If Dems are excluded, the GOP should pay for Bush's townhall meetings

[Nancy Waterman]

Why do we the taxpayers have to pay for something that we are not allowed to attend? I think we could file charges of discrimination against Bush and his minions. Certainly the money should come from GOP coffers.

[Cha]

1. That's right! Write our

Senators and Congresspersons!

We don't want to pay for bush's puesdofaux townhall meetings!!

[Nite Owl]

2. Very good point

Let's write about this. He's obviously not the President of all the people.

[xray s]

3. Very good point

These are partisan political campaign rallys.

[Jersey Ginny]

4. I've been wondering who is paying for this propaganda sham

You've got a really good point. Does anyone know the rules about this?

[katinmn]

5. Excellent point! Taxpayers shouldn't have to fund pep rallys

[Liberty Belle]

6. Yes! Let's all write to the Washington Post, etc, and point this out.

Anyone have that list of White house press corp members? It would be great if one of them would ask this question.

Is there a federal agency where this complaint could be filed? How about complaining to some DEMS in Congress? Reid or Conyers? Also Howard Dean. Let him start spouting off about this at press conferences.

[katinmn]

31. The Government Accounting Office (GAO)

is the agency that has been investigating the purchase of taxpayer funded PR services.

This would probably fall within their purview.

[paineinthearse]

49. Ask your Rep to request an investigation into the cost

See the excellent letter below. Just add a request for a GAO determination of cost.

[Carolab]

7. Yes, or maybe the RNC. Give up some of K. Hughes' consulting fees.

$15,000 a MONTH? For what?

[Why Syzygy]

10. to fix elections?

:shrug:

[sepia_steel]

8. WOW

Just when I can't despise those dirtbags ANY MORE...

[zann725]

9. What a great idea! But then most of them don't want to pay taxes OR SS

deductions over $90K. They're NOT big spenders, ya know.

Their role (as THEY see it) is to squander OUR money, and save theirs. That's the Capitalistic way!

[Sapphire Blue]

11. A cover charge to attend his propaganda frenzies should be required

The cover charge should cover all costs connected with his circuses... including travel, security, sealing (then unsealing) manhole covers, the hosting facility’s electric, water, heating/air conditioning bills, reparations to local businesses suffering financial loss due to customers kept away from their businesses, additional highway road use taxes, and last, but not least, environmental cleanup for all the shit spread around.

It is absurd and unacceptable that any taxpayer’s money is used for these propagandist cult gatherings.

(While on 'tour', he should also be taking LWOP.)

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. You're right! Those meetings are political propaganda!

[Disturbed]

13. The Bush Cult should pay

for their own Cult gatherings!

[bluedonkey]

14. Not 'Townhall Meetings'

Politomercials and YES they should have to pay for these!

Man,oh man,do we have some some clean up to do after these thugs leave.The upcoming generation has to relearn the english language.
"New English Dictionary and Thesaurus",Words and their True Meaning.

Townhall Meeting,indeed!

[Mnemosyne]

24. You think they are going to leave? think again.

HJ 9 repeal of 22nd amendment underway

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c109:1:./temp/~c109x5pKXm::

[gordianot]

15. Best observation I have seen on DU this year.

You are definitely on to something.

[MelissaB]

16. I agree!

:kick:

[rainy]

17. Just sent this letter to CNN

BIG QUESTION FOR THE DAY? Who is paying for Bush's fake town hall meetings to promote his agenda? Since the audience is screened and half of Americans are not allowed, shouldn't the GOP be paying for the pep rallies instead of the taxpayer?




I hate how they make you state if your comment is negative or positive. I'm always afraid they won't read it if I say negative. I said the above comment was positive.

[checks-n-balances]

18. Excellent - you are SPOT ON!

Best talking point I've heard in a long time. Let's use it in LTTE and in conversation - don't forget this one!

[KoKo]

19. Agree. And I wonder if this is something the ACLU should persue.

It's shocking that no one is asking questions about this. Where are our Democrats? Is everyone just assuming the GOP is paying for this. How could they? He travels with his own protected vehicles. When he was here in NC there must have been at least four official SUV's plus the Limo. Then there are the "black hawk" helicopters that fly overhead wherever he goes and all of the SS agents with him. This has got to be too costly for even the rich GOP treasury to handle.

I don't hear a word about it out there. Thanks for posting this. I guess faxes and phone calls are what we should be doing, but why isn't someone higher up leading a crusade on this? We can't do everything by outselves. :shrug:

[KoKo]

23. They might if folks like me could not make typo's like *Pursue*...kick

[realFedUp]

20. amen, sister.

These aren't public meetings and they don't
deserve public monies. Let Halliburton pick
up the tab.

[Joey Liberal]

21. I agree! Bush should be prosecuted.

Bush seems to be operating on the premise that we are a country with one party rule. If you are not a republican, then you simply don't count.

[zippy890]

22. I agree

These meetings are partisan

And by the look of them, very costly to orchestrate.

Our taxes should not be used for this.:mad:

:kick:

[SillyGoose]

25. Excellent point, Nancy!

:kick:

[Eric J in MN]

26. You're right. This is just propaganda. (nt)

nt

[MissWaverly]

27. Yes, and pay for Rush's trip to see the troops

Rush's trip to bad mouth the Dems to the troops was paid for not by the USO but by taxpayers, since it was a partisan hack job then they should fund it, and include the payola to Jeff Gannon, Armstrong Williams, et. al.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

28. posing this question to Congress, the GAO and the WH! I am OUTRAGED

everyone on DU needs to e-mail, write and call your reps NOW on this issue!

lets get busy folks

[July]

29. Slogan: ALL Americans pay for Bush's pep rallies -- only SOME invited.

[raggedcompany]

30. kick n/t

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

32. GREAT point! Any lawyers out there with some insight on this?

[hansolsen]

33. You're right, but my fear is Dem leadership plans to do the same thing

when they control the White House. That is the only reason I can see why they haven't been screaming bloody murder about this every single time it happens, and I mean every single person in the Dem leadersip from the House and Senate to the DNC, etc.

