The main street, Fayeteville Street, of Siler City, North Carolina. Contrast with picture of same scene taken twenty five years ago

#FayetevilleStreet #SilerCity #NorthCarolina #TownHall #TheHotelSign #undefined #photography #DorotheaLange

https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2017772531/

Oh, what a bold new strategy—democracy, but make it invite-only! Next up: town halls replaced with group chats where dissenting opinions get auto-kicked!

Republican leadership tells party to stop holding public events

“It’s certainly a unique view of representation that representatives should hear only from constituents who agree with them,” said Marjorie Hershey, professor emeritus of political science at Indiana University Bloomington.

"I name as my #Patriots of the Week those activists who have been leading the growing #protest movement we are seeing in cities—and every state, apparently—across the country.

Like the #TownHall meetings that have garnered so much attention, these #protests are having the same effect. Hundreds and/or thousands are showing up—so much so, those trying to tear our #democracy apart are also taking notice."
https://davidpepper.substack.com/p/patriots-of-the-week-valerie-and

#GOP #Democrats should talk to the citizens that the GOP is afraid to talk too. #Resist #TownHall #DemsDeliver #BlueStirmComin1

Congress: Hiding from constituents is cowardly.

If you can't face the public, maybe you should step down from public office.

#USPol
#congressionalrecess
#Congress
#TownHall

CA-31 NEEDS A TOWN HALL! Call our reps to demand a town hall during the March recess next week. We need an Al Green fighting for us. Now is not the time for decorum and etiquette. Now is the time to hit back. #algreen #BernieSanders #USPolitics #townhall #internationalwomensday

Are They Feeling the Heat?
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/are-they-feeling-the-heat

"This is a Facebook post by Missouri state Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia). The Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) he refers to is one of the members of Congress who got rocked late last month in one of those townhalls where people were angry about DOGE."

For Oregonians who missed it, Senator Wyden skipped the speech last night (he said "we're not interested in hearing about the Donald Trump alternate reality") and held a virtual town hall instead. Here's a link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcVPzXFq0WQ

And here's a great thread from Claire Willet who live-posted some of the key moments from the town hall last night:

https://bsky.app/profile/clairewillett.bsky.social/post/3ljlvlrk2ak2j

Now with unchecked power, the GOP says it's time to stop listening to voters:

GOP Leaders Warn Republicans to Avoid Their Own Constituents - Jezebel https://www.jezebel.com/gop-leaders-warn-republicans-to-avoid-their-own-constituents

Kat Abu is right

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5Ly4umLprM

Republican #House Speaker #MikeJohnson urged fellow Republican lawmakers on Tues to avoid #public #TownHall meetings with #voters after some events turned into angry confrontations over #Trump's moves to fire #FederalWorkers & defund government programs.

#cowards #PublicDisservice #Republicans #GOP #RepresentationMatters #USpol #Musk #DOGE #FederalAgencies #SocialSecurity #Medicaid #Veterans #children #seniors #disability #PublicHealth #weather #DisasterPreparedness
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-speaker-urges-lawmakers-avoid-town-hall-meetings-2025-03-04/

In Response to Trump baloney mouth farts on student protests, students demanding better.

In Response to Republican Cowardice CANCELLING Town Halls.

All Protests Shall Now Be Called Town Halls, and will end in Question and Answer discussions.

Because Americans WILL BE listened to, whether you like it or not, and their questions will be answered.

#GOP = #VirtualLawmakers

#lawmakers told to move to pre-screened, invite-only heavily moderated #online events...

#RepublicanParty urges #Congressional members shift all #comms from in-person #TownHall mtgs with constituents to #virtual only appearances due to need to mute #PublicOutrage and block out protesters attending live in person #public events.

Over a decade ago, #GOP congressmen under Paul Ryan had paved way to charge constituents fees to pose questions, keeping unemployed and less prosperous community members away from dais...

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/04/house-republicans-town-halls-virtua

https://thegeorgiasun.com/government/representing-you/republicans-in-congress-told-to-stop-having-town-halls/

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/08/paul-ryan-congress-town-hall/