I went to the town hall meeting for my congressman, Tea Partier Randy Hultgren

[riderinthestorm]

It was supposed to start at 10:30 am at my local library. I didn't hear about it until 8 am this morning and had to rush over there after chores and was a bit nervous that I'd have to fight the crowd when I got there at 10:20.

Nobody was there. I actually asked at the circulation desk if I was in the correct meeting room since it was empty. Yup, they assured me.

So I went in and sat down. At 10:30 promptly two people from Randy Hultgren's office came in and said that they were representing him today. Okay so it's just them and me. Excellent I thought and prepared to do battle - except they agreed with virtually every point I made!

1. Raise taxes on rich and wealthy? Impose more taxes on corps? Yup, they've been hearing that by the hundreds daily. Only a few people are calling and saying something different. Mr. Hultgren is getting that message VERY clearly.

2. Stop playing games with the debt ceiling and get it passed as a clean bill? Yup, they've been hearing that too - virtually unanimously.

3. I told them that anyone who votes to alter Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid in any way would lose my vote period. Okay, they heard that loud and clear and completely understood.

At that point I was a little flummoxed. Since I'd ranted for about 10 minutes already and nobody was there I decided to keep going.

4. I told them that the Republicans have had their tax breaks for the "jobs creators" for 10 years now and look at the state of our unemployment. I said that this "experiment" in trickle down economics MUST cease and that the rich must do their part, they must also "share the sacrifice" and gave them the Mitch Daniels quote that I got from a DUer this morning. Furthermore I said (in my best incredulous voice) that the Republicans are bringing up social issues bills instead of focusing on jobs?!! Ridiculous! (The two reps had been really nice up to this point but I had a little bit of steam here at the end and wanted to make sure they knew that while I'd been polite, I really was pissed). I exhorted them both to read Naomi Klein's book on disaster capitalism and that the politicians in Washington weren't fooling anyone out here in the real world.

At that point an elderly woman came in and was standing at the door. The reps asked me for my name, address and phone number which I provided while they admired the local library. That got me on a rant about how Mr. Hultgren could do something about getting libraries like it fully funded so they can stay open (ours is operating on minimal open hours because of funding cut-backs) instead of funding useless wars like Iraq and Afghanistan. Then I thanked them, and they thanked me after assuring me Mr. Hultgren really DID get feedback from these sessions and I left.

The whole thing took 50 minutes - the drive to the library, the wait, the 15 minute discussion with the reps and the drive home. I was back in time for lunch chores.

Mission accomplished? Who knows. They were extremely polite and actually very agreeable to my comments. The woman made notes and the two of them provided a real dialogue. I feel like I did a bit more in participating in our "civil society" without any real stress on my day.

If you can, I encourage other DUers to get themselves heard. It's harder for them to ignore us if we are actually in their face.

[Blue Owl]

1. Freaking awesome!

You want to know the truth about the Tea Party? Go to one of their events.

Don't listen to the M$M -- just look at the obvious nothingness of that wretched straw group.

[Bozita]

2. Well done! ... Thank you

Recommended.

[PoliticAverse]

3. Any discussion on the wars? n/t

[riderinthestorm]

5. No, like I said, someone was standing waiting to talk to them too.

Honestly, I was expecting a lot of people and only went prepared with 3 concise questions on the debt ceiling, trickle down economics and the taxes on the rich and wealthy, and my vow about touching SS, Medicare or Medicaid.

Of course NOW that I know I had all that time with them, I would have been prepared with a laundry list of comments! My "finale" actually was spur of the moment while they were writing down my info. But I was glad I got to say it nonetheless.

[PoliticAverse]

10. Thanks for posting your report. n/t

[Scuba]

4. Did you happen to ask them how they chose to hold their little....

...meeting in a SOCIALIST place like a PUBLIC library?

[riderinthestorm]

6. Heh, I love it. Wish I'd thought of that!!

Its funny this is Denny Hastert's old district so its pretty red. It's been getting fairly purple lately though and I was pleasantly surprised at the feedback the two reps were getting.

[B Calm]

9. They hate that word socialist, too bad, most of them don't have a clue

what socialism really is.

[B Calm]

7. Let's hope they relay the message. My guess is it went in one ear

and out the other. Every damn republican I know are brain dead SOB's.

[CleanGreenFuture]

8. Why do you suppose no one but you cared enough to show up?

[riderinthestorm]

11. I don't know. Maybe "everyone" but me knew it was just reps from his office

and nobody goes to see them? Maybe people believe that it only matters if they see the Congressman in person? One of my clients told me about the meeting so I didn't do any research ahead of time to find out the particulars. I just went by what she told me (she's a fellow Dem and knows how passionate I am about the issues).

Anyway I didn't feel that it had to be Hultgren or nobody. His local office staff have to live in the community. They are here, not in Washington and they had to look me in the eye while I said my piece. If nothing else, I was interested in learning my one tidbit - that Hultgren's constituents are NOT with him on his present course. I'd go again for sure. If it were the same people, I'd just bring up different issues like the wars and that kind of spending, or my desire for universal health care.

I'm glad I went though. It "felt" worth it.

[CleanGreenFuture]

12. I'm glad you did too. Thanks for doing your part.

[JDPriestly]

13. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. A million thanks. You are a brave soul.

It's your kind of activism that can make a difference.

Wow! I am so impressed. Good work.

[murielm99]

14. Kick

so others will read this.

[Paka]

15. Thank you so much for that report.

I'm far away in Thailand and can only communicate with my reps via internet and snail mail. Being able to go in person would be so much more awesome, but my budget doesn't allow me at 70+ to live in the continental US anymore. Snail mail with lots of fancy Thai stamps is good because it gets their attention.

We have an active Democrats Abroad group here, so as together we have some clout which is good, because most expats of my ilk are liberal progressives. Living outside the US strengthens that viewpoint unless you chose to isolate yourself and live in a vacuum. :hi:

[Amonester]

16. Kick! nt

:kick:

[proud patriot]

17. kick

[bullwinkle428]

18. Sorry I'm too late to recommend, but I can still kick!