[mitchtv]

34. you have plenty of time before you'll have to worry about

Dems being able to do it. Right now the crime is being perpetrated by the pukes

[hansolsen]

41. Unfortunately, you are probably right. Meanwhile it might be worth trying

to get people like Hillary to declare that they would never exclude Repubs from town meetings, should she ever be elected pres. Get her to take the "pledge".

[stevedeshazer]

35. Come on, people, this is not new

Bushco has operated this way from Day One.

You all are outraged just NOW?

[gordianot]

38. Not just now.

There are so many damn outrages it takes time to focus them. Why are we letting this narcissistic, petty, ignorant, dictatorial, smirking, conceited, crook get by blocking non threatening citizens from access to the President. This is an outrage the most partisan president ever. If given access to a speech I would listen, I would not express approval but I would not disrupt. Actually I doubt I could stomach listening to this dip.

We are allowing him to get by with this. If he is going to operate his presidency on constant campaign footing make him pay for it.

[Pithy Cherub]

36. Excellent post.

The media and all politicians should be made aware of the expenditure of public funds for a propaganda political purpose. The DNC should say something and the RNC should reimburse the treasury for this.

[solinvictus]

37. Letter to my Congressman going out today...

"As I’m certain you are aware, on Thursday President Bush visited Montgomery, Alabama’s Auburn University extension site to promote his plan for Social Security reform. These events have taken place across the nation as President Bush attempts to bolster flagging support for his proposal to greatly modify the current plan and allow the conversion of some funds to private investments. My concern lies not with the President’s policy proposal, but these media events that have taken place over the past few weeks.

It is my understanding that the audiences assembled for these media events are culled by invitation only, usually from staunch and prominent Republican supporters or politicians. In this case, the President is guaranteed to have a sympathetic audience which acts as nothing more than an “amen corner” for his every word. In fact, I listened to the broadcast of Thursday’s rally and heard President Bush congratulate each speaker with such affirmations as “good job” to show his approval for the testimonial. It is hardly fair for the news media to use such euphemisms as “town hall” or “public meeting” to describe partisan public relations events that insure that no critical voices are ever heard.

Congressman Davis, it concerns me that public money may have been used to fund this publicity drive. If President Bush has each and every media event staged with a partisan audience, half of the American people are denied the chance to question him on his policy decisions that have a direct impact on their lives. It seems that President Bush believes himself to be above criticism from the American people and that only his supporters should have the right to attend his media events. Such behavior is autocratic in nature and is a disgrace to the office of President. President Bush needs to be reminded that he is the chief civil servant in our nation, not a king. If his administration has used public funds for these staged media events, I would recommend an investigation to hold them accountable for denying many Americans the right to attend, to question, and to protest President Bush’s policies. "

[paineinthearse]

47. Excellent letter, may I suggest

1. (with your permission) we copy, edit and send to our own Reps and Senators.

2. Send to Rep. Henry Waxman, ranking member of the House Reform Committee.

3. Send to our state members of the DNC.

[solinvictus]

48. Copy away!!

We need to flood our legislators with letter of concern. The US is not a one-party state, yet anyway.

[paineinthearse]

50. I just sent this to two memebers of the DNC

Suggested they determine the cost and publicize it.

These people work for us, communicate with them.

If you do not know your members' names/contact info, get in touch with your town/ward committee or state committee.

[OrlandoGator]

39. On same note: Use of Air Force One for campaign stops.

Think of the fuel, security and staff costs of a 747 whisking people from stop to stop. It's gotta be in the millions, and we're all paying for it.

[Vinca]

40. I think during campaigns they have to pay for some of this stuff,

but it's clear we're being taken to the cleaners for these vetted "town meetings." If I can't get in, I'm not willing to pay.

[Don Claybrook]

44. A 747 and a C5 Galaxy

I live in Louisville, which the idiot graced with his presence this past week. The day before he came, a huge AF C5 Galaxy showed up at the airport. I'm pretty sure it contained his entire motorcade. I remember being impressed at the lotistics required to move the President around. I also remember thinking what a waste it was to use all the resources on this monkey.

So yeah, lots of people, lots of money, lots of stopped traffic, lots of extra security. All so he can try to sell his rape of social security to the naive.

[OrlandoGator]

45. When I was traveling to Houston a lot a couple of years ago...

On several occassions, Bush's frequent trips to Crawford would shut down the entire Houston Bush (ugh) airport for hours...which was a real bummer for those flying Continental, considering that's their hub.

[GreenPoet64]

42. Excellent observation! n/t

[laylah]

43. Great observation!

I never thought of that! Thanks for the heads-up. I'll be contacting Sen. Durbin's office tomorrow!

Let's keep this one :kick: ed! (edited 'cuz I can't spell)

Jenn

[paineinthearse]

46. How are tickets issued

Suppose * is coming to my city next week.

How and where does one get a ticket? Are they being issued by non-partisan groups, elected officials (both parties?), elected GOP officials? GOP itself?

Give me an idea of how this is being done and I will post my opinion.