Quick Reaction to Yarmuth's Town Hall

Congressman John Yarmuth has to be commended for entering the lion's den that was 1,400 people at Central High School -- roughly 70 percent of whom oppose the Democrats' plan to nationalize health care.

He had a few gaffes (more on that in the a.m.), but all in all, Yarmuth handled himself with humor, humility and patience with a crowd that I really wish had not booed (seriously, can't we show our displeasure with stony silence or something other than booing?) With the exception of a few hecklers (on both sides) and the booing (again, on both sides) the crowd was generally courteous.

Francene Cucinello did a superb job as moderator. She kept the pace moving, which allowed more people to ask questions, and she followed up when Yarmuth failed to answer.

The biggest story for Republicans was the reaction to a question about the need for the federal government to obey the Constitution. The point, in essence, is that we are a government of enumerated and hence limited powers. The crowd's reaction shows that there is a growing demand for limited government that obeys the Constitution as written, rather than as fantasized by those who see it as a "living document." The implication is the candidacy of Dr. Rand Paul and his ideological compatriots is no fluke. Establishment Republicans need to understand that there is a burgeoning segment of voters who will no longer tolerate using the Commerce Clause and the like as a jumping off point for all sorts of legislation.

Yarmuth is still wrong on health care and many other issues; more on that later. But I do commend him for showing up. It's too bad that Yarmuth's initial fear of town halls kept him from hosting one earlier. And it's too bad that he was worried enough about how it would all turn out that he wouldn't let ordinary citizens video tape the event -- just fancy media types.

Cudos to Yarmuth

Congressman John Yarmuth has scheduled a real, live town hall on September 2 at Central High School, and he should be commended for his willingness to meet with his constituents rather than run and hide like many of his colleagues, including Ben Chandler.

Last night Yarmuth held a "tele-town hall." This conflicted with a school board meeting I had to attend, so I only heard the first part of the conference call. One aspect of the "tele-town hall" that I really appreciated was that it gave senior citizens who might be home bound the opportunity to participate. In the portion of the call that I heard, Yarmuth handled himself well. I do not agree with his political philosophy, but he was gracious and knowledgeable -- as were the questioners.

Ben Chandler Afraid of Town Halls

Congressman Ben Chandler will not hold any town hall meetings on health care due to the incivility of the debate. He is too busy eating chicken in an undisclosed location.

At least Congressman John "Tele-tubby" Yarmuth is holding "tele-town halls."

I would prefer that those who oppose the government takeover of health care express themselves with decorum. But look who has anointed themselves the Etiquette Police: The party that brought us the flag burning, bomb throwing "protests" of the 1960's now demonize constituents as "un-American" for shouting.

The party that waxes poetic about the anniversary of Woodstock (and even wanted federal funds to locate a museum there) cannot stand the heat of senior citizens who have raised their voices in opposition to a plan that in reality, Chandler and Yarumth will never read.

Yarmuth Will Hold "Tele-Town Hall" Meetings

Congressman John Yarmuth has discovered a way to avoid phony protesters: hold phony town halls. Yarmuth will hold three "tele-town hall" meetings to discuss health care. Rather than dealing with an angry mob, Yarmuth will take questions by telephone. According to the Courier-Journal,

Yarmuth's representative, Marty Meyer, said Yarmuth will hold three “tele-town hall” meetings on health care reform by conference call on Aug. 17, 24 and 25. Anyone who wants to participate may contact Yarmuth's Louisville office at 582-5129, he said.

Non-Louisvillians who would like to join in the merriment should know that our area code is (502). No word on the time the "tele-town hall" will take place on those dates, so dial early and often.

Some might think that Yarmuth saw how his Democratic colleagues were grilled and fried in their town halls and turned Kentucky Chicken. However, there are other explanations for his phone-a-thon.

The left can bill these "tele-town halls" as a way to cut emissions, since we won't have to drive anywhere. It's the green way to question the government takeover of health care.

In addition, Yarmuth's "tele-town halls" resolve the dilemma of how to dress for the event -- whether to wear the rent-a-mob Brooks Bros. suit or the wife beater and overalls. Attendants at Yarmuth's "tele-town halls" can wear anything. Or nothing at all. It's the left's worst nightmare Birthers in their birthday suits!

Finally, thanks to Yarmuth, we can protest from the comfort and privacy of our own homes. Only a Democrat could have conceived of this innovation in democracy. Though Yarmuth doesn't charge for romancing his constituents over the phone, it still isn't good as the real thing.

Where's Our Town Hall?

I emailed Congressman John Yarmuth a few days ago to find out when he will hold his town hall on health care. Surely he doesn't want to miss out on all the fun. He has not responded. No reply. Don't constituents deserve the courtesy of a reply?

Perhaps Yarmuth's staff deemed my question fishy. Report all fishy questions to flag@whitehouse.gov. It is well known among the intelligentsia that anyone who opposes the government take over of health care is a racist mobster. And a birther!

The Demo-blogs assert that Yarmuth need not show up to some of the town hall meetings to which he's been invited. Fair enough. No need to sandbag the guy. He can organize his own meeting. But to not have one at all, while he trots around the networks as Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "spokesman" just seems cowardly.

The Democrats insist that the outrage in town hall meetings across the nation is fake, phony, AstroTurf. They can continue to think that until the first Wednesday in November 2010.

Meanwhile, even RINOs like Peggy Noonan have woken up:

And so the shock on the faces of Congressmen who’ve faced the grillings back home. And really, their shock is the first thing you see in the videos. They had no idea how people were feeling. . . .

What the town-hall meetings represent is a feeling of rebellion, an uprising against change they do not believe in. And the Democratic response has been stunningly crude and aggressive. It has been to attack. Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the United States House of Representatives, accused the people at the meetings of “carrying swastikas and symbols like that.” (Apparently one protester held a hand-lettered sign with a “no” slash over a swastika.) But they are not Nazis, they’re Americans. Some of them looked like they’d actually spent some time fighting Nazis.

Then came the Democratic Party charge that the people at the meetings were suspiciously well-dressed, in jackets and ties from Brooks Brothers. They must be Republican rent-a-mobs. Sen. Barbara Boxer said on MSNBC’s “Hardball” that people are “storming these town hall meetings,” that they were “well dressed”, that “this is all organized,” “all planned,” to “hurt our president.” Here she was projecting. For normal people, it’s not all about Barack Obama.

If Yarmuth does deign to hold a town hall, Republicans face a fashion dilemma. If we dress neatly and professionally, say out of self-respect and respect for our elected officials, then we are told that we look like AstroTurfers. Anyone who wears a sport coat made of natural fibers is suspect.

Apparently legitimate opponents of a government take over of health care should dress like slovenly rubes, clinging to our guns and our Bibles and our insurance cards. Once again, the Democrats reveal their utter contempt for those little people known as voters.