Friday, February 24, 2017

"Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."

"Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will." — Frederick Douglass

(I've heard Frederick Douglass is a real up-and-comer!) 


It was the week of the Town Hall meeting from Coast to Coast. Congress was in recess this week, and Members of Congress went home to their districts.  And some went into hiding.

Their constituents showed up.

I was gratified to see Democracy in action this week.  From coast to coast, Members of Congress faced the wrath of theiir Constituents. Citizens asked pointed questions about the Affordable Care Act; about the environment; immigrants and refugees; the Cabinet appointees; reproductive rights; and important issues across the spectrum. They stood up in real, legitimate anger (not "so-called anger," SCROTUS!) and spoke their minds, demanding to be heard. There are clips from town halls coast to coast all over the internet. I've posted a few below for reference, but my favorites are here.

One of my favorites was earlier this month when those rowdy Elitist Liberal Leftists in UTAH confronted Representative Jason Chaffetz.

(Side note, as House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman, Chaffetz deserves a phone call or two -- here is is contact info -- from folks around the country as to his mounting some certain investigations. [and no I'm not talking about Rogue Tweets from those rapscallion Rangers!])

<ifr


But the very best one?  Toby in Arkansas, speaking to Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK)





Go, Little Brother Resister!


Here is a summary news report from ABC about the Town Halls around the country:




Mother Jones has more clips.


Senator Mitch McConnell's (R-Kentucky) tongue lashing at a luncheon (he has avoided town hall meetings) and his smug response.




Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was met with tough questions and boos. She later claimed that the attendees were not constituents, but Wolf Bltzer showed she was lying.

Sentaor Rob Portman (R-OH)  blocked non-Republicans from attending a dinner where he spoke.

Many Republican Members of Congress skipped out on their scheduled Town Halls or didn't schedule any n the first place.  Cowards!

Louie Gohmert (R-TX) stated he was afraid of violence, referring to Gabrielle Giffords's violent incident in 2011.  Gabby answered pointedly that after she was shot in the head, democracy continues and her office was open two days later. She tells her colleagues in Congress:  "Have some courage. Face your constituents. Hold town halls."

In many districts where the Member of Congress were missing, constituants showed up anyway. They held empty-chair town halls. They asked for their representatives' presence, sometimes in angry but humorous ways.  Democracy will continue, and these representatives will find out the full brunt in 2018 and 2020.


....And so what about SCROTUS's tweet?



Let's look at these 140 characters, shall we?

"So-called angry crowds?"  No, you Twitiot, they were factually angry, REALly angry, legitimately angry.  Millions of us, from the Redwood Forests to the Gulf Stream waters.

"Some Republicans?"  He got that right, actually!  Of 247 Republican Members of Congress, more than 200 have avoided or cancelled traditional town hall meetings, according to reports.

"Are actually, in numerous cases, planned out by liberal activists" YES!  It's called Democracy, Bitch!  Organize and plan. Motivate and activate!  Go out in numbers!  That's what it's all about. A version of Democracy got you to (sometimes) occupy the Whitewash House, so get used to the FULL power of Democracy, in all of its organized ways, to take. you. down.

"Sad!"  Wrong.  You are witnessing wonderful, gratifying Democratic action. The only one "Sad" is you.  You are a Sad sack of ****.


2 comments: