Democrat Rep. Betsy Markey, etiquette czarina

By Michelle Malkin  •  August 18, 2009 04:22 PM

Last week, I noted that constituents in Democrat Rep. Betsy Markey’s district were so frustrated with their lack of access to her during this congressional recess that they announced plans to hold a town hall meeting with her in abstentia.

She then released a list of extremely limited-access meetings with voters — with a ceiling of 20 constituents at a time.

Denver-based blog PPC reports that Rep. Markey will be playing etiquette czarina by handing out “an abridged version of’ ‘Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation’ — attributed to George Washington but likely a simplified version of rules written by French Jesuits dating to 1595.” El Presidente at PPC writes:

We have no problem with calls for civility.

Of course, this would be a lot less risible if her call also applied to union thugs and ACORN operatives.

The limited access (aside from being AWOL for nearly half of August), however, is shameful–this in stark contrast to Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO), who held four consecutive town halls last Thursday to accommodate hundreds of constituents who showed up in Arapahoe County.

No word on whether Markey will bring kiddie human shields to protect her, too.

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Comments


  1. #1
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:26 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    Does that mean they should extend the pinky when they give her the middle finger?

  2. #2
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:30 pm, spaceycakes said:

    Rogue, along those same lines, I think she just needs a good ‘shocker’.

  3. #3
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:31 pm, Southpaw said:

    Is she handing out a pamphlet, or something heavy enough to throw?
    Us etiquette challenged heathens want to know.

  4. #4
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:31 pm, tarpon said:

    It’s clear from the townhalls of August just how arrogant the congressional clunkers are and how little they understand representative government.

    They also seem to exhibit the critical reasoning skills of a feather, no heft.

    Maybe that’s why it ws so easy for them to vote for the wise Latina, who needs intelligence, when you have ideology.

  5. #5
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:31 pm, cheapseat said:

    YES ROGUE CIVILITY IN THE FACE OF BLATANT CONDESCENSION DOES REQUIRE THE COCKED PINKY.

  6. #6
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:32 pm, Dimsdale said:

    Denver-based blog PPC reports that Rep. Markey will be playing etiquette czarina by handing out “an abridged version of’ ‘Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation’ — attributed to George Washington but likely a simplified version of rules written by French Jesuits dating to 1595.”

    Maybe they should hand back a copy of the definition of “representative” and her obligations as one.

  7. #7
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:34 pm, Papa Louie said:

    Democrats who think they can communicate with their district 20 constituents at a time are the same politicians who think they can pay off Obama’s multi-trillion dollar debt $20 at a time. I think there’s a word for this type of thinking: “small-minded”.

  8. #8
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:34 pm, spaceycakes said:

    This lot wouldn’t know manners if it arose at a proper time of the morning, made their bed, wrote their letters of thank you, returned phone calls, RSVPd timely, and proceeded to masticate their gluteus maximus.

  9. #9
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:35 pm, Anita said:

    Even regular dems are getting smarter. Cavuto just interviewed a democrat-nurse who intelligently argued against Obamacare.

  10. #10
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:37 pm, tiredofit08 said:

    I’d support this guy…

    American liberals, leftists, social progressives,socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al:

    We have stuck together since the late 1950′s, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly,this relationship has run its course.Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right so let’s just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way.

    Here is a model separation agreement:
    Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that,it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes.

    We don’t like redistributive taxes so you can keep them. You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU. Since you hate guns and war, we’ll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military.

    You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O’Donnell (You are,however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them)…

    We’ll keep the capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street. You can have your beloved homeless, homeboys, hippies and illegal aliens. We’ll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO’s and rednecks. We’ll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood ..

    You can make nice with Iran and Palestine and we’ll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us.. You can have the
    peaceniks and war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we’ll help provide them security.

    We’ll keep our Judeo-Christian values.. You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism and Shirley McClain. You can also have the U.N.. but we will no longer be paying the bill.

    We’ll keep the SUVs, pickup trucks and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Subaru station wagon you can find.

    You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any practicing doctors.We’ll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right. We’ll keep The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the National Anthem. I’m sure you’ll be happy to substitute Imagine, I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing, Kum Ba Ya or We Are the World.

