Right now, more than 100 activists from Massachusetts are waiting in US Senator Scott Brown’s office. We’re here because we want to talk to our senator.
We’ve been waiting for three hours, getting conflicting reports. When constituents called Brown’s Boston office, they were told that the senator wasn’t in DC. Other staffers tell us that he’s here, but unavailable to speak to his constituents.
But we’ve come 450 miles to get answers, and we’re not going anywhere.
We want to tell him to stand up for the 99%. We’re here to say enough is enough — the people of Massachusetts need JOBS, not cuts.
Since taking office, Brown hasn’t held a single town hall meeting. So that’s why we’ve brought his constituents to him, in his office in Washington, DC — and we won’t leave until we meet with the senator himself.
Stay tuned, we’ll keep you posted as the day progresses. Stand with us. Call Scott Brown’s office at (202) 224-4543 and tell him to meet with his constituents!
Do you think people will be impressed?
is the contempt he holds for his constituents. Not a single open town hall meeting. Not a single one. Nothing.
When will he hold a town hall?
I am sure if a CEO just dropped by, or a major donor rather than unemployed ironworkers, and college graduates who are either unemployed or using their UMASS degrees to work stocking supermarket shelves – time would be made, such as a later appointment.
Plus, just what is the reason, if you know, for holding ZERO in state town meetings with constituents? I am impressed that 250 or so constituents are there, with Occupy DC and others proposing a return to democracy from the rule of revolving door K-Street lobbyists and legislation for profit.
http://bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2011/12/06/activists-occupy-senator-brown-office/O6DbqL41OOzVN1WuS1TfvN/story.html
Our Senator says he’s in favor of extending the payroll tax cut. But he says he can’t go along with any plan to tax millionaires to make up the lost revenue, because some of those millionaires are businesses that file as individuals, and of course it makes no sense to impose “job-killing tax cuts” on those businesses.
So today, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) proposed to exempt those businesses that file as individuals from the tax. As she explained today:
The only reason Senator Brown gave for opposing the millionaires tax was its harm to small business. So one could assume with confidence that he’s OK with the Collins plan, couldn’t one?
It is brilliant as it demolishes their argument – without losing much money at all. Good for Collins.
was a co-sponsor and was on the stage with Sen. Collins today.
There are a couple things not to like about the bill (weakened environmental enforcement, for one), but on the main point — the tax on millionaires — I agree it’s pretty deft at calling the opponents’ bluff.
Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell didn’t have anything good to say about Sen. Collins’ plan today.
So will Sen. Brown support her plan and earn his word cloud title of “Moderate” or take another bullet for Mitch McConnell?
That pretty much tells you all you need to know. No matter where someone stands on the finer points of who voted for what policy or what cloture motion, everyone can agree that the first job of a representative is to, umm, represent.
Want to win over some independent and moderate voters? Run an ad that starts off with “Exceprts from town hall meetings held by Scott Brown since he went to Washington.” Then black screen, crickets if you want. Then the voiceover+text: “That’s because he hasn’t held any. Zero.” Then: “Scott Brown doesn’t want to hear from Massachusetts voters. So let’s send him a message. A one-way ticket home.”
I don’t remember the term existing. Then, it bacame a fad during the health care debate.
Delahunt never held one – even when other Reps. were during health care. Keating comes and talks to Dem town committees, but hasn’t held a town hall for the public that’s ever been publicized. Ted Kennedy never held one. I don’t think Kerry has ever done one outside of Boston.
Politicians used to speak to Rotary, Chambers of Commerce, League of Women Voters, VFW, etc. Now, that’s termed a ‘private’ or ‘elite’ event. It’s the same old meeting, but now Democrats call them ‘town halls’. If you just meet with and speak to groups, it doesn’t count unless you use the Dem term?
In fact, here are some videos excerpts of 2 town halls in 2008 held by Kerry AFTER he was re-elected.
Cambridge: High speed Rail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0GSPmIG86g
Cambridge: Tax Policy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5ZlrbkdBNk
Cambridge: Climate Change
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy3gTZyvoQQ
Cambridge: Health Insurance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz-mp3m_lMs
Cambridge: Afghanistan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0GSPmIG86g
Fitchburg: Immigration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWPvcWGJHOU
Fitchburg: Crisis in Mumbai
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc3ya6GjrRQ
Fitchburg is not Boston. Not to mention, the 5 town halls Kerry has done this year were all over the state – not just in Boston.
Please post youtubes of the Scott Brown town halls — when he does any.
Sometimes it seems like Democrats have one, or maybe one type, of organization that they look to when it comes to involving themselves in their community: political organizations. Either the Democratic Party itself, or one of various issue-specific “activist” organizations.
Republicans, in this sense if in absolutely no others whatsoever, are the big tent party. They have church groups, boy scouts, girl scouts, chamber, KofC, Rotary, Kiwanis, VFW and all kinds of other stuff. Anecdotally, it seems like Republican candidates do their flesh pressing in these contexts rather than in purely “political” events, campaigns excepted.
Dems have more trouble using those events, because inevitably each one has some or other view that is the subject of intense disagreement with some or other activist group, and they don’t need the kerfuffle.
It would be interesting to see if this is what he does, but it I couldn’t find a calendar on google.
This might be a passing dynamic if the Republican tendency toward Purity continues, as each of these types of organizations will have some or other view that conflicts with the GOP Purity Police Holy Writ of any given time.
includes asking questions. If any of the meetings you describe are set up where citizens are allowed to ask politicians non vetted questions, then I would consider them town halls. This does describe what Kerry did.
Both parties have had politicians give speeches to the VFW and the Chamber of Congress – I know Kerry has done both and know Brown spoke to at least one Chamber of Congress. But, these were prepared speeches, written for the place they were given. They were not designed for the people to ask the questions they want to ask.
In addition, Brown has been reluctant to even answer most questions when they are asked by the press as an indirect means for people to get answers. His staff is far more likely to give a vague answer that he is considering the issue.
I don’t think this is a Republican/Democratic issue. There are some on both sides that avoid answering the questions of their representatives. The question is whether people will accept only prepared speeches and rallying where he and supporters will cheer each other on.
and I actually did reread it.
Imagine he had the creativity to order sandwiches and sodas and had his staffers give them to the group waiting there, while explaining Brown’s schedule in terms of per-scheduled meetings, emphasizing how they either helped MA or were part of the duties of his committee assignments. They could then have said that he was squeezing in 10 minutes to see them briefly.
He then would simply have had to be pleasant for 10 minutes, listening to their stories and speaking in the cliches he always resorts to – then have a staff member pull him away – he could even look reluctant to leave, but duty calls.
He would have coopted the entire thing.