Subject: Lloyd Doggett needs some support

[bonzotex]

We have to keep Lloyd Doggett's back. It is shameful those teabagger morons could disrupt his public meeting without more support from locals who actually understand the issues. I didn't even know it was going on until it was over and in the news.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a link:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/03/doggett-health-care /

The You tube vids going up are as far as I can see just toxic teabagger propaganda. 10 or 12 more supporters would have made the few foam-at-the-mouth wingnuts there look like like the idiots they are.

If you are a constituent, sign up. At least send him a note of support.

http://doggett.house.gov /

Personally I'm going to start showing up rather than reading about it.

[sonias]

1. It was organized i.e. not grassroots

I wouldn't be surprised if the people were paid too. Smells like a Rove tactic to me.

AAS 8/4/09
Health care protest set up by partisans, Doggett says

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett said Monday that a weekend showdown with constituents in Southwest Austin over national health care proposals was a "mob" scene driven by Republicans and Libertarians intent on derailing universal coverage.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, is seen at a Bastrop event in a video posted Monday by the Republican Party of Texas. Doggett said he was followed to Bastrop by protesters who decried the Democratic health care plan at an Austin event Saturday.

"It is a desperation tactic," he said, adding that such a protest "combined with all of the misinformation coming out on cable television and through a number of Web sites is an indication that (advocates of health care reform) have to do a more effective job of communicating."

Jon Stewart even called the nut bags on it tonight.

That's my Congressman - sticking up for what's right! :loveya: Lloyd!

He was at the townhall meeting for Heatlcare Reform here in Austin recently and there were counter protesters there too.

:kick:

Sonia

[hobbit709]

2. Once again repuke astro-turf.

I'm glad to say he's my Congressman too. I think somebody should video these "protesters" at each place they show up and see if the same faces keep cropping up.

[sonias]

5. You know they would

The same ones that disrupted Doggett at Randalls followed him on to Bastrop.

Sonia

[bonzotex]

3. It does smell!

We can outnumber any wingnut gathering with actual grassroots turnout. The citizens who are for health care reform may be getting too complacent. Congressman Doggett won't be turned away from reform, but other weaker links might.

[sonias]

4. True and that is their objective

But did you notice that the right wing talking shows and national nut bag media is using the Doggett protest to fuel others? Tell me that Rove (who is now back in Texas) isn't organizing the wingers in Texas? At the very least he's providing the play book. He's always had a particular hate for Doggett. And the wingers love Rove tactics.

Again I would not be surprised if some of them are paid operatives. Like the "grassroots" "Brooks Brother Riot" that shutdown of one Florida 2000 recount.

http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/9093/teabaggers-and-birthers-disrupt-lloyd-doggetts-town-hall-on-health-insurance-reform">BOR blog 8/3/09
Teabaggers and Birthers Disrupt Lloyd Doggett's Town Hall on Health Insurance Reform
(snip)
What Congressman Doggett is referring to when he mentions a "coordinated, nationwide effort" is the fact that lobbyist run think-tanks such as Freedom Works and Americans for Prosperity, both of whom were responsible for taking over much of the underwhelming Tea Bag parties held earlier this year, are behind organized efforts to disrupt town halls of mostly Democratic House Representatives. A leaked memo by a Freedom Works supported Teabagger website details how their extremist members should disrupt town halls.

More on this memo in the TPM story below plus who is providing money:

Talking Points Memo 8/3/09
Inside The Tea Partiers Anti-Health Care Organizing Campaign

These teabaggers disrupting congressional town halls is just a spontaneous groundswell of populist opposition to health care reform, right? Riiiight.

On Friday, July 24, a representative of Conservatives for Patients Rights--the anti-health care reform group run by Swift Boat message man Rick Scott--sent an email to a list serve (called the Tea Party Patriots Health Care Reform Committee) containing a spreadsheet that lists over one hundred congressional town halls from late July into September.

The email from CPR to tea baggers suggests that, though conservatives portray the tea bagger disruptions as symptoms of a populist rebellion roiling unprompted through key districts around the country, they have to a great extent been orchestrated by anti-health care reform groups financed by industry. (CPR did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)

That email predates by about a week a recent flurry of events at which Democratic members of Congress have been accosted and harassed by anti-health care reform tea party protesters. But beyond putting those spectacles, now receiving wide play on cable news, into a fresh light, it also provides a window into the tea party protesters' organizing infrastructure, which, like so much political organizing today, occurs in private email list serves.

:kick:

Sonia

[bonzotex]

12. Thanks Sonia, I saw those and more....

I've been kind of stalking these Tea-bagger events. Mostly they are pretty pathetic and the participants are all over the map crazy. Still, the anger and fear in these people is real. It may not be rational, but it is real. Nobody has to pay these knuckle-draggers to show up. They just have to be told where to go.