    We’ll practice trickle down economics and you can give trickle up poverty your best shot. Since it often so offends you, we’ll keep our history, our name and our flag.

    Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along to other like minded liberal and conservative patriots and if you do not agree, just hit delete. In the spirit of friendly parting, I’ll bet you Answer which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.

    Sincerely,
    John J.
    Wall
    Law Student and an American

    P.S. Also, please take Ted Turner, Sean Penn, Martin Sheehan, Barbara Streisand, & Jane Fonda with you.

    P. S. S. And we won’t have to press 1 for English.

  11. #11
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:37 pm, okiedokie said:

    I hope that everyone that attends gives her a copy of the US Constitution!

  12. #12
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:40 pm, malkin_fan said:

    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:26 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    Does that mean they should extend the pinky when they give her the middle finger?

    NOW THAT’S FUNNY

  13. #13
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:48 pm, RTater said:

    Mike Coffman is a class act. I hope his fellow Rs don’t give him the Tancredo treatment.

  14. #14
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:50 pm, T-Bone said:

    I dunno nuttin ’bout why Etty quit butt I im a civil un and I huv a wright to disagree wit dis or any udder administryuation. If’n dey don listen up, den I gotta talk a little louder till dey hears me. Take dat cotton outa yur ears or I’ll giv ya a what fer you won ferget. Now mind yer own matters. Idnt dat wat we sent ya der fer?

    from average Markey constituent (according to her view)

  15. #15
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:52 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    It seems to me that the appropriate rules of etiquette in these situations was written by a guy whose name was something like Marcus D. Queensbury.

  16. #16
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:54 pm, Regulus said:

    So lemme get this straight: they wanted to shove this up our butts with no debate and narrowly failed, and now they want their intended victims to play “Roberts Rules of Order?”

    At the close of World War II, when asked what to do about Japanese aircraft still flying near American warships, Admiral Halsey replied, “Shoot them down — in a friendly sort of way.”

    Well, in the same spirit anyone who attends Markey’s “Miss Manners” meetings should shout long and loud at her — in a “civil” sort of way.

  17. #17
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:54 pm, ajmontana said:

    C.R.A.P.W.E.A.S.E.L.S.

  18. #18
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:55 pm, love2rumba said:

    Ms. malkin,

    Your article once again refers to “Abstentia” when you clearly meant “Absentia”.

  19. #19
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:55 pm, love2rumba said:

    Oops!… Ms. Malkin, that is.

  20. #20
    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:56 pm, DanMan said:

    I tried Rogue’s suggestion to add dignity to my salute. Looks like a truncated hook’m horns wave.

  21. #21
    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:02 pm, RTater said:

    Yes, please be civil. Should you encounter Ms. Markey, please invite her to “Venture forth and perform self-copulation.

  22. #22
    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:07 pm, docflash said:

    Rouge,+10

  23. #23
    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:10 pm, graysonret said:

    She has no time for the common people and peasants. “Let them eat cake.” She probably thinks that she knows what’s good for them, so wasting time explaining it, isn’t worth her precious time.

  24. #24
    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:16 pm, JusDreamin said:

    Dimsdale said:
    Maybe they should hand back a copy of the definition of “representative” and her obligations as one.

    +10 easy Dims…
    In fact, that is a great idea for ALL of our, um, “reps”

  25. #25
    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:16 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    Should you encounter Ms. Markey, please invite her to “Venture forth and perform self-copulation.

    Ah, yes. I could also suggest she consume some fecal provender.

  26. #26
    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:23 pm, Jeff2161 said:

    Last week, I noted that constituents in Democrat Rep. Betsy Markey’s district were so frustrated with their lack of access to her during this congressional recess that they announced plans to hold a town hall meeting with her in abstentia.

    To be followed by a trial in absentia soon, I hope…
    Oh, and FIFY ;)

  27. #27
    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:24 pm, Jeff2161 said:

    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:07 pm, docflash said:
    Rouge,+10

    That’s Rogue…Be nice…heh

  28. #28
    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:29 pm, Hangfire said:

    How can Ms Markey be offended by any antics or manners of the constituents opposed to her ideology?

