from The Huffington Post:
GOP Town Halls: Reps Forced To Screen Questions, Duck Out Of Meetings In Secret
The wave of town hall protests targeting House Republicans, and aided by labor and progressive groups, is forcing lawmakers to put restrictions on the forum’s traditionally open structure.
On Tuesday night, Rep. Allen West’s office (R-Fl.) reportedly screened questioners during his town hall event by requiring individuals to fill out index cards which were then vetted by his staff.
This was, the Boward County Sun Sentinel noted, different from “his usual practice at previous town hall meetings, where West took questions from people who lined up at microphones.”
................................
"Is this the type of transparency Alan West promised when he ran for office?" emailed one labor source, whose members and retirees have been attending town halls.
The source, who pointed out the West news, declined to go on the record but didn’t shy away from touting the role played by his and other organizations in causing discomfort for West and others. The labor union, the source said, had been sending members to other West town halls (though not the one Tuesday night), “to ask pointed questions of their members where they stand on privatizing Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security versus ending spending on tax cuts for the richest 2% of all Americans.”
And, for a couple who wanted an actual TOWNHALL with West, instead of the staged garbage he was going?
from ThinkProgress:
Still, a few upset voters attempted to circumvent West’s screening process and make their voices heard. These town hall attendees were thrown out by security and at least one woman, a former Air America radio host, was arrested.
West can't stop talking SMACK about the President at the drop of a hat.
And, he talked about Rep. Keith Ellison like a dog when on those right-wing media outlets, but COULDN'T SAY IT TO ELLISON'S FACE.
And now, he's ducking and running from his constituents?
Will only take QUESTIONS ON CARDS?
What a punk. A total punk.
Had to update it with this bit of information:
It can't be easy defending your party's plan to cut and privatize Medicare in retiree-heavy Boca Raton, Florida, but Rep. Allen West gave it his best shot on Wednesday. Questioned by constituents about the budget at a town hall, the freshman Republican warned that everyone is doomed with Medicare as is.
"I gotta tell you something: if you support Medicare the way it is now, you can kiss the United States of America goodbye," West said, according to local station WPTV.
The town hall drew a number of protesters, some of whom were led out of the event by security after heckling the Congressman. West's Democratic-leaning district is considered among the most vulnerable in 2012.
So, unpaid tax cuts for the RICH, won't destroy America, but MEDICARE WILL?
oh, sure.
I'm sure that is going to go over well in his district, cause he sure in hell didn't run on this platform.
