When Republican leaders like Jason Chaffetz encounter a crowd of 1,000 angry constituents in his home district in Utah, that’s a sign that the American people say NO to Trump’s authoritarian rule.
The people in Utah and elsewhere are, knowingly or not, taking the advice of The Indivisibles, a group of former Congressional staffers who explained how to conduct resistance.
https://www.indivisibleguide.com
“Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) was confronted by angry crowds at a town hall in Salt Lake City on Thursday, over what they saw as his failure to properly investigate President Donald Trump’s conflicts of interests, in another showing of a growing resistance to the new administration.
“Almost 1,000 constituents were gathered inside the Brighton High School auditorium, many booing and shouting, “Do your job!” at Chaffetz, who is chair of the House Oversight Committee, as he claimed that presidents are exempt from conflict of interest laws. At another point, when Chaffetz said he wanted to get rid of Trump’s recently-confirmed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos—indeed, he wants to eliminate the Education Department as a whole—an audience member shouted, “We want to get rid of you!”
“Outside, another large crowd shut out of the proceedings despite available seats chanted “vote him out,” and “Chaffetz is a coward.” At least one woman was arrested.
“Chaffetz ultimately left 40 minutes early and refused to take questions from the press.
“Republican lawmakers are increasingly facing protests at town halls and other events, as communities have been taking up the call of numerous resistance factions that formed after the election—with some inspired by the Indivisible Guide, a manual written by former congressional staffers that helps activists organize at the local level using the same tactics that Tea Party conservatives used successfully against former President Barack Obama.”
If you have a Republican Congresdmember, go to the town hall meeting, if they dare hold them. Ask questions. Speak up.
This is what democracy looks like!
Diane Ravitch's blog 
What happened in Utah had little to do with democracy and more with mob rule.
When the speaker gets no chance to answer questions without being shouted down, those present have no right to later complain they got no answers.
The soundbyte that is played over and over (about conflict of interests) shows how a mob can stop any progress in conversation.
Even Cummings admitted that Chaffetz was correct. Incomplete, but correct. No one knows what else he was going to talk about because he was shouted down
Now that’s helpful, right? Not sure much will get accomplished…
LikeLike
As a matter if fact, Rudy, this sort of resembles more the direct democracy of Athens from two and a half millennia ago, where the citizenry met in the ἐκκλησία (the assembly) and hashed things out, often yelling, yes.
Not that we have direct democracy here, we never had. But there is nothing wrong with citizens demonstrating, even yelling at, their elected representatives. I’m sure that you had to study the US Constitution before you were granted your citizenship here. Did you read, and understand, the 1st Amendment?
Perhaps you might be more comfortable moving back to the Netherlands at this point, because it looks like Geert Wilder may be on track to win the Dutch election. He may be more on the same page as you.
LikeLike
Local groups are scheduling town halls over the congressional recess and inviting the representative. The town hall will be held with or without the representatives and effort are being made to get media coverage. We must be heard!
LikeLike
A big round of applause for the anonymous former Congressional staffers who explained how to conduct resistance. This invidible guide is going viral. Help it along.
https://www.indivisibleguide.com
LikeLike
I am using this Indivisible Guide this AM at the first meeting of my local RESIST group which I organized and function as Chair. We quickly became a group of 117 people dedicated to Dumping Trump and his band of deformers. Every community in the US now has access to the MeetUp group, RESIST. In only a few weeks they have garnered about 60K members. Please join and get active.
The Repubs do not stand up to him because his crazed antics deflect the media from reporting on what they are quietly doing to deregulate our government to their own ends. They are accomplishing everything they have purported for decades. So with Drumpf as court jester, they can zip through legislation that sets the US back to the Nixon era.
Today we read how alarmed the European nations of the G20 are at the Trump onshluss…and Mattis, Pence, et al are trying to reassure them that we are their allies. But Trump trumps them with his antics.