    We’ve been watching the looney-toon left pull the same crap since the ’60s.

    It’s your own playbook, Ms. Crapweasel.

  29. #29
    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:31 pm, Hangfire said:

    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:55 pm, love2rumba said:
    Ms. malkin,

    Your article once again refers to “Abstentia” when you clearly meant “Absentia”.

    “I have little use for a man that can spell a word but one way.”
    - A. Lincoln, 1862

  30. #30
    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:36 pm, Jeff2161 said:

    Just a political zombie.

  31. #31
    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:45 pm, cicerokid said:

    Perhaps she prefers nice, quiet feathers…and tar.

  32. #32
    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:58 pm, denver republican said:

    Markey’s district is rural and pretty conservative. She knows darn well she’s going to get an earful from a bunch of folks who want nothing to do with Obamacare. Hopefully our friends on the eastern plains will get their poop in a group soon and elect a conservative to Congress in place of Miss Manners Markey.

  33. #33
    On August 18th, 2009 at 6:01 pm, Jet Jaguar said:

    When it comes to craven hiding Libs, it should be: “…hold a town hall meeting with her in abstenchia.”

  34. #34
    On August 18th, 2009 at 6:25 pm, zorro said:

    There’s nothing wrong with civility, and George Washington’s book is a great resource to keep handy (my copy is on my computer desk).

    However, the problem at the town hall meetings is not the lack of civility by those patriots attending but the arrogance and incompetence of the those representatives holding the meetings. I intend to bring a copy of Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull’s book The Peter Principle for our representative.

    I will also remind them of one of Washington’s rules quoted on these pages in the past:

    Rule 110:
    “Labour to keep alive in your Breast that Little Spark of Celestial fire Called Conscience.”

  35. #35
    On August 18th, 2009 at 6:29 pm, CJ said:

    Having read the “Rules of Civility” I know why she’s handing out an “abridged” version.

    For instance, how about this one, Nancy P and Harry R? “Speak not injurious Words neither in Jest nor Earnest. Scoff at none although they give Occasion.”

    Or how about this one, Barack? “Associate yourself with Men of good Quality if you Esteem your own Reputation; for ’tis better to be alone than in bad Company.”

    And here’s one for the entire Dem administration and Congress: “Undertake not what you cannot perform but be carefull to keep your promise.”

    There are 110 of these rules. How many do you think the Dems have managed to violate in the past 6 months?

  36. #36
    On August 18th, 2009 at 6:32 pm, PKAmmoTroop said:

    Here is an absolutely perfect example of the difference between Democrats and Republicans:

    Betsy Markey (D CO) actually hid from her constituents until even the Left Of Castro press of Colorado began giving her grief, so she agrees to a few “listening sessions” where the number of people in attendance is limited to 15 to 20 people at a time. She then has the gall to hand out “Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation”. Kind of similar to a wolf handing out vegan recipes.

    Meanwhile:

    Mike Coffman (R CO) Continues to hold town hall meetings, adding meeting after meeting to his schedule to accommodate those that want to attend. No limiting the numbers of the meetings other than what the venue can hold, no intentionally insulting his constituents with pamphlets highlighted to require civility he won’t return. And the meetings have been civil on both sides with a good give and take of ideas and opinions.

    Freedom, Respect, Communication – they’re Republican things, you libs probably wouldn’t understand.

  37. #37
    On August 18th, 2009 at 6:46 pm, right_on said:

    The Dim’s will soon have to give their constituency a good reason to vote for them, rather than against Republicans…It ain’t gonna happen!

    The insolence they’ve shown towards, and the villification of “the American voter” should, and must be remembered EVERY election day. If not, it WILL be repeated!

  38. #38
    On August 18th, 2009 at 6:58 pm, radio relay said:

    Markey is the crapweasel to end all crapweasels!!!! 90% of the territory that comprises her district is very conservative farmers and ranchers, but there are also two extremely leftwing universities in the district. Her campaign to unseat Marylin Musgrave was nothing more than lies and distortion funded by George Soros, and the moveon.org crowd.

    I want to puke every time I think about this woman being my representative in Congress!!!

