United States Congress

[GreyhoundFan]

"Ted Cruz Constituents Hold A 'Town Hall' Without The Senator"

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Sen. Ted Cruz finally made an appearance yesterday, but it wasn't what his constituents wanted.

The Texas Republican has been difficult to get a hold of lately, to say the least. Repeated calls to his Houston office this week reached nothing but the same recording, and his staff did not reply to demands that he hold a town hall.

On Tuesday, about 200 Cruz constituents took the matter into their own hands and held a "Town Hall Without Cruz" at the politician's downtown Houston office, vowing to return every Tuesday for the first 100 days of the Trump presidency until Cruz agrees to hold an official town hall. They wanted to let the former presidential candidate know that they are unhappy with many of the new president's actions.

“Everybody in this line has been trying for weeks to talk to people in the office to get answers to questions,” Jane Moser told KUHF. “He sends a form letter maybe. He cuts off his phone lines. He does various things to keep from hearing. We’re wanting a town hall.”

Another protester, Kris Griffith, took a more direct route and handed a note to one of Cruz's staff members.

“You know, we’re his constituents,” Griffith said. “We may not have voted for him. But clearly Trump is a disaster, and if he wants to be taken seriously at the next election, he needs to listen to us.”

Cruz was in Houston yesterday and did agree to meet with a few of the protesters inside his offices but declined to commit to a town hall.

“He met with each delegation separately,” said Christy C. Callahan, who is from Galveston. “The meeting was cordial, and our group spoke with him for about 40 minutes. We will continue to hold demonstrations outside of his office every Tuesday at noon during the first 100 days since the Women’s March or until he agrees to meet with the public for a free and open town hall meeting about the issues.”

 

And the WaPo had an article about a potential challenger to Teddy-boy: "Beto O’Rourke is a Mexico-loving liberal in Texas. Can he really beat Ted Cruz?"

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..

Democrats might look at O’Rourke — a small-business owner with hipster credentials, a Gen Xer who speaks fluent Spanish and looks more like a Kennedy than the Kennedys do — and see a candidate of thrilling national potential, marred only by where he happens to live. But then again, maybe it’s where he lives that makes him exciting.

With its growing Hispanic population, Democrats have long believed that Texas would eventually belong to them — just not imminently. But the 2016 election has scrambled the way people think about these things.

“I wouldn’t have said it last year, but I think he has a chance,” said Anne Caprara, of the Priorities USA super PAC, who is advising O’Rourke on his 2018 potential.

Naturally, others see opportunities as well. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a San Antonio Democrat deemed a rising star, is considering the race, too.

“You won’t have a problem raising money. Cruz will basically fundraise for you,” said Castro’s twin brother, Julián, the former housing and urban development secretary who recently ruled out a 2018 bid for governor of Texas.

...

In El Paso, regarded by many as more Mexican than Texan, O’Rourke is far removed from the Democratic megadonors of Houston or Austin, and he has decided not to take PAC money if he runs. Still, he hopes to turn a necessity into a virtue with a Bernie Sanders-style approach — excite the grass roots and rake in smaller donations.

O’Rourke may be suffering from the bug that’s going around — the one causing mass delusions that the old rules of politics no longer apply. Can a Democrat really win in this deeply red state — against Cruz, who will be running one of the best-financed campaigns in the country? And can he do so on a positive message about Mexicans in an era when calling them rapists helped make a man president?

...

I'm not in Texas, but I'd love for a good, left-leaning person to beat the socks off Cruz.

[RoseWilder]

Fantastic: 

 

[IrishCarrie]

Guys, these posts are absolutely mindboggling!!!! I can believe elected representatives can get away with ignoring constituents like that. God knows, our Irish one are far from perfect but they're at least accessible - a couple of drop-in clinics every week and available for appointments or phone calls at other times.

Can I ask if this is making the media in the US in a big way? As in, is it well known and a source of mass outrage? Do you think it'll genuinely be a significant factor in the next round of elections?

[clueliss]

http://www.abc17news.com/news/demonstration-to-be-held-over-lack-of-hartzler-public-town-halls-activists-groups-say/352082576

CoMo residents (Columbia Missouri for those outside the region) are planning a demonstration because my fine upstanding US Representative Vicki Hartzler isn't holding Town Hall meetings (of course, she isn't, everything I've seen from the woman indicates her solo area of concern priority is the unborn and it's hard to town hall a uterus) 

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Mid-Missouri Peaceworks and seven allied groups have announced plans for a public demonstration outside the Columbia Chamber of Commerce meeting. 

