WATCH: Furious Constituents Flood Town Halls to Demand Lawmakers Save Obamacare – Some GOP Lawmakers Too Afraid to Show Up
One GOP Senator Changed His Town Hall Venue 5 Times in 3 Days to Avoid His Constituents
Mostly Republican Senators and Congressmen are holding town halls and facing angry constituents furious and afraid they are going to lose their Obamacare health insurance and furious and angry their representatives haven’t done anything to investigate Russia’s intervention in the November election.
It’s a different world, where just a few years ago in many cases the same lawmakers were facing angry constituents furious and afraid of Obamacare.
The above video, via MSNBC’s “11th Hour,” perfectly captures one Kentucky constituent of Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell screaming at him because there aren’t enough jobs, and because coal miners and veterans are sick and he’s about to take away their Obamacare. Another constituent reminds Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley that he’s the one who falsely claimed Obamacare had “death panels,” and says the real death panels are the repeal of Obamacare. “Fix it!” he demands.
Rep. Dave Brat, the tea party Republican who took Eric Cantor’s seat, faced a hostile Virginia crowd Tuesday. They were even more hostile when he had no actual answer for how Republicans are going to replace Obamacare. He admitted he was just given a set of bullet points to tell them.
Brat on Obamacare replacement plan: “we don’t know what it is as [rank and file] members. We were sent a bullet point plan”
— Alexis Levinson (@alexis_levinson) February 22, 2017
Brat told his constituents America is a Christian nation, which didn’t go over well with some.
After Brat says “we’re a Christian nation,” one man walks out with his wife, saying “This is bullish**. This is bullsh**.”
— Ashley Killough (@KilloughCNN) February 22, 2017
Crowd asks Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) to investigate Trump/Russia.
Wait for it… pic.twitter.com/4siV7A0cOR
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) February 22, 2017
But even worse than Republican lawmakers not knowing how they are going to replace Obamacare, and not having any answers as to why they haven’t investigated Russia, are the Republican lawmakers who just didn’t bother to show up for their own town halls.
Rep. Darrell Issa blew off a healthcare town hall, where hundreds of constituents showed up, and waited, chanting, “Where is Darrell?”
.@DarrellIssa Over 2000 of your constituents were looking for you at a #townhall they hosted for you tonight. #WhereIsIssa pic.twitter.com/DXXC0C4TtS
— TashiLynn (@TashiLynnCA) February 22, 2017
Republican lawmakers, including Senator Cory Gardner, Rep. Andy Harris, Senator Thom Tillis, and Senator Pat Toomey were all no-shows – they just didn’t show up to these town halls:
Remarkable: thousands held town halls in GOP districts across America tonight. Only problem: in many districts they refused to even show up. pic.twitter.com/W2eleGCa2h
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) February 22, 2017
Then there is Senator Tom Cotton, who switched his town hall venue five times in three days so his own constituents couldn’t find him:
If anyone wants a crazy story, here’s @SenTomCotton switching his Town Hall venue 5 times in 3 days to confuse his constituents. @CNN @MSNBC https://t.co/6Qz1iYjy0V
— Benny Esanu (@BennyEsanu) February 21, 2017
More:
Leslie Kawaler came to Grassley’s town hall in Garner, Iowa, still angry with how Merrick Garland was treated pic.twitter.com/JdY2mcn3wI
— Thomas Kaplan (@thomaskaplan) February 21, 2017
Grassley asked if he’ll sign “Pascrell letter” to force disclosure of Trump’s tax returns. [Bckgnd via @stevebenen: https://t.co/jx3HnmfjNo pic.twitter.com/6Muy9Zv5ai
— Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) February 21, 2017
Â
Â
Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.