  39. #39
    On August 18th, 2009 at 7:29 pm, lgm said:

    The Republican Congressman holds townhalls that are not disrupted by Democrats, yet the Democrat’s townhall meetings are routinely disrupted by Republicans. I guess the ACORN thugs were caught napping.

    The Representative asks people attending her meeting to be civil, which makes her an object of ridicule from the hard right.

    And all the while there’s the issue of health care reform. I dare MM to make a post on health care reform policy, but she’s chicken. You’re brave enough to stick your tongues at reformers, but not brave enough to talk to them.

  40. #40
    On August 18th, 2009 at 7:35 pm, Elm Creek Smith said:

    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:37 pm, okiedokie said:
    I hope that everyone that attends gives her a copy of the US Constitution!

    YES!!!!

    Of course, she won’t understand it.

    ECS

  41. #41
    On August 18th, 2009 at 7:47 pm, Elm Creek Smith said:

    On August 18th, 2009 at 7:29 pm, lgm said:
    The Republican Congressman holds townhalls that are not disrupted by Democrats, yet the Democrat’s townhall meetings are routinely disrupted by Republicans. I guess the ACORN thugs were caught napping.

    The Democrats’ townhalls are being disrupted when the don’t answer the questions of the attendees, not all of them Republicans.

    As for Democrats, ACORN thugs (thanks for properly identifying them), and SEIU thugs, it would probably be a bad idea for them to attempt to disrupt a conservative representative’s or senator’s townhall.

    By the way, are you still shilling for the SEIU claiming that they didn’t beat Mr. Gladney? How do you explain the fact that only SEIU thugs were arrested?

    ECS

  42. #42
    On August 18th, 2009 at 7:53 pm, Tennessee Dave said:

    On August 18th, 2009 at 5:16 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    Should you encounter Ms. Markey, please invite her to “Venture forth and perform self-copulation.

    Ah, yes. I could also suggest she consume some fecal provender.

    And that should be bovine feces. The Ds have been generating enough of it for the last few years.

  43. #43
    On August 18th, 2009 at 8:15 pm, rightisright said:

    The insolence they’ve shown towards, and the villification of “the American voter” should, and must be remembered EVERY election day. If not, it WILL be repeated!

    Amen to that, as I’ve said here as of late, if and when we get our country back we need never to turn our minds in another direction believing these so called representatives with do us right. They are like children needing constant minding.

  44. #44
    On August 18th, 2009 at 8:15 pm, oldbuckaroo said:

    Markey was bought and paid for by that Hungarian currency manipulating slob George Soros. She’s an intellectual lightweight, and let’s cut to the chase, the definition of a ditzy broad if there ever was one.

  45. #45
    On August 18th, 2009 at 8:28 pm, Wayfaring Stranger said:

    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:50 pm, T-Bone said: [#14]

    LOL – even my inner editor is chortling. :-D

    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:55 pm, love2rumba said:

    Ms. [Malkin],

    Your article once again refers to “Abstentia” when you clearly meant “Absentia”.

    Must be a Freudian slip; after all, Rep. Markey is trying desperately to abstain from participation in one of those intemperate townhalls. ;-)

  46. #46
    On August 18th, 2009 at 9:07 pm, Dimsdale said:

    On August 18th, 2009 at 7:29 pm, lgm said:

    The Republican Congressman holds townhalls that are not disrupted by Democrats, yet the Democrat’s townhall meetings are routinely disrupted by Republicans. I guess the ACORN thugs were caught napping.

    No, quite obviously it is because the Republicans are not in the majority, and demonstrating against people that are not for this boondoggle would only pull the rug out of the ludicrous “only Republicans do it” screed. They have to either pack the house for the Dems or beat up the smallest conservatives they can find. It doesn’t happen the other way around. If you put an Obama sticker on a car in a conservative neighborhood, you will only be laughed at. If you put a McCain or Bush sticker on a car in a liberal neighborhood, it will get keyed or worse. Liberals have a vandalism streak that they can’t repress.

    The Representative asks people attending her meeting to be civil, which makes her an object of ridicule from the hard right.

    No one gets booed until they start with the talking points.