The activist groups said they're reacting to "the fact that Rep. Vicky Hartzler has not held a public town hall meeting where constituents can ask questions and share their opinions." 

The chamber event is a financial services roundtable. Public registration is closed. 

Other organizations planning to demonstrate include CoMo for Progress, Native American Support Group, Deep Blue, Boone County Democrats, Veterans for Peace, Charlie Atkins Chapter, Interfaith Care for Creation and Peoples' Visioning. 

ABC 17 News will be covering the event and will have more in our evening newscasts. 

 

 

[fraurosena]

23 Republicans passed on a chance to get the Tangerine Toddler's tax returns.

Bill Pascrell, who sits on the Ways and Means Committee found that a rarely invoked 1924 law could be used to examine President Donald Trump's tax returns for possible conflicts of interest and Constitutional violations, so an amendment was introduced Tuesday that would’ve triggered a request for the tax returns to the Treasury Department.

However:

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The amendment was rejected on a party-line vote by these 23 Republicans (the ones with asterisks next to their names represent relatively competitive districts; the others are thought to be in “safe seats” for the GOP, and only vulnerable in primaries):

1. Kevin Brady of Texas
2. Sam Johnson of Texas
3. Devin Nunes of California
4. Pat Tiberi of Ohio
5. Dave Reichert of Washington*
6. Peter Roskam of Illinois*
7. Vern Buchanan of Florida
8. Adrian Smith of Nebraska
9. Lynn Jenkins of Kansas
10. Erik Paulsen of Minnesota*
11. Kenny Marchant of Texas
12. Diane Black of Tennessee
13. Tom Reed of New York
14. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania
15. Jim Renacci of Ohio
16. Pat Meehan of Pennsylvania*
17. Kristi Noem of South Dakota
18. George Holding of North Carolina
19. Jason Smith of Missouri
20. Tom Rice of South Carolina
21. David Schweikert of Arizona
22. Jackie Walorski of Indiana
23. Carlos Curbelo of Florida*

Sigh...

[clueliss]

Shocking!  Lynn Jenkins of Kansas is on the list (again)

[fraurosena]

 

1 hour ago, clueliss said:

Shocking!  Lynn Jenkins of Kansas is on the list (again)

Makes you wonder if they're afraid they'll be next in line asked to give their tax returns... 

[Cartmann99]

2 hours ago, GreyhoundFan said:

"Ted Cruz Constituents Hold A 'Town Hall' Without The Senator"

And the WaPo had an article about a potential challenger to Teddy-boy: "Beto O’Rourke is a Mexico-loving liberal in Texas. Can he really beat Ted Cruz?"

I'm not in Texas, but I'd love for a good, left-leaning person to beat the socks off Cruz.

I loathe that smug bastard, and I'd love nothing more than for him to get his ass beat at the ballot box then slink away to go live on some isolated island with the Palin family, Mike Huckabee, Kirk Cameron, the Trump family, Jim Bakker, etc....

[GreyhoundFan]

3 hours ago, IrishCarrie said:

Guys, these posts are absolutely mindboggling!!!! I can believe elected representatives can get away with ignoring constituents like that. God knows, our Irish one are far from perfect but they're at least accessible - a couple of drop-in clinics every week and available for appointments or phone calls at other times.

Can I ask if this is making the media in the US in a big way? As in, is it well known and a source of mass outrage? Do you think it'll genuinely be a significant factor in the next round of elections?

Well, the national news is covering it. I'm in a rather Democratic-leaning area, so most of the worst suspects aren't here, but some are fairly close. I would wager that in the deep-red (uber-conservative) areas, the local media probably isn't covering it as heavily.

For example, here's an article from today's Washington Post: "Republicans are facing the ire of the anti-Trump movement this week. Will it last?". This one featured a Republican who actually did hold a town hall meeting:

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YORKTOWN, Va. — The raucous anti-Trump movement poured into this historic town Tuesday evening for a 75-minute showdown with a freshman Republican congressman, peppering him with questions on every key national news item.

