Repugs on the Run, So Pile On at Your Congress Critter's Town Hall

It's August of 2009 all over again, except this time it's the repugs on the run and the liberals on offense.

First, Paul Ryan demonstrated his corporate cluelessness by ... well, I'll let Down with Tyranny explain:

And his latest stunt-- and hence this request to donate $15 to Rob Zerban's campaign to replace Ryan-- is to refuse to speak to constituents who don't pay for the privilege! No more townhalls-- just chats with voters who pay him! During the current summer vacation, he's charging $15 to take part in his events.

By outsourcing the events to third parties that charge an entry fee to raise money, members of Congress can eliminate most of the riffraff while still-- in some cases-- allowing in reporters and TV cameras for a positive local news story.

...“After Republicans voted to gut Medicare, and other vital programs, while protecting tax breaks for millionaires and corporations, it’s not surprising that they would not want to face their constituents in an open forum,” said MoveOn.org Executive Director Justin Ruben. “There seems to be no limit to how much our government is for sale.”

...Ryan, who had police remove a man who yelled at him about proposed Medicare cuts during an April town hall meeting in Racine, will host telephone town hall meetings but no free events in person during the recess, spokesman Kevin Seifert said.

...Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesman Graeme Zielinski said Ryan is scared to defend his record before his fellow citizens.

“Paul Ryan has had a hard time going before open crowds, and for good reason,” Zielinski said. “I’m sure Ryan doesn’t want to go before the public to explain while his extreme ideology caused Standard & Poor’s to downgrade U.S. long-term treasury bonds. Beside, Ryan likes smaller settings-the kind where you can cozy up to a hedge fund manager and get a good $350 bottle of wine.”

Even the repug-loving White House jumped on that fat target:

Ryan's staff told Politico they had nothing to do with the admission charge for the event mentioned in the story, which takes place at a Rotary Club event featuring "catered lunch of meat and potatoes the group will provide." And it's worth noting that Democrats have come under fire for holding similar events of their own in the past.

But Democrats say Ryan's staying away from the classic town hall format this recess -- along with more than one of his Republican colleagues -- because he's afraid of the response he'll get from attendees upset with the way the Republicans have played things in Washington over the past few months, up to and including the debt ceiling fight.

"Any Republican who is not charging to enter their town halls is seeing just how fed up their constituents are with the deficit ceiling debate," a White House official told Politico.

One such Republican, Rep. Fred Upton (MI) -- who's a member of the supercommittee created by the debt ceiling deal -- seems to be proving the White House's point. He made a public appearance to take questions in Kalamazoo Monday and was met with a group of protesters demanding to know where the jobs are.

Here's the kind of fun Ryan's avoiding, as reported from the Upton town hall by the Kalamazoo Gazette:

During his 45-minute appearance at the Coover Center, Upton was continually interrupted by people in the audience. Most shouted comments and questions about growing jobs in Michigan and what Upton plans to do.

About 20 people who appeared to be in an organized group sometimes broke into chants. They declined to identify who they were with, with one woman telling a photographer her name is "I am jobs."

As long as Ryan seems to be avoiding Ms. I Am Jobs, he's going to keep getting taking hits from Democrats eager to find another reason to criticize him over his budget plan.

He's not alone; the beating Upton took is emboldening liberal constituents of repugs everywhere.

Steve Benen:

The Washington Post has an interesting piece (Friday) morning on the extent to which Republicans find themselves on the defensive on an issue they considered a strength. The article notes, for example, Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.) being badgered by constituents on the need to raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations.

It is a scene that has been repeated at town hall meetings across the country this August as Democrats make a concerted effort to use this month’s congressional recess to change a national narrative on taxes.

For years, it has been Republicans who have wanted to talk about the issue, winning elections promising not to let government take more from voters.

But since the showdown over raising the debt ceiling, Democrats have been unusually eager to embrace tax increases, gambling that voters will see the Republican refusal to consider higher taxes for the wealthy as recalcitrant and out-of-touch.

“Silence has been Democrats’ main political strategy since the mid-’90s on this issue,” said Michael J. Graetz, a professor at Columbia Law School who has studied the tax issue. “What’s happened is people’s consciousness has been raised that cutting spending may mean serious cuts in Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
And that has had at least the potential to change the politics of the tax issue.”

What’s especially interesting is that the pressure appears to be getting to Republicans, at least a little. In this case, Hultgren continues to refuse to raise taxes — but if Congress wants to end oil-company subsidies and close tax loopholes, he’s open to it. Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), confronted by 200 angry constituents this week, said the same thing.

We heard similar reactions from four far-right House Republicans who participated in a joint town-hall meeting in a very conservative area, when three of the four wouldn’t rule out additional revenue.

Democrats believe this is a debate that works for them. There’s ample evidence they’re right.

If there's an event you can get to, make your voice heard in favor of jobs and higher taxes for the rich. If your repug congress critter is hiding from his constituents, write to your local paper and ask why your representative is such a cowardly worm. One way or another - Go get 'em!