Posted by
Buster Foghorn on Sunday, August 23, 2009 6:40:39 PM
Democrats are quick to condemn the conduct of attendees at their Town Halls. The belittling and contemptuous names used to disparage the “protesters” are meant to marginalize those who disagree with the speaker. There is an important difference, however, between the “protesters” at the Town Halls this summer and all the Code Pink and anti-Bush demonstrators of the last eight years; it is a crucial difference that Democrats are missing, and one they need to step back and think about.
When left-wing activists attended Bush functions they shrewdly waited their time before beginning their planned performance: getting attention, throwing the speaker off track, interrupting the speaker merely for the purpose of creating chaos.
But consider the Town Hall protesters; they don’t behave as the Code Pink or anti-war groups did at Bush functions. The Town Hall participants are responding to something that was said by their government representative. The Town Hall meetings are interactive. If Kathleen Sebelius or Senator Arlen Specter say something stupid, disingenuous, or untrue, the crowd shows its disapproval. If a member of the audience says something to Congressman Brian Bard that others agree with, the crowd shows its approval. These are not rent-a-crowd protesters merely acting out just to disrupt. They are citizens who made time to attend. They are voters who feel strongly about the subject. They are constituents who are insisting they be part of the dialog. And the large majority of them were not sent by anybody. They see $9 trillion in debt over the next ten years. They hear arguments for a health care plan that don’t make sense. And they want to understand, and they want to be assured that Congress and the White House won’t make it worse.
Instead of hiding from the folks by retreating to telephone conferences, or cancelling public appearances one day and then slipping in an unscheduled union supported choreographed event the next day, or disparaging constituents, representatives should hold more Town Halls. They should engage in more interactive participation with voters, and they should forget busing in the rent a crowd to artificially “balance” an event.
Representatives have to realize those attending have concerns, concerns felt deeply. And as a member of Congress they do not have much trust in their portfolio with voters; in fact, they rank lower than the neighborhood used car salesman. Politicians should recognize the Town Halls for what they are—the current Town Halls are more like the opposition in the British Parliament responding to a speaker: loud, sometimes raucous, and sincerely serious. The “ruling class” needs to talk to the people in their district, and present their case, and persuade them of their position, if they can.
Democrats should not cavalierly dismiss the Town Hall participants unless they want to be voted out of office because they have lost touch with the pulse of America.