    And all the while there’s the issue of health care reform. I dare MM to make a post on health care reform policy, but she’s chicken. You’re brave enough to stick your tongues at reformers, but not brave enough to talk to them.

    I am sure Ms. Malkin can speak for herself.

    “Reform” is like “change”: it can go both ways. We look at the results of socialized medicine in other countries and are not impressed. Tell Obama to pay off the Medicare bankruptcy some other way.

  47. #47
    On August 18th, 2009 at 9:30 pm, bilgerat said:

    Here is a link to Bawney Fwank’s town hall meeting tonight….watch the worm squirm….his condescension to his constituents is nauseating….I’m ashamed to be from Massachusetts….

    http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/politics/local_politics/Rrep_franks_health_care_town_hall_heats_up_081809

  48. #48
    On August 18th, 2009 at 9:55 pm, Teddy Kennedy said:

    Errah,

    On August 18th, 2009 at 4:37 pm, okiedokie said:
    I hope that everyone that attends gives her a copy of the US Constitution!

    wrapping a brick!!!!

  49. #49
    On August 18th, 2009 at 10:27 pm, okiedokie said:

    I looked up the rules for civility. Here is no 18:

    # Read no Letters, Books or Papers in Company when there is a Necessity for the doing of it you must ask leave: come not near the Books or Writings of Another so as to read them unless desired or give your opinion of them unask’d also look not nigh when another is writing a Letter.

    we could probably add “don’t talk on cell phones”

    Or how about #35

    Let your Discourse with Men of Business be Short and Comprehensive

    Also know as “Answer the damn question.”

    or #63

    A Man ought not to value himself of his Achievements, or rare Qualities of wit; much less of his riches Virtue or Kindred

    aka “You don’t have to call me Senator”

    #89?

    Speak not Evil of the absent for it is unjust

    That kills “We inherited it from the Bush administration!”

    And finally #110

    Labour to keep alive in your Breast that Little Spark of Celestial fire Called Conscience.

  50. #50
    On August 18th, 2009 at 10:59 pm, Tennessee Dave said:

    On August 18th, 2009 at 10:27 pm, okiedokie said:
    I looked up the rules for civility.

    #89?

    Speak not Evil of the absent for it is unjust

    That kills “We inherited it from the Bush administration!”

    I can’t see this administration giving up on that one. On the way out the door they’ll be saying its Bush’s fault. It’s in their psyche that they blame someone other than themselves.

  51. #51
    On August 19th, 2009 at 12:41 am, bear1909 said:

    The best strategy for dealing with an Obamba pimp like Markey is vote her butt out of office.

    Markey and company have no intention of listening to constituencies. So now it is time to exert the ultimate consequence of “taxation without representation”: VOTE THEM OUT OF OFFICE.

    In the meantime, constituents should flood their local op-ed columns with in-depth expositions of Markey and company’s deplorable “lock out” behavior.

    Publically humiliate these fascist pimps.

    Bear1909 out.

  52. #52
    On August 19th, 2009 at 10:24 am, Dexter Alarius said:

    I can’t see this administration giving up on that one. On the way out the door they’ll be saying its Bush’s fault. It’s in their psyche that they blame someone other than themselves.

    Four years into the New Deal the FDR administration was still blaming the worsening of the Depression on Hoover. It’s what Socialists do.

  53. #53
    On August 19th, 2009 at 3:27 pm, cheapseat said:

    way back when i was a child the sunday funnies had a comic “lil Abner” and in one episode they were discussing with abner how they voted for their congresscritters. abner informs them that as with most areas of the country they sent the dumbest most disliked idiot of their village off to washington just to get rid of them. it sounds as if we have succeeded in populating washington with the pond scum of the entire country.

  54. #54
    On August 21st, 2009 at 12:58 pm, FirstSkirt said:

    Markey’s campaign against Marilyn Musgrave was well financed with Move-On.org money. She is a die-hard liberal who used ugly campaign ads to sway the independents to vote for her. Marilyn wasn’t the best conservative either, but she was much, much better than Markey. She is a snob with a huge ego and was FORCED to set up these psuedo-town halls just to save face.

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