If the GOP is getting wary of town halls (CNN headline)

[MissB]

then it's clear that the Democratic Party must step up their efforts to hold town halls early and often. It may be a great way to win over votes.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/13/politics/republican-lawmakers-town-hall-events/index.html


(CNN)Republican lawmakers appear increasingly eager to avoid town hall-style events and seek less confrontational venues to engage with constituents as angry protestors mobilize across the country to disrupt public forums.

Since President Donald Trump's inauguration, fired-up constituents who oppose the dismantling of former President Barack Obama's initiatives, including the Affordable Care Act, have aggressively confronted congressional Republicans at town halls. One congressman had to be escorted out of a town hall by police recently, while other representatives have been shouted down and interrupted by rowdy audience members.

Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York canceled an appearance at an event in April hosted by the Rogers Memorial Library in Southhampton. His spokeswoman, Jennifer DiSiena, told CNN that the event was "co-opted, renamed and rebranded by a group of liberal obstructionists."

Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee is scheduled to appear at an event labeled as a "town hall" at the Fairview City Hall on February 21. But local activists noticed that details of the event recently disappeared from the Fairview website -- a change that Fairview Mayor Patti Carroll confirmed to CNN in an email Monday morning.

*snip*

[redstatebluegirl]

1. I am still waiting for my check for attending a protest march.

[VOX]

3. Yeah, when does that $hip pull into port?

I've got monthly expenses to meet. My "welfare cheat" checks just aren't cutting it. This professional protester gig was supposed to be a good career move!

[vlyons]

2. We have to invite them bogus groups with innocuous names, like

Foster Parents of County_Name

Police Supporters of County_Name

Christian Ladies Auxilliary of County_Name

Farmers and Ranchers of County_Name

Library Patrons of County_Name

[TreasonousBastard]

4. As one of Zeldin's "liberal obstructionists", I find this hilarious...

There is at least one huge "Where is Lee Zeldon?" movement out there. Every one of us remembers when he had his teabaggers interrupt Tim Bishop's campaign appearances, so of course he's in hiding.

The "Where's Lee" groups have been harping on him to have a town hall, and he's just been refusing to do it. He won re-election handily, (for various reasons not having to do with actual popularity) but now refuses to talk to us. His PR guy has been talkative, but has now closed the office door on us. We had close to a hundred people at the Riverhead Library a week ago respectfully asking the mouthpiece questions he'll "get back to us, real soon now".

Personally, I think he's shit scared of a Trump effect in 2018. He's been able to hide most of his more rightward moves, but it's getting obvious he's a Trump flunky.