Democrats Skip Recess Townhall Meetings

According to The New York Times, Democrats in Congress are blatantly avoiding their constituents. House Democrats are backing away from the open, town-hall style meetings that characterized the months leading up to the healthcare debate and vote. The Times reported that, “of the 255 Democrats who make up the majority in the House, only a handful held town-hall-style forums as legislators spent last week at home in their districts.” And while Democrats were hiding, Congressional Republicans, the Times says, not only held more open meetings than Democrats, including several as a part of the America Speaking Out series.

Is it any surprise that Democrats were in hiding last week? At the meetings last summer, constituents came out in force to appeal to legislators that they didn’t want healthcare passed. Regardless of voter outcry, the bill passed – with the only bipartisanship in opposition. Between that and the worsening economic conditions that voters are facing, is there any surprise the Democrats, who control Washington, don’t want to face the people that put them there – and, more importantly, can send them home?

The prospect of facing angry voters – and the risk of making them angrier for November – wasn’t the only thing keeping Democrats from holding public meetings. Democrat leaders advised their members to “avoid unscripted question-and-answer sessions,” the Times reported. Of course, the Democrats had to make some appearance, and the party leaders recommend holding events in “controlled” settings. The Democrat “representing” Maryland’s First District, Frank Kratovil, actually states that he prefers the controlled meetings and tours of businesses so that he doesn’t have unscripted question-and-answer sessions.

When Democrats went back to their districts over the Memorial Day recess, they weren’t holding open events with constituents. Someone needs to tell the Democrats that hiding behind an invitation doesn’t help to comfort voters who being ignored by their Congressman. Real dialogue between voters and Members of Congress leads to real representation.

Read the full article here.