Progressive activism takes its toll on congressional Republicans

[babylonsister]

Posted with permission.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/progressive-activism-takes-its-toll-congressional-republicans?cid=sm_fb_maddow

Progressive activism takes its toll on congressional Republicans
02/02/17 10:08 AM
By Steve Benen


There’s all kinds of compelling evidence that progressive activism, spurred by Donald Trump’s election, is stiffening Democratic spines on Capitol Hill. At the same time, it’s starting to have the opposite effect on their Republican colleagues.

House Ways and Means Committee Kevin Brady (R-Texas), for example, scheduled an event in his district two weeks ago to discuss the Affordable Care Act, and he seemed eager to limit the audience to his allies. The gathering was held at a local Chamber of Commerce headquarters, it wasn’t announced to the public, and the congressman’s office said the point of the event was to hear from constituents facing “rising costs and loss of coverage and choice” because of “Obamacare.”

As the Houston Chronicle reported, dozens of “skeptical and at times testy” locals showed up to express their vocal support for the health care reform law.

There’s a lot of this going around. Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) recently snuck out the back of a library in order to steer clear of constituents who wanted to tell him not to take away their insurance. Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) faced a similar reaction during a town-hall event in Grand Rapids. TPM had a related report today out of Illinois.

Rep. Peter Roskam’s (R-IL) office cancelled a meeting with constituents about Obamacare on Wednesday when a staffer for the congressman learned that a reporter was present, according to the Aurora Beacon-News.

Constituent Sandra Alexander told the Beacon-News that she arranged the meeting about the Affordable Care Act with Roskam’s staff ahead of time and informed them that she would be bringing along a small group.

But staffers cancelled the meeting before it could begin, ostensibly because there were members of the media present.

In Virginia, meanwhile, Politico reports that Rep. Barbara Comstock (R) “stood up constituents over the weekend who attended two townhalls with questions about an Obamacare repeal and the Trump Administration’s travel ban.”

And speaking of Virginia Republicans, the Huffington Post reported this week:

Rep. David Brat (R-Va.) is feeling pressure from women in his district over Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

“Since Obamacare and these issues have come up, the women are in my grill no matter where I go,” Brat said to laughter at a private event on Saturday, according to a video posted to Facebook. “They come up and say, ‘When’s your next town hall?’ And believe me, it’s not to give positive input.”

He asked the audience to mobilize because “we’re getting hammered.”

A Bloomberg Politics report talked to another House Republican two weeks ago who said his constituents “are freaking out” because they’re afraid Congress is poised to take away their health benefits.

The message to activists rallying in support of health-care benefits couldn’t be much clearer: what you’re doing is working.

[blue neen]

1. Like the famous song says:

"We've only just begun".

[muntrv]

2. Such snowflakes those republican reps are.

[Angry Dragon]

5. snowflakes are beautiful things

nothing beautiful about republicans
time to find a better word to use
Trump is draining the swamp
perhaps swamp scum??
chicken hawks??
pile of shit??
Trump Hemorrhoids??
feel free to use something else

[yortsed snacilbuper]

11. How about, turd flakes.

[Angry Dragon]

35. much better

[Blaukraut]

17. more like cockroaches.

[Angry Dragon]

3. republicans are afraid of their people

if they were really doing their jobs and helping people they would have nothing to be afraid of

[ismnotwasm]

4. K&R

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

6. This is why it's VERY important to be a loud thorn in the backside of Republicans

If they are in your state or district do NOT let up. Call, write and be up in their grill over EVERYTHING Trumpledickhead does!

[DinahMoeHum]

7. Hit 'em again, hit 'em again, harder, harder. . .

Make life fucking hell for them.

[annabanana]

8. yup. That's how you do it. . . n/t

[gratuitous]

9. Wait; we should do this "activism" thing instead of sitting around complaining?

Well guess it's worth a try . . .

[babylonsister]

12. Ha!

It just might be working!

[sinkingfeeling]

10. Sen. Cotton abruptly cancelled meeting with Ozark Indivisible yesterday that was

scheduled last month, locked the office doors, posted "No photographs allowed" sign, and refused all phone calls
https://www.google.com/amp/www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2017/02/01/cotton-office-cancels-meeting-with-citizen-group-sparking-protest%3Fmedia%3DAMP%2BHTML

[gratuitous]

13. I read the comments to the Arkansas Times story (never read the comments)

At the time I read them there were 22 comments, and none of them seemed inclined to grant Sen. Cotton any slack for dodging a meeting with his constituents. Or, more accurately, for closing his office so his constituents couldn't meet with his staff. Most of the comments are variations on the theme of "Brave Sir Robin."

