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Comments

1. #1
   On August 6th, 2009 at 5:48 pm, Misscheryl said:

   Over 10 years in Congress, U.S. Rep. Brian Baird has stayed tethered to his district

   It’s time his district cut the tether and voted him out.

2. #2
   On August 6th, 2009 at 5:49 pm, hunter said:

   “What we’re seeing right now is close to Brown Shirt tactics,” Baird, D-Vancouver, said in a phone interview. “I mean that very seriously.”

   You are exactly right Mr. Baird, having the leader of the free world publicly call for people to inform on their neighbors and friends if they dispute the plans of his administration is very close to brownshirt tactics. If not identical.

3. #3
   On August 6th, 2009 at 5:50 pm, nativeaz08 said:

   What a bunch of wimps! Can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen!

4. #4
   On August 6th, 2009 at 5:54 pm, California Red said:

   rational political dissent and discourse = Nazi Brownshirts carrying swastikas.

   I am so sick of the hitler Nazi comparisons coming from the left. When Republican’s kill millions of Jews then bring out the Nazi comparison. Until then, stop projecting and start engaging in representative democracy.

5. #5
   On August 6th, 2009 at 5:54 pm, reshas1 said:

   http://degette.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=809&Itemid=244

   Sign up for this is already full..
   (Diane Degette, CO)
   Finally, I would like to invite you to join me for a telephone town hall this Thursday, August 6 from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (MDT) on health care reform. To receive a telephone call immediately before the call is to take place, please visit my Web site and submit your contact information. I look forward to hearing your questions about the health insurance reform pending before Congress.

6. #6
   On August 6th, 2009 at 5:55 pm, California Red said:

   They were calling these “Virtual Town Halls” in another press release.

   Ace over at Ace Of Spades was fine with that as long as we made them virtual congresscritters come Jan 10.

7. #7
   On August 6th, 2009 at 5:56 pm, zorro said:

   Courage!

   Our Congressional Representatives have no Courage. Maybe 20 out of 535 have any guts at all. They are a disgrace to the legacy of our Great Republic. Shame on them all. Cowards.

8. #8
   On August 6th, 2009 at 6:00 pm, JonB said:

   If they won’t bring the town hall meetings to us, we need to take the town hall meetings to them. No matter where they are, even if it’s their personal front lawn (hey, the libs do it)

9. #9
   On August 6th, 2009 at 6:02 pm, Salt said:

   I’m betting these conference calls will be filled before the phone number is even publicly announced.

10. #10
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:03 pm, ajmontana said:

    What a Wussy.

11. #11
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:03 pm, mattm said:

    My Congresscritter also did a tele-town hall. I called in. After 15 minuts and no chance for questions just Courtney D-CT 2 and someone from AARP I hung up. A caller to a morning talk show listened for approx. 30 minutes without any chance for comment.

    Said critter just decided to hold a real town hall in the one of the the farthest corners of his district. A called on the radio informed me of this, it was not posted on his website.

    Coward!

12. #12
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:03 pm, rplatt said:

    He’s not the only one, they’re all crawling into their holes.

    I just received the following email from HHS . . . you notice that they will only take “serious” questions and they even give you a few samples. I suspect they really mean questions that don’t challenge the current health care manifesto or its authors. I’ll bet they’ll be completely prepared to answer the questions they’ve given you to ask them.

    Everyone receiving this should feel insulted.

    ————————————————

    Dear Supporter of Responsible Health Reform,

    Tomorrow you have the chance to make your voice heard on the national stage. On Friday at 1:00PM EDT, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and other public officials will host a webcast to talk about health care reform. This is an important opportunity to ask Secretary Sebelius and her colleagues serious questions about the negative impact of a government-run plan.

    The public is invited to submit questions to this forum, which is entitled, “Health Insurance Reform – What’s in it For You?” Questions can be mailed to hhsstudio@hhs.gov and submitted via Twitter by using the “hashtag,” or reference code, #HCRQ.