In California a high priority is to save our environment by fighting Pruitt and the defunct EPA he will lead. We have stringent auto emissions laws that have cleared much of the smog problem and the resultant climate warming. Our gov. Jerry Brown, and our majority Dem legislature hired Eric Holder to help us defend against the Trumpians, but IMO that is a waste of our tax money. He did nothing much of value as head of the US DoJ and he is a Wall Street lawyer but even the Dems play the money game. However, our new Senator Kamala Harris is rapidly becoming one of the biggest voices on the Hill, and she is unwavering in support of civil rights, womens rights, public schools, and all progressive issues. She is fearless and determined.
This is precisely why we must organize with a huge presence and a huge voice to MAKE all our legislators hear us. This week the goal is to visit all legislators during their recess and DEMAND they listen to their constituents…grueling, but protest is our weapon of choice. Indivisible and Our Revolution do similar work as RESIST…join one or all.
LikeLike
Good luck with your activism, Ellen! I hope you get a good response.
LikeLike
Thanks for your good wishes…some from my group are marching today in Pershing Square where over 20K are expected to protest on Free the People, Immigrants. And a group is going to march on Sunday at City Hall on Not MY President’s Day and joining other tens of thousands expected. Will keep you informed so maybe our colleagues will be inspired. LA is a current powder keg of activism.
LikeLike
I am leader of the Public Education Committee of Indivisible of Central Contra Costa County, San Francisco Bay Area. At this point we have about 1000 members. RESIST !!!!
LikeLike
Wonderful, Ray!
LikeLike
Most if not all Republicans don’t like democracy. In fact, they don’t like the U.S. Constitution.
LikeLike
And all democrats are abortion lovers, right?
LikeLike
I had to check to find an answer to your question, and it is NO!
According to PEW, 18-percent of registered Democrats (versus 62-percent of Republicans) think Abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.
Or we could look at it this way: 34-percent of Republicans think abortion should be legal in most if not all cases compared to 79-percent of Democrats.
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/01/26/5-facts-about-abortion/
LikeLike
Ah, we are getting better. We are now ready for the concept of nuances and qualifying. Proud of you!
Maybe you could rethink your blanket statement that “Republicans” hate the constitution.
Maybe now you may want to consider the statement, and make it more nuanced and qualified. My suggestion? “there are some republicans who hate the constitution.”
LikeLike
Nuance: people who voted for Trump were duped by a con man
Cruz warned them
Rubio warned them
Romney warned them
They didn’t listen
Now we have a pathological liar as president, with a man wishing for apocalypse at his side
LikeLike
I wholeheartedly agree. But not all republicans voted for him. Many democrats did, and many independents did, too.
Be interesting to see how those numbers show.
LikeLike
But more people vote for Hillary. 2.9 million more.
LikeLike
And had Clinton paid more attention to her voters this would not exist. But she did not. End of discussion.
LikeLike
He’s in. She’s not. Deal with it.
LikeLike
I stand corrected.
It is obvious that there are some Republican and Democratic Senators that hate the U.S. Constitution. For instance, all of the Republicans and Democrats that voted for the malignant narcissist’s deplorable cabinet.
The only exception was Betsy DeVos where only two Republicans voted against her nomination when they joined all of the Democrats that said no.
LikeLike
People who voted for Drumpf are dupes
LikeLike
Why do you say this? I am a Republican, and I cherish our constitution. I speak from experience, having lived in a communist dictatorship, and an Islamic Kingdom, under Sharia law.
“Democracy is the worst form of government. Except for all the others” – Winston Churchill.
LikeLike
Did you vote for the malignant narcissist in the White House?
Do you support the malignant narcissist in the White House?
LikeLike
What an ignorant questions. You think that republicans are incapable of cherishing the constitution?
It’s like an earlier post. trump hates the press therefore wants to get rid of the First Amendment. If hating the press is a sign of such, quite a few on this list also want to get rid of the first amendment.