Members of the roughly 750 in attendance pressed Rep. Scott Taylor (Va.), a former state lawmaker and Navy SEAL, on President Trump’s connections to Russia and the specifics of what pieces of the Affordable Care Act he wants to keep. They rained down a chorus of boos when he said he opposes federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

Yet by the end of the session, Taylor felt that he had weathered the evening’s storm, which was a more civil event than a boisterous town hall meeting the previous evening down the road in Virginia Beach, where he had drawn a crowd of 800.

“This was a great audience tonight,” Taylor, 37, said afterward.

Whether his optimism is warranted is a key question for both Republicans and Democrats as they navigate a wave of anti-Trump hostility in dozens of congressional town hall gatherings nationwide this week.

If Democrats hope to win back control of the House and the Senate, they must keep pressure on Republicans and channel the energy of these hostile crowds into a political movement that will vote in next year’s midterm elections.

And if Republicans hope to survive, as Taylor thinks he did Tuesday, they must figure out how to work with Trump while navigating constituent anger about his more controversial policies, including a rocky attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act and an immigration ban that has been blocked by federal courts.

They also must continue to venture out into the storm, and put themselves in front of their constituents to explain what they’re trying to do in Washington.

...

Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District should be competitive; Trump won here by a mere 3.4 percentage points, similar to Republican nominees Mitt Romney in 2012 and John McCain in 2008. But the local Democrats fielded a community activist who spent less than $5,000 on the race, and Taylor won by an astounding 23 percentage points.

He’s one of 10 Republicans who hold seats that Trump won by less than four percentage points. These seats, along with the 23 seats held by the House GOP that went for Hillary Clinton, form an initial target list for Democrats. But it won’t be easy: Republicans won most of those 33 districts by overwhelming margins against underwhelming Democrats.

...

Sadly, the country is so divided, it's hard to say what will happen next.

[onekidanddone]

I wonder just how long a memory the electorate has.  Everybody has their panties in a wad (and rightly so) because their representatives won't respond to them.  What happens in two  years?  I suspect they will just get voted back in.  Congress has such a low approval rating. The Republicans squawk about term limits.  All talk and no actions.  I think there is a dent in the wall over in my house.  I keep banging my head against it.   Speaking of that, where is the emoji for that?  Can't find it in the available list here on FJ

4 hours ago, IrishCarrie said:

Guys, these posts are absolutely mindboggling!!!! I can believe elected representatives can get away with ignoring constituents like that. God knows, our Irish one are far from perfect but they're at least accessible - a couple of drop-in clinics every week and available for appointments or phone calls at other times.

Can I ask if this is making the media in the US in a big way? As in, is it well known and a source of mass outrage? Do you think it'll genuinely be a significant factor in the next round of elections?

My Congress guy is holding several pep rallies.  I went to one last week.  He really did answer questions.  Even ones from people who didn't necessarily support his ideology   One of my Senators had a town hall a few weeks back.  I should have taken the day off, but didn't.  All three of my reps are deep deep blue, so yea, I think mine are listening.  As I said in another post, no, I don't have much hope it will have any effect in 2018 in red states.  People have short memories and don't bother to do any research.  They just pull the lever.  Of course I am a pessimist. All i ever see is doom and gloom.

[onekidanddone]

1 hour ago, Cartmann99 said:

I loathe that smug bastard, and I'd love nothing more than for him to get his ass beat at the ballot box then slink away to go live on some isolated island with the Palin family, Mike Huckabee, Kirk Cameron, the Trump family, Jim Bakker, etc....

All those folks... slime with feet. Don't forget Christy, the adult Duggars and Pense.

[RoseWilder]

Senator Susan Collins is emerging as one of the only Republicans in the Senate who has any integrity. She voted against 2 (or maybe 3) of Trump's worst nominees. And now this: 

 

[RoseWilder]

I love this tweet: 

 

[infooverload]

Is Collins a freshman senator? If she is her show of backbone is refreshing, but we shall see if she is either rewarded or smeared by attacks and voted out.

[RoseWilder]

5 hours ago, infooverload said:

Is Collins a freshman senator? If she is her show of backbone is refreshing, but we shall see if she is either rewarded or smeared by attacks and voted out.