    This is a great opportunity to ask the tough questions. Several sample questions you might consider are listed below. Please phrase them in your own words so that they reflect your personal thinking on the issues.

    Sample questions for tomorrow’s webcast:
    How does the current legislation bring down healthcare costs while at the same time promising no limits on care and artificially-capped premiums? It doesn’t add up, and the Congressional Budget Office agrees.

    How is it possible for government-run health care to be sustainably funded and not reliant on taxpayer money when it’s a proven fact that other – and smaller-scale – government-run health programs like Medicare and Medicaid soon will run out of cash?

    How will it be possible to choose a private health insurance plan if more and more people jump to a less expensive government-run health plan? Won’t that cause my premiums to rise – or even put my health plan out of business?

    What guarantees are there that my healthcare options won’t be determined by bureaucrats instead of my doctor?
    This forum is a great way for people like you to show that you are paying attention and concerned about proposals for a plan that could balloon the deficit, increase costs, and reduce health care choices.

    We hope you can join this webcast and submit your questions!

13. #13
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:06 pm, mattm said:

    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:03 pm, rplatt said: #12

    I’m sure they will be sure to answer the hard hitting questions. Not.

14. #14
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:08 pm, limmo said:

    Suddenly, LISTENING becomes a one-way street. They talk. We listen. This is our government now. Sigh.

15. #15
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:09 pm, DesertLover said:

    Call them what they are …

    Cajone-less cowards …

    These breaks in D.C. should be treated like that “annual review” most of us have at our jobs … where we get told how good (or bad) a job we have been doing for the last year … and whether or not we are getting a raise this year …

    Well … we are the employers … and these people are supposed to be working for us … and if they refuse to show up for their “annual review” then they should be fired on the spot … and don’t forget … they voted themselves raises again with no input from their employers … the American citizens …

    Fire anyone in 2010 that voted for any of this crapola … regardless of party …

16. #16
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:10 pm, teachem2 said:

    Yesterday, I heard about some of our illustrious congresscritters doing this. I’m not surprised in the least. I’m all for taking it to their offices if they won’t come out. If they can’t face their constituency, then they don’t need one! Boot ‘em out!

17. #17
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:12 pm, Red Ted said:

    In high school we had a term for these guys. Pu$$ies

18. #18
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:13 pm, Michelle Malkin said:

    rplatt – i blogged about the sebelius bunker town hall here…

19. #19
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:13 pm, beenthere said:

    Inslee is doing the same, a fact I noted a couple of days ago, but of course nobody cared. I suspect unless the congress creeps are in a really safe district (e.g. Baghdad Bob McDermott), they will all (at least in Washington state) be doing the same. I had always thought that Inslee was in a safe district so the fact that he is hiding is interesting in itself. That indicates he is worried, which is surprising and good news.

    So what to do? What are people’s thoughts on breaking through to these deaf mutes? Forget about their whining Nazi-this, Nazi-that. They would do that in any event. Moreover, it only tells us what we already know — a) these creeps are seriously into projection, and b) this is really how they view us an intend to deal with us.

    So, how do we increase their discomfort?

20. #20
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:14 pm, hunter said:

    These worthless imps can’t face their constituents when they know they are going to vote against the will of the people. The question I have is, how do they think they have any chance of being re-elected? Do they think that we are going to forget what they did? It is going to be real hard to campaign with “virtual” townhall meetings with scripted questions and not getting out in front of the people. Good luck a$$hats!

21. #21
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:17 pm, ajmontana said:

    These guys are nothing more than a school of Cubozoa.

22. #22
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:18 pm, Flyoverman said:

    My Pelosi Puppet Congressman holds townhalls. Interestingly, the one on Healthcare mysteriously became a phone in meeting.

    If the bill was so wonderful they could stand in a room and defend it. The fact that they do not is your best indicator of what the bill really is.

23. #23
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:18 pm, tiredofit08 said:

    he’ll have his end on mute the entire time….

24. #24
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:19 pm, rplatt said:

    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:13 pm, Michelle Malkin said:
    rplatt – i blogged about the sebelius bunker town hall here…

    Thanks Michelle, I missed that.

