a four-term congressman. “We are trying, one by one, to deal with a set of issues that can’t be ignored, and I think that’s unsettling to a lot of people.”
Freshman Rep. Dan Maffei (D-N.Y.), whose event at a Syracuse middle school was disrupted, said that he still planned to hold additional town halls but that he was also thinking about other options.
“I think you’ve got to communicate through a variety of different ways. You should do the telephone town hall meetings. You should do the town hall meetings. You should do the smaller group meetings,” said Maffei. “It’s important to do things in a variety of ways, so you don’t have one mode of communication.”
“You’re going to have people of varying views, and in this case, you’ve got the two extremes who were the most vocal,” Maffei said of the flare-up at his July 12 event.
On Tuesday, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who handles incumbent retention duties for House Democrats in addition to chairing the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, met with freshman members to discuss their plans for the monthlong August recess. While the specific issue of town hall protesters never came up, according to sources familiar with the meeting, he urged them not to back away from opponents.
“He said, ‘Go on offense. Stay on the offense. It’s really important that your constituents hear directly from you. You shouldn’t let a day go by [that] your constituents don’t hear from you,’” said one House Democratic leadership aide familiar with the meeting.
Some members profess to enjoy the give-and-take of the town halls, even if lately it’s become more take than give.
“Town halls are a favorite part of my job,” said Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.), a third-term congressman from St. Louis who noted that a “handful” of disruptions had taken place at his meetings. “It’s what I do. It’s what I will continue to do.”
“People have gotten fired up and all that, but I think that’s what makes town halls fun,” said Perriello, a freshman who is among the most vulnerable Democrats in 2010. “I think that most of the time when we get out there, it’s a good chance for people to vent and offer their thoughts. It’s been good.”
“I enjoy it, and people have a chance to speak their mind,” he said.
Both Carnahan and Perriello said they were plunging forward with plans to hold more town hall meetings.
Republicans, with an eye toward 2010, are keeping close track of the climate at Democratic events.
“We’ve seen Russ Carnahan, we’ve seen Tim Bishop, we’ve seen some other people face some very different crowds back home,” said National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas). “The days of you having a town hall meeting where maybe 15 or 20 of your friends show up — they’re over. You’ve now got real people who are showing up — and that’s going to be a factor.”
Asked later how or whether the GOP would use the confrontations against Democrats, Sessions responded: “Wait till next year.”
But Democrats are quick to point out they’re not the only ones facing hostile audiences. They single out Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.), who found himself in a confrontation earlier this month with a “birther” protester, and insist that Republicans face a backlash of their own if it appears the party is too closely aligned with tea party activists or other conservative-oriented protesters.
“It’s a risk that they align themselves with such a small minority in the party,” said Brian Smoot, who served as political director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in the past election cycle. “They risk alienating moderates.”
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Government in the healthcare business?
Well don't forget Mike, you government control liberals also have pals in the media like Bill Mahar, Oprah Winfrey, Katie Couric, Keith Oberman, Dan Rather, and the like who throw their own variety of bull squeeze on this subject as well. I question the wisdom of folks who will put government in control of their healthcare when government can't even manage a program like Cash for Clunkers, which in itself was a waste of money. I further question the wisdom of congress that would vote for a bill where they haven't had time to read it or DEBATE IT. It was wrong when republicans did it for the patriot act, and it will be wrong this time as well. The turn-around we have begun is further bankruptcy of our economy thanks to 8 years of centralist liberal GWB with democrats in control, and with Barry Obama a left wing liberal with more democrats in control picking up where GWB left off. Government has no business running health care. It will fail and will cost us billions.
Turn Around
Yes, of course we have begun the turn around, and frankly, that is what is the most disturbing to the right wing extremists who won't get back into office unless the worst happens. With signs all around us that the recession is over, and growth has begun again, they must turn to other scare tactics to drum up support for their libertarian agenda. The hate mongers on talk radio have done their best, but their best has demonstrated to the broad middle just how nuts they really are. Now we all know from history that the employment figures always lag the turn around, so that indicator is the one that will improve the latest. This health care reform is the single most important change for the prosperity of small business, and that is why I suppport the reform package because the statue quo of 15% increases per year over the last decade is simply not sustainable.
