I am not making this up. "The U.S. Capitol Police have advised all lawmakers to cancel their town hall meetings." Over the last week or so, constituents have been venting their fury over the decided lack of proper representation from their Congressmen, the obvious socialist direction they are taking the USA, and the lack of respect of the process their elected representatives are exhibiting. So, people are angry, and they are letting their elected representatives know:Health Debate Turns Hostile at Town Hall Meetings
Town Hall meetings heat up over health care
Health care debate filled with sound, fury
Angry Americans disrupt health care talks
Enduring heat from their constituents, several of the meetings turning, shall we say, exuberant, Congressmen did the best thing they could thing of to do: stop meeting with the people they represent. This decision apparently came after US Capitol police finally advised lawmakers to cancel, leaving constituents with one less way to be heard.
In a McClatchy article, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) said, "President Obama underestimated the free-fall the nation had already taken in partisan hostility when he talked about bringing change to Washington," said Cleaver, who supports reform. "It has gotten worse. There is something at play here that is indescribable."
I can describe it. It is called civil unrest: "Civil disorder, also known as civil unrest, is a broad term that is typically used by law enforcement to describe one or more forms of disturbance caused by a group of people. Civil disturbance is typically a symptom of, and a form of protest against, major socio-political problems; the severity of the action coincides with public expression(s) of displeasure."
And the American populace has never been shy about expressing their displeasure. I don't hold with death threats, vulgarity, or disruption, but on the elected side, I don't hold with cavalier representation, lies, and failure to fulfill promises either. The gulf between the People and the Government widens, and canceling the Town Halls has wrenched it further apart. When you stop talking, everything stops.
PS: a final note: back in April, President Obama said to the bankers, “My administration is the only thing between you and the pitchforks.” Oops, guess not. Only, Obama never guessed that the pitchforks he envisioned would be coming for HIM.
4 comments:
It is a very scary time. When the government stops listening to the people, there is only one thing that could happen and it ain't good.
What bothers me...is that I fear we cannot stop this change happening in America before the next election. Will it be too late then?
I think it will be too late one way or the other, because in my opinion I do not think elections matter anymore.
Look at how brazen the elected officials are already, with buying jets and traveling and not listening to their constituents and living it up. I think we, the electorate, are irrelevant in their eyes.
No matter who we vote in, the prevalent attitude of the old guard and the new, is and will be, that political office is a benefit to their own lives, not a service to us. That attitude is entrenched now, making elections irrelevant no matter who is voted into office.
At every debate and at every speech, Obama said health care reform was one of his first priorities if he was elected.
Well, he was elected. By a wide margin. All of those people voted for Obama and his stated priorities and platform.
So, the government IS listening to the people.
Heck, Obama even welcomes debate and welcomes the opposing view. That's something I haven't seen from ANY President, Republican or Democrat, in my lifetime (and I've seen more than a few.)
We had the election. Change was the message. Most of us voted for change, and most of us want some changes made to the insurance system. That's why we voted for the candidate who made healthcare reform a centerpiece of his campaign. It's after the election...and Obama is still listening and keeping his word. For that, I and the rest of the majority that voted for him are grateful.
Strange. All these Congressmen and women have taxpayer funded govt. health care, but they don't want the rest of us to have access to it.
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