She's been in the senator since 1997. I found this on her wikipedia page: 

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Described as one of "the last survivors of a once common species of moderate Northeastern Republican",[6] Collins is considered a bipartisan and centrist member of the Republican Party, and an influential player in the U.S. Senate.

 

[clueliss]

Rep Vicky Hartzler didn't even bother to send a courtesy representative from her office to the protest about her not having town hall meetings in Columbia yesterday.  I, of course, was not surprised.  She did manage to tweet photos taken with military or something yesterday.  

[formergothardite]

Senator Tillis on why he is okay with not protecting the environment. 

 

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As you are aware, on February 2, 2017, the Senate voted in favor of repealing the Stream Buffer Rule. I voted in favor this resolution because under the Obama administration, some federal agencies have overstepped the authority granted to them by Congress. As a result, they have implemented policies that harm hardworking taxpayers, sometimes without any measurable benefits. I believe state and local agencies are best suited to develop these types of regulations that promote economic activity while protecting natural resources and the environment.

We have a unique opportunity, under the new administration, to roll back gross government overreach. As an avid outdoorsman, I share your interest in protecting natural resources, and I believe we can preserve the environment without implementing unnecessary federal policies that do more harm than good.

 

 

[Audrey2]

1 hour ago, formergothardite said:

Senator Tillis on why he is okay with not protecting the environment. 

 

 

Yeah, how did that state or local control thing work with Flint, Michigan's water supply?

[RoseWilder]

I really want #whatareyouhidingjason to start trending on twitter (not to mention #whatareyouhidingmitch and #whatareyourhidingpaul): 

 

[GreyhoundFan]

"Republican lawmaker who won’t hold a town hall invokes Gabby Giffords shooting. She responds: ‘Have some courage.’". Some excerpts:

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As Republican lawmakers across the country have faced raucous, chaotic town halls in recent days, a number have refused to have these events. Some cited safety as a reason, while others said they didn’t want their events “hijacked” by the confrontations seen elsewhere.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.), in a statement released this week, blamed his decision not to hold these events in person on “the threat of violence at town hall meetings.” He also pointed to a specific violent event to bolster his case, invoking the 2011 shooting that severely injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and killed six others.

The former congresswoman responded Thursday, and she made clear that she does not agree with lawmakers shying away from meeting with members of the public.

“To the politicians who have abandoned their civic obligations, I say this: Have some courage,” Giffords said in a statement. “Face your constituents. Hold town halls.”

...

Though the National Republican Congressional Committee has warned of potential violence at town halls, the events this week have been peaceful, with the harshest treatment limited to heckling and boos, as The Washington Post’s Dave Weigel notes. (Weigel has separately written about how conservative media and the White House have painted the protesters as a paid, orchestrated group, which does not jibe with how the demonstrations are actually being organized.)

...

The Repubs are such a bunch of cowards. They don't want to hear any dissent.

[fraurosena]

1 hour ago, GreyhoundFan said:

"Republican lawmaker who won’t hold a town hall invokes Gabby Giffords shooting. She responds: ‘Have some courage.’". Some excerpts:

The Repubs are such a bunch of cowards. They don't want to hear any dissent.

Of course they don't. Silly @GreyhoundFan, that's not allowed in totalitarian regimes! 

[GreyhoundFan]

1 hour ago, fraurosena said:

Of course they don't. Silly @GreyhoundFan, that's not allowed in totalitarian regimes! 

Oh yeah, I forgot!!

On another note, The Washington Post has added a subtitle under their masthead: "Democracy Dies in Darkness". How apropos.

[clueliss]

Per Kansas friends, Jerry Moran was supposed to have a town hall meeting, didn't show.  ACLU did though for a talk.  I think they're all glad handing at CPAC.  

[CTRLZero]

8 hours ago, GreyhoundFan said:

"Democracy Dies in Darkness".

Thank you for this.  I am a recent subscriber, and I wondered if it was newly added or a long-time motto.  We all need our high-beams on in this new administration.

[Cartmann99]

13 hours ago, GreyhoundFan said:

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.), in a statement released this week, blamed his decision not to hold these events in person on “the threat of violence at town hall meetings.” He also pointed to a specific violent event to bolster his case, invoking the 2011 shooting that severely injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and killed six others.

 

It's interesting how the "We love our guns!!1111!!" crowd is using the fear of getting shot as an excuse to not meet with their constituents.