Town Hall Meetings
Let us not forget that the same tactics were done to Thelma Drake when she was a member of congress. Whether or not you agreed with her or not (and I disagreed with her on a lot of things), there didn't seem to be much outcry from democrats for disrupting her town hall meetings. I Rep. Glenn Nye (to my knowelege) hasn't held any face to face town hall meetings with his constituents. He did his over the phone as well.
I guess it depends whether you have a 'D' or an 'R' as to whether the disruptions are merited.
Don't Believe Your Congressman
The only people who are causing all this raucous are conservative republican who can't get over 2008. If they had A year, they still would not read A thousand page bill. All they rely on is what their congressman feed them. If there is something in the bill you do not like,post it in your comment and give us the page, then we can debate it.
What is there to debate?
What is there to debate? Turning the health care system that is the envy of the world over to politicians is INSANITY!
!
All congressmaen and congresswomen are exempt from the Obama Health Care Plan. That was put in the Bill because Obama knows that without it, no one would vote for it.
The representatives having these meetings that are being disruptive that are mentioned in this article, I believe all were Democrats except 1.
HMMMMM mid-term elections are going to see a drastic turn around in Congress. Let's all remember. Obama wanted this passed NOW! NOW! NOW! He didn't want people to have a chance to read it, and now that we have had time to read some of it, it tells you how bad this Bill is for the U.S. Obama is President. President for who is the question? He is not acting on the people's best interest, he is acting on his own best interest. Whatever that may be. During his campaign speeches, he slipped and said "the 57 states," talking about America. Just to let everyone know some information - Islam has 57 states.
You are not the only who picked up on that
"I think I've been to all 57 states...." yeah, slipped he did. And now he is showing his true colors - no pun intended. If this 'plan' is so good for the people, then it should be good for him and Congress - haha - the fact they want nothing to do with it should tell EVERYONE just how bad it really is. And the People are yelling and getting angry (prev post ref Limbaugh, etc.) because they have been talking and no one is listening.....the 3 stooges are doing just what the agenda has been all along - and it's all about POWER and nothing else. Let ACORN come to my door with the census......they will get no information......I will not give my pertinent information to a such a corrupt organization...oh, that's right, they are called COI now - whatever.
How easily they forget
2cents expresses the hope of the right wing that our country will fail after eight years of lies, deceit, and avoidance of the truth. In seven months, more progress has been made in righting the wrongs of the last eight years that it is hard for those who opppose a moderate and progressive agenda to take. So they plan their disruptions, their threats of guns, their campaign of fear and deceit, yet in the end, they are no longer the majority. How easily they forgot the cliff we almost fell over, the strong possibility of the worst depression in history, the fact that we avoided that fate with the best program that moderates of both parties could cobble together, and despite the screams and rantings of the libertarian right wing fringe, we have turned things around. So will the moderate center that inherently knows that we must reform the health care system and protect ourselves against the past cycle of greed and wealth for the few that almost put us on our knees.
You never cease to amaze
Mike, your partisan blinders never cease to amaze me. "... we have turned things around" Are you serious? The dollar hit a new low against the Euro yesterday, unemployment is at a 26 year high, and headed higher by year end, and the housing market is in the tank, with no signs of recovery. The unemployment, at 9.5%, is higher than the Administration threatened it would go if we did nothing. So we spent $800B to do worse?
Paying off Democrat special interest groups failed to stimulate the economy. We could have had a 50% FICA holiday for two years -- put more money in workers pockets, made the cost of labor cheaper for employers. We could have cut the 25% rate to 15%, and created a flat rate of 15% for 90% of American workers. We could have matched the tax policies of our international competitors like China and Singapore by abolishing capital gains taxes. We could have adopted the Pickens Plan and put ourselves on the road to energy independence. We could have increased our international competitiveness by reducing our corporate tax rate -- the highest among our competitors.
But instead, we spent money on the arts, museums, Pelosi's marsh mice, Reid's MAGLEV train to
Offense is right!
This is bad advice: “He said, ‘Go on offense. Stay on the offense. It’s really important that your constituents hear directly from you. You shouldn’t let a day go by [that] your constituents don’t hear from you,’” said one House Democratic leadership aide familiar with the meeting. Here's the real issue: Democrat and Republican representatives of the people in Washington, D. C. need to l-i-s-t-e-n and they should not t-a-l-k as much as they do.
Here's my advice, and it is better: "It's really important that your representatives hear directly from you, dear readers! You shouldn't let a day go by that your representatives, who are being fed and housed and given travel allowances funded by YOUR tax dollar, hear from YOU!"