25. #25
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:21 pm, beenthere said:

    The question I have is, how do they think they have any chance of being re-elected?

    I suspect they think this is all temporary and as soon as everything is passed the storm will blow over and we will be good little citizens from then on. They may be right. As Mark Steyn has noted, citizens in welfare states have show an extreme reluctance to overturn any aspect of the goodies provided by their masters. This is surely part of what the democrats are counting on, plus the fact that historically the right has not been able to demonstrate much staying power in regards to what matters to us (this is really true of the Republican Party). I hope that is now changing but the realist in me wonders.

26. #26
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:26 pm, tarpon said:

    The liars are scurrying for cover.

    Hiding in a closet sure makes the public sell of the government takeover of healthcare a tough sell, small audience affair. I remember when Hillary hid in church basements to hide from the crowds.

27. #27
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:27 pm, et said:

    Michelle,

    Any book signings scheduled? Rename them townhalls and show the world our congress critters are acting like children.

28. #28
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:34 pm, JonB said:

    One thing is for sure. We have the enemy on the run. Now it’s time to show them they have no place to hide.

29. #29
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:35 pm, Regulus said:

    The original American Revolution sprang from “taxation without representation.”

    When our donk “representatives” today insist on hiding from us while cramming socialism and its attendant monster tax-hikes down our throats, who are they representing?

    The warning was plain during the election that Hope-a-Dope wasn’t campaigning to be worthy of the presidency, but rather on the question of whether the American People were worthy of him.

    When that attitude percolates down to Congressional representatives and senators too contemptuous of their constituents to even face them, then the time is ripe for another revolution on the same grounds as the first.

30. #30
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:35 pm, symrian said:

    So what if they hide? Just protest in front of their offices, or organized general rallies like the 4th of July Tea Party.

    There’s no running from this, Congressdorks. Especially if it passes and you have to explain it come election time.

31. #31
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:35 pm, right_on said:

    Vote the cowards out! If they can’t face US, they can’t face the truth. It’s to the point where we have to decide…them or us.

32. #32
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:37 pm, AuntiEm said:

    Hold the town halls without them. Maybe a memorial picture like at closed casket funerals. Feature their canned responses. Circulate the videos.

33. #33
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:37 pm, Ragspierre said:

    So what to do? What are people’s thoughts on breaking through to these deaf mutes?

    There is a really effective courtroom tactic you may want to consider…

    pointing to the empty chair

    .

    When you have a defendant who’s absent from the courtroom…and I have literally done this…you put an empty chair before the jury. It can be a VERY powerful image.

    You keep pointing to the empty chair throughout the trial.

    Hold your own town hall event, and set up a dais and podium, just as if your Congresscoward were actually present. Make sure you publicize it, and do what you can to get it covered by the MSM.

    Don’t forget, you may have MUCH better luck with the blogosphere, and visual images are POWERFUL. No politician is going to want that visual to be featured in their opponent’s campaign commercials on TV. Get high-quality video of the event, and make sure it is passed on to people like Michelle, Beck, and Hannity.

34. #34
    On August 6th, 2009 at 6:55 pm, Edouard said:

    When you have a defendant who’s absent from the courtroom…and I have literally done this…you put an empty chair before the jury. It can be a VERY powerful image.

    You keep pointing to the empty chair throughout the trial.

    Hold your own town hall event, and set up a dais and podium, just as if your Congresscoward were actually present. Make sure you publicize it, and do what you can to get it covered by the MSM.

    Ragspierre, that’s excellent and that might be exactly the way for constituents of a “phone-it-in” congresscritter to get their views widely aired, if they put a good video in the right hands.

35. #35
    On August 6th, 2009 at 7:16 pm, regularguy said:

    That gutless coward Gabrielle Giffords also is ducking her constituents, says the Sierra Vista Herald:

    Asked if she will have a town hall meeting in the county during this month’s congressional recess to specifically address rural health care, Giffords said no.

    “If a town hall meeting were held, it would probably turn into an event where people would not want to listen, she said.