Keep pushing, keep the pressure on. Our Republican elected officials show you who they really are when they don't feel comfortable.

[Hekate]

21. You can run but you can't hide

[lindysalsagal]

14. Best thing is, this is all organic: Not organized. Coming from people who never did it before.

And they know it. No one could get 500,000 new yorkers into the streets in pink hats but fRump.

[world wide wally]

15. I thought George Soros s was giving everyone $2500 to protest

[crazycatlady]

19. then where's my check?

Pink hats are still being worn. I'm working on yet another one (I'm selling them) as I read here.

[ProfessorGAC]

31. A Related Thought On Soros, Wally

I know he's a whipping boy for the RWNJ crowd and now they've thrown this "Soros is paying protesters" nonsense around.

But, a point that sticks in my throat and a question they can't answer is:

What's in it for Soros? Why would he spend all this money to advance progressive causes when one of the possible outcomes is higher taxes for him and more stringent regulations on his business? If he's spending this money (and he does contribute a lot to causes, no matter that the protestor payment thing is a lie), isn't he spending against his own interest?

Well, the answer is: yes he is. Unlike Davey and Chuckie Koch, or Shelly Adelson or any of the Koch network contributors, he's doesn't benefit personally from the things he encourages. Those guys are advocating for a governmental approach that personally benefits themselves. Soros is pursuing an governmental approach that benefits others. He's not promoting legislative action that improves his ability to make even more money. The others are. Ergo, he's actually the good guy.

So even if he is paying the protestors (and again, he's not), so what? It's his money. It's high right, and he's not asking for any favors, unlike the RWNJ's that keep throwing huge sums at politics under Citizen United.

I've even heard idiots concerned that Soros might is a socialist, and therefore we can't trust his motive. A socialist billionaire! Yes, you heard that right! People are worried that a guy who has accumulated an 11 digit net worth might be a socialist. So, that can't be it either.

I've used the latter for a while now and just started using the "so what" piece on some the people i've encountered recently. Freezes them on the spot.

I know a little off topic, but your mention of GS made me go off a bit.

[ffr]

16. Fight!

[NastyRiffraff]

18. Keep it coming!

We can't let up, even for a moment. NOTHING is more important than showing our resistance, every day, every way we can, at every opportunity. Dump hates it (a GOOD thing!) and now the Republican Congresspeople are feeling our wrath.

[Buns_of_Fire]

20. Good. I want to see them persona non grata in their own districts.

I want them afraid to show their faces outside of the DC Bubble and their "esteemed colleagues."

I want their own relatives to avoid being seen in public with them.

I want mothers to pull their children away from them.

I want stray dogs to walk up and pee on their shoes.

I want them all to sprout gigantic cold sores that can't be covered up and won't go away.

I want them all to develop terminal diaper rash.

And that's just for starters.

[Hekate]

23. Good start!

[Fearless]

22. It's almost as though people like healthcare?!?!1111!

[elmac]

24. he's going to wear those poor old angry white men out

before they get a chance to enjoy their fascist state.

[Leith]

25. Good

It's about time that they heard from real people. The only ones they have bothered to listen to so far are lying lobbyists for big corporations.

Welcome to the real world, rethugs!

[Lint Head]

26. Just today I called a Senator and a Representative

and raise Holy Hell about Russian sanctions and tbe hacks.

[Jhall5]

27. Good.

Keep it up.

[Wounded Bear]

28. Good, though I worry about peaking early...

election is 21 months away. We need to sustain the pressure.

[fierywoman]

29. GO, INDIVISIBLES !!!

[Dopers_Greed]

30. These Repugs can't handle it when they are called out for not doing their jobs.

What do they want, a participation ribbon?

What snowflakes.

[VancouverDem]

32. New Meme

Republican = Traitor
Democrat, Independent, Everyone Else = Patriot

[LiberalLovinLug]

33. "He asked the audience to mobilize because were getting hammered.

ie....send in a busload of deplorables to the next town meeting to interrupt pertinent questions from the audience concerned about their healthcare coverage. Cause disruption and maybe even violence to shut it down. And then later the Republicans can blame the violence on the ones that came to protest the cuts to the ACA.

[nolabels]

34. What a bunch of freakin wimps

They start a fight and then run away