Town halls gone wild

[Joanne98]

Source: Reuters

POLITICO (Washington) -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 suspend the events in his Long Island district. "There is no point in meeting with my constituents and 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.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE56U3OV20090731

[texastoast]

1. So that is how whiney Republicans act?? How can we get ANYTHING done?

When I attended townhall meetings during * years, all the Dems followed protocol and were very respectful, although very assertive.

Because I still have a Republican congress critter, I attend them now via telephone conference. He NEVER calls on me (not since that first time face to face).

What a bunch of idiots.

[UpInArms]

6. remember this?

GOP operatives that stopped the vote count in Miami-Dade Florida

[texastoast]

8. The day America died n/t

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

23. ALWAYS. They did EVERYTHING the Chicago 8 were tried in chains for

and nothing happened to them.

How about a followup on these characters, and what they are/have been up to todate.

Someone got the time to google search them all?
ADW

[HowHasItComeToThis]

2. REPUBLICAN LOVE AND NEED CHAOS

THAT IS THEIR STRATEGY

[tanyev]

9. They're very good at destroying things.

Fixing, building, creating? Not so much.

[DeSwiss]

11. Straterygee

/Fixed

[timeforpeace]

3. Sounds like an excuse for Tom not to have any recess town halls.

[PassingFair]

7. Tim is strongly FOR Public Option...

He's probably got raving "single-payer" people
clashing with "you want to exterminate Gramma!"
puglicans at his townhalls.....

http://timbishop.house.gov/index.html

[Downwinder]

4. The demise of civil society. n/t

[kestrel91316]

5. The RW has a very well organized AGENDA to disrupt Dem events.

They know that they are open to all, as opposed to the "RW freaks only" events staged by Repukes for the past 8 years.

Is it fascism yet?

[Wizard777]

10. With the domestic terrorism campaign the GOP has launched against Health Care.

What else would you expect? Of course people are hysterical and in a panic. The GOP has elderly people sitting at home afraid that knock at the door is an Obama health care worker wanting to know how they would like to die. Foul scum! Every last one of them foul scum!

[and-justice-for-all]

12. I will keep an eye out for where my House Rep. will be

and make sure to attend and confront RW unruly and childish behavior. I am not scarred of those idiots.

[Raspberry]

13. That's outrageous!!!!

How DARE they??? Don't they know that DEMOCRATS are the only ones allowed to carry signs, protest, interrupt speakers, and disrupt meetings???? Didn't they get the memo?? What's next? Pies in the face? Outrageous!

:eyes:

[tabasco]

14. Reich wingers blow up federal buildings with babies inside.

Democrats protest in the streets.

[Raspberry]

15. Thought this was a thread

about disruption of town hall meetings.

Guess not.

[tabasco]

16. You're a quick learner.

Sharp as a tack, you are.

[Ikonoklast]

20. Bad guesser.

Bu I'd guess you would be one of the wild-eyed loonies screaming about birth certificates.

[sharesunited]

17. I went to a soccer match and a town hall meeting broke out.

This is astro turfing at its worst, with weak minded fools being manipulated to behave like hooligans.

[Politicalboi]

18. Not to quash free speech

They should have fines set up for those who disrupt. The "Birther Lady" would not qualify, because she had the floor and wasn't disruptive. The pledge of allegiance was the fault of the congressman. But if she had persisted then yes fine her $250.00 if she doesn't shut up. People might think twice about yelling over others. But the right to ask nutty questions should be the right of every right wing nut.

[quiet.american]

19. I think these disruptions need to be taped and put up on YouTube to expose the pattern.

It was powerful stuff to see the ugliness that was filing into Sarah Palin rallies last year. These people who are not interested in democracy need their ugliness to continue to be exposed as much as possible.

[spinbaby]

21. No video, no recording

Sign at the town-hall meeting I attended last week. I think we need to record anyway.

--
Caren
TDC Queen of Adventureland

[quiet.american]

22. Ah. Yep - does seem someone could always have their cellphone handy. nt

[defendandprotect]

24. There's another thread which indicates GOP organizing these disruptions . . .!!!