They Really Are Hiding from their Constituents

This Politico article is a followup to the DiFi Senior Citizens in Shackles story from below.

On the eve of the August recess, members are reporting meetings that have gone terribly awry, marked by angry, sign-carrying mobs and disruptive behavior. In at least one case, a congressman has stopped holding town hall events because the situation has spiraled so far out of control.

“I had felt they would be pointless,” Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) told POLITICO, referring to his recent decision to temporarily suspend the events in his Long Island district. “There is no point in meeting with my constituents and [to] listen to them and have them listen to you if what is basically an unruly mob prevents you from having an intelligent conversation.”

In Bishop’s case, his decision came on the heels of a June 22 event he held in Setauket, N.Y., in which protesters dominated the meeting by shouting criticisms at the congressman for his positions on energy policy, health care and the bailout of the auto industry.

This is the fingers-in-your ears approach to legislating. These Congresscritters know that constituents are pissed off by their reckless spending and economy-destroying regulatory programs. But their solution to angry constituents isn't to change their idiotic policies. They don't even want to explain their idiotic policies. Rather, they'll just ignore the public.

This is the typical approach for Democrats. How often have we heard: "the debate is over!"

posted by Gabriel Malor at 03:05 PM

| Access Comments