The astroturfers have fertile recruiting ground with this extreme wingnut activist base. They have finally found a tactic that works for them. If they can just yell and be assholes is serves their purpose. If you let them talk try and explain themselves, then the crazy bubbles out like a liquid shit fountain.

One commenter on another thread pointed out that the best tactic would be to turn the mic over to these disruptor's and let them shout all they want. That won't happen at a staged Town hall type event, but it is true if you let them say out loud what they actually believe, they sound like morons and they do the discrediting themselves.

This is a case where any publicity is not good publicity. Unfortunately, most local media outlets will just cover this as angry voters trying to be heard. They won't point out the organizations behind it, or report on what the teabaggers actually believe/advocate. We have to find ways to get these people in the spotlight on our terms, not theirs.

[sonias]

17. "crazy bubbles out like a liquid shit fountain"

My eyes, my eyes.... That's a crazy picture I really didn't want to have in my brain. :rofl: :crazy:

I had someone suggest today that we should try the creative sign counter protest. There was a recent thread on DU about clowns kicking the KKK's ass in TN. This happened in 2007 but the idea is timeless.

Do something creative to drive them crazy but don't add to their protest by shouting back. Just hold up some signs maybe with some of the things Doggett said tonight on Rachel Maddow's show and in the news article like "Party of 'No' - what else do you know?" "Can you use your adult voice and talk rationally now?"

That kind of thing is bound to drive them crazier. :crazy:


Sonia

[kjackson227]

6. I sent him an email yesterday giving him my support but since...

I don't live in his zip code district, I'm not sure if it went through or not :(

[sonias]

7. Did you do it through his web site?

That's how I send him messages. And he or his staff usually reply.

When I was not represented by him (that dark period of re-districting when Lamer Smith was my Congressman) I still called and sent Lloyd communication. I just added in my notes that I felt he was my Congressman. He surely represented me more than Lamer anyway.


Sonia

[kjackson227]

8. Hmmm. I'm not sure, but I think I emailed his congressional office??? I'm not sure...

so I'll try the other website. Do we know of any other townhalls scheduled for our state?

[sonias]

9. He has an input form on his website

That's the best way. His staff at least looks at it that way.

http://doggett.house.gov/


Sonia

[kjackson227]

10. Yep, this is the one I used. I emailed again to voice my support...

so hopefully he'll get it. It doesn't say that the email wouldn't actually go through, but that I wouldn't receive a reply. That's fine as long as the email went through.

[bonzotex]

11. check this out

Firedoglake has a listing of open townhalls across the country. Look on the right side under WHIPPING THE PUBLIC OPTION.

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/

Every Democrat will need support and polite encouragement to do the right thing.

[sonias]

13. Awesome!

I see some upcoming ones in Texas for Pete Sessions - 7p.m. in Richardson on Wednesday Aug 5th
Mike Burgess - 10:AM on Saturday Aug 8th in Denton

If these are your Reps - go get 'em!

:kick:

Sonia

[kjackson227]

18. Thanks! I didn't see any for Texas, but I went to E. B. Johnson's website...

and her "upcoming events" page was completely blank, and Royce West didn't have any information either. They're probably trying to keep meetings on the down-low. I guess I'll have to call for info.

[sonias]

20. I actually thought that widget on Firedog Lake was for the R's districts only

But now I see it is for everyone they know about. Both parties.

Firedog Lake is trying to make sure the Rs get some heat on their home turf as well from supporters of Health Care Reform. You know - turn about is fair play.

If Eddie Bernice is your Congresswoman - just give her a call and tell her you support health care reform.

Royce West is a Texas Senator in the Texas Legislature. He's not going to be directly involved in the national health care bill. And frankly most Texas Senators and House Representatives hardly ever hold town hall meetings. Doesn't mean you can't give him a shout out though.

:hi:


Sonia

[onestepforward]

14. I saw him on Rachel's show tonight

and he was awesome. I'll send him a snail mail "Thank you."

[bonzotex]

15. yeah, he's a good one...

Lloyd Doggett is the real deal. Smart and Progressive, the wingnuts hate his guts. That makes me like him more. He's my representative. He's a very nice guy. He doesn't deserve any of the rabid teabagger hate-fest. He'll listen to anyone and respond earnestly and thoughtfully.

Please do send snail mail. They love that as oppossed to the electronic mountains of e-mail they get.

[onestepforward]

16. You are very fortunate to have him!

He can be my new adopted Rep.! I have Ted Poe... ugggg.

[kjackson227]

19. Okay, I'll go this route.

[Sailing]

21. Wow, I'm still in his district!

By barely 100 yards! :bounce:

I also now know to hike on the south side trail of the Barton Creek Greenbelt. :rofl:

I will send him a note as well.