    “Yelling and screaming is counterproductive,” Giffords said.”

    She only had the guts to meet with the Herald. Yeah, Gabrielle, we wouldn’t want to listen to your lies, that is. We’re only out here yelling and screaming because YOU’RE not listening.

36. #36
    On August 6th, 2009 at 7:20 pm, JEM said:

    Congresscritters who don’t dare go near their districts.

    If it were fiction, it’d be comical.

37. #37
    On August 6th, 2009 at 7:47 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    They’ll probably start using Google Voice too, so that the call to “their” number gets automatically routed to whatever phone they want – including the cell phone in Paris, the house in the Bahamas – you know, where their constituents live.

    Vote them all out.

38. #38
    On August 6th, 2009 at 7:55 pm, MarcoPolo said:

    Shaheen from New Hampshire will also be phoning it in.

    I have an internet friend who was at the protest referred to in the article. That person said the only other people in attendance were paid muscle from ACORN/SEIU/OFAP, and one of them was an illegal alien.

39. #39
    On August 6th, 2009 at 8:13 pm, Truesoldier said:

    I just heard on the radio an interview with Baird (I live in his district). He says that he will not have an in person town hall meeting due to the fear of the safety of himself and his staff.

    All I have to say is you can hide from your constiuents right now, but you cant hide from us in Nov 2010!!!

40. #40
    On August 6th, 2009 at 8:58 pm, love2rumba said:

    Is the rooster in the cartoon with the cell phone giving us the the ‘middle claw’?

41. #41
    On August 6th, 2009 at 8:59 pm, love2rumba said:

    “Phoning it in” is tatamount to no town meeting.

42. #42
    On August 6th, 2009 at 10:24 pm, rightisright said:

    All constituents should be upset about the childish behavior, how can these rep.’s honestly think they’ll be re-elected next year…if I was a (god forbid) democrat I’d still be pissed by these actions or should I say none actions. Anyone with an open mind can see these rep.’s are not representing the constituents from either side of the aisle.
    Another subject to be added to the Tea Party weaponry, it’s not about politics, it’s about your health no matter what party your in.

43. #43
    On August 6th, 2009 at 10:28 pm, rightisright said:

    do I have this right, aarp just told the citizens of Dallas to go to hell, “just don’t miss next months insurance or membership fee.” Come on you old fogies(i’m 64 i can say that) wake up to what aarp’s telling you. Their not fighting for you, PERIOD.

44. #44
    On August 6th, 2009 at 11:14 pm, Ragspierre said:

    Our response NEEDS to be skillful, mocking theater.

    As I said above, HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING with a card-board cut-out or stuffed dummy at the rostrum.

    Ask the CongressDUMMY questions. ON CAMERA. Read from the bill, and ASK THE CONGRESSDUMMY what that meant to them when he/she read the bill!!!!

    Agitprop works.

    It works BOTH WAYS.

    POST IT ALL ON THE INTERNET.

45. #45
    On August 6th, 2009 at 11:16 pm, Ragspierre said:

    Ewww…

    BETTER idea…

    Get a CONGRESSCHICKEN to answer questions from their constituents!!!

46. #46
    On August 7th, 2009 at 1:14 am, cngerms said:

    Democrat Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD, District 1) scrubbed his website of his complete townhall schedule within the last two days.

    Like a groundhog, he’s gone underground until his adversaries pass by. When will he stick his head up, again?

47. #47
    On August 7th, 2009 at 7:40 am, bsmarj said:

    CONGRESSTOOLS!!

    WUSSIES, all of em’.

48. #48
    On August 7th, 2009 at 8:30 am, Socky said:

    Any chance we could tea-partiers in chicken suits to show up outside their offices and protest?

49. #49
    On August 7th, 2009 at 9:41 am, bruins90210 said:

    The crazy thing about all of this is that if the representatives really did listen and engage their constituents in an intelligent conversation, none of this would be happening. Instead, they try to peddle the bamsters dishonest talking points and the people know they’re just lies.

