GOP Town Halls: Reps Forced To Screen Questions, Duck Out Of Meetings In Secret

[Keith Bee]

WASHINGTON -- The wave of town hall protests targeting House Republicans, and aided by labor and progressive groups, is forcing lawmakers to put restrictions on the forum’s traditionally open structure.

On Tuesday night, Rep. Allen West’s office (R-Fl.) reportedly screened questioners during his town hall event by requiring individuals to fill out index cards which were then vetted by his staff. This was, the Boward County Sun Sentinel noted, different from “his usual practice at previous town hall meetings, where West took questions from people who lined up at microphones.”

Separately, House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), who has chosen to publicly broadcast his town hall locations rather than avoid the protests, was forced to leave Tuesday night’s forum in a different car and from a different exit out of security concerns. The Wisconsin Republican told a local reporter that the decision to leave hastily was precautionary but not something that should be “blown out of proportion.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/26/gop-town-halls-reps-duck-out_n_854157.html

Ain't it a bitch when your base gets positively base? :rofl:

[IScreamSundays]

1. these people are disgusting

they shouldn't be able to show their faces in public

[IScreamSundays]

2. ??

[Tunkamerica]

4. !!

...

[IScreamSundays]

5. lol nt

[IScreamSundays]

6. lol nt

[deacon]

3. Then stop calling it a "town hall" immediately. n/t

[Sherman A1]

7. They will probably simply stop the whole thing shortly

and just have a few prearranged appearances with invited guests.

[quaker bill]

8. I think they will stop having them

The republicons do not want regular video of angry constituents showing up at their meetings to become part of the MSM narrative. They learned in 2010 that videos of bedlam are great ratings fodder and cheap to cover, so the cable news will be all over it if available.

If they stop having meetings with us, then I expect we will have to start having meetings with them. They all have offices somewhere, generally with sidewalks out front... Pickets and rallies could be just as useful.

[rucky]

9. They're not being forced to.

But they're choosing not to own up to their awful decisions.

[Rusticus Too]

10. Be prepared with a phony "GOP-friendly" question for the card . . .

and then hit 'em with a hard question about how draconian the GOP budget is. Don't sit down until he gives you a real anwswer.

Have several like minded people sprinkled throughout the audience to do the same thing.

These bastards can run, but they can't hide!

[SpiralHawk]

11. Teh Repubs don't run away and hide from their billionaire puppet masters

the repubs bend over and meekly Assume the Position for them...

[trof]

12. repug congressman with police escort in townhall meeting.

Dan Webster (R) FL in Orlando.
You know things aren't going well when you have to have a policeman standing with you during a townhall meeting.

People are PISSED!
http://www.wftv.com/video/27677949/index.html

[Hotler]

13. The video won't run. All I get is ads. Hmmmmm... n/t

[trof]

17. Dunno. Link works for me.

Takes me right to the video.
:shrug:

[Volaris]

14. I would think that any Dem with any sense would play this piece

like a jazz piainst....

"Whats that you say? the GOP congress had to SCREEN questions at their town hall meetings? Thats interesting, thats not something we really care to do in OUR party. WE let everyone who feels the need to yell at us and call us Grandma-Killers stand up and speak their mind, 'casue WE believe thats how things are supposed to work in this country, even if sometimes we don't much like being called Grandma-Killers. Seems the other party just doesn't d0 all that well with actual Rep. Democracy heh heh." (shakes head, walks away with wry and questioning look on face...)

[Stinky The Clown]

15. I **loved** the clip of Ryan's last townhall where, at the end, he was being escorted by armed cops.

That was delicious.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

16. I wonder if/when we will see a return to "free speech" zones

and GOP loyalty oaths? I thought they were pledging to be open and transparent and care for the opinions of "the American people"?