50. #50
    On August 7th, 2009 at 10:41 am, walterc said:

    symrian said:

    So what if they hide? Just protest in front of their offices, or organized general rallies like the 4th of July Tea Party

    And be in Washington DC on 9/12. http://912dc.org/

51. #51
    On August 7th, 2009 at 11:09 am, cheapseat said:

    good idea rags. if they can’t answer questions from their constituents, aren’t they merely empty suit puppets anyway? funny how through the first week of this mob activity there were no arrests, no assaults, no one going to the hospital, just citizens voicing their concerns, sometimes loudly. but the day prez allah (bbuh) calls out the gestapo, we have fights, assaults, intimidations and shoving, blocking the meeting doors with thugs, etc. hmmmm, this is my america in the age of prez allah (bbuh).

52. #52
    On August 7th, 2009 at 12:13 pm, HappyMom said:

    Jim Matheson is my congresscritter and he’s not having town halls this summer. I get the impression he just doesn’t have time to hear what the great unwashed masses have to say.

    I think he’s just plain yella, but I’m a hick housewife, so what do I know?

    His staffer invited me to sign up for his newsletter and take the polls in them. I’ve only seen one poll. It was about heathcare and asked all kinds of questions about the particulars of govt-run-heathcare. Oddly enough, there wasn’t ONE opportunity to answer this question: are you for or against government-run heathcare.

    The staffer was very rude to me, continually telling me “you’re not listening to me,” and “congressman M’s position is,” going so far as to say, “you people are always mischaracterizing us Democrats,” before he hung up on me.

    Funny, I thought it was Matheson’s job to listen to me and to find out what MY position is.

    I guess the meaning of the word “representative” is lost on some of these guys.

53. #53
    On August 7th, 2009 at 12:48 pm, in_awe said:

    Doesn’t Alinsky recommend the use of ridicule as the strongest tactic in “positioning” and ultimately defeating your opponent? These Congress critters are doing it to themselves. Any reason not to help them?

    In the recall of Gray Davis as California Governor, ridicule played a major role in locking in his image as a buffoon and captive of the state unions.

    Create “citizen town hall meetings” on the sidewalk outside their local offices. Place a cardboard cutout of your “representative” in a chair. Talk to it and play back their recorded comments mouthing Pelosi’s / Reid’s / Obama’s disinformation. Ask the toughest questions you can and turn the mic over to the cutout for response. Refer to specific pages in the bill that are outrageous. This will show that at least someone has read the bill, and provide more accurate information for others who ooppose this travesty.

    Take video and snapshots and keep them handy for 2010. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO HIDE FROM US!

54. #54
    On August 7th, 2009 at 1:28 pm, BruceB said:

    To Denis Moore:Rep (D)Kansas.

    Dear Denis.
    This is a notice to you that your services will no longer be need after Nov. 2010. Please leave your office in good condition for the next person who will take your place.
    Also please inform your staff that their services will also not needed past the above mentioned date.

    Un-respectlly yours.

    A district voter.

    P.S. I spoke to a local fast food restaurant manager and if I were you and your staff I would look for employment in other Carree fields.

55. #55
    On August 8th, 2009 at 4:01 am, dadinseattle said:

    After Inslee phoned it in the other night, I suggested that we hold our own local town hall with a “stand-in Inslee”.

    The actor would be instructed to act all concerned, and to read his talking points while carefully explaining how this was something that must be acted upon right now!

    Our town hall however would allow questions about freedom of choice, health savings accounts,catastrophic coverage, and all the actual solutions that would bring real reform without dumping the whole system on it’s head!

    The “stand-in” would get an actual sense of how people are not in anyway in favor of Obamacare.

    These evaders are all going back to DC in a few weeks and going to say that health care the Obama way is good to go. No real resistance to it back home!

    When they can’t shape the perception of reality , they just avoid it altogether!

    These super-chickens are running our country, we are in trouble!

    Inslee is big into the Apollo Socialism Cabal and his vote for Obama is a sure bet.

    Pink slip needed!