People here hate the NYT. WSJ. WP. And on and on. If that is reason to fear for the first amendment…
LikeLike
Rudy, BREAKING NEWS: No one who posts here is president of the USA
Trump said the free press is the enemy of the public
That is outrageous
That is an attack on the freedom of the press
This idiot longs to be a dictator
LikeLike
It is anything but an attack on the freedom of the press. It is a personal perspective on what and how the press writes about him
And interestingly enough, he contacts the press often to use them as a channel to get his “thoughts”.
The press’ biggest issue (from my perspective) is that they don’t do their homework.
But then, that’s nothing new. Ask Dan rather.
Rather than digging in a little deeper, it’s sensationalism that sells.
And too many of the readers just take it all as truth.
Fake news survives only because too few people are willing to do some research on their own.
trump used that to his advantage. So, yes, maybe he is indeed smarter than the journalists if they continue to let themselves be used by trump.
LikeLike
He is a liar, liar, liar.
Calling the free press an enemy of the public is an attack on the First Amendment.
LikeLike
Really???????
LikeLike
Liar, liar, liar. Read Politifact
LikeLike
No, it is not an ignorant question to ask someone if they voted for Trump and support him. The answer is easy: yes or no, or it is none of your business but that last one often means yes, and the respondent is embarrassed to admit it.
LikeLike
Electing Drumpf is not a sign of intelligence
LikeLike
Have you taken the time to see why people voted for him?
Are you aware that a number of voters did so out of desperation?
When the government breaks down your local economy without options – do you really want more of the same?
Clinton did not offer anything to help. So what options are left?
Although I agree with your evaluation of trump, I suggest you think a little more about why some decided to vote for him.
LikeLike
I call BS, Rudy. You defend every word and action of the pathological liar who stole the election with help from Putin and Comey.
She won 2.9 million votes more than the Liar in Chief
LikeLike
More balony. I do not defend ANYTHING from trump. I point out that you insult, in many different ways, people who did not vote for your friend (who lost, because of her OWN doings or, in her case, not dones).
I would help if you get out of your ivory tower from time to time, and see what is happening in the real world.
LikeLike
Rudy, my reply to you is unprintable, as your views are pure-Trump.
LikeLike
I guess the ivory tower remark made you realize that your views are not too in touch with what life is like for people not in your level of society.
You should listen to NPR every once in a while, and listen to what made people vote for trump…
Rather than defending trump, I would rather defend a group of people who’s vote was out of that desperation, with no outlook on a future under Clinton – who, with Obama, wants to close coal mines, and puth thousands of people out of work by that act.
Those states have suffered a lot of loss already, and seeing more come down their way made them vote the way they did.
LikeLike
Rudy,
Give it up with your defense of a con man who hoaxed millions of people. He is a phony who knows nothing of regular people. He is a demagogue who lives n a golden penthouse with gold toilet seats. Stop wasting my time. This is the worst man ever elected president.
LikeLike
He is a phone. Have I ever denied that? Have I ever said anything positive about him?
Hope you followed my suggestion to listen to NOR. Tonight they discussed the coal issue. How little the Appalachian states will gain from bringing coal back. How it was more of a boon for Wyoming – and then not enough to make a real difference.
And it’s people like that who saw hope in trump. Who believed him. And voted for him.
Tell these “deplorables” how you’re gloating over their stupidity. That they should have known better.
Look at their choice: Clinton stating time and again that she will shut the mines down – and your livelihood, or someone who promises to get you your jobs back.
Have you ever had to worry about how you are going to feed your kids their next meal?
Have your seen your dad break down in tears because he lost his job with 8 kids to feed?
You’re so worried about Ohio teachers who make on the average 2000 more than the “regular” working folks.
How about some of sympathy directed towards people who make NO money because some politician decided to take their only means of survival away?
LikeLike
Trump lied to coal miners.
LikeLike
What a brilliant deduction. But then, we knew that already.
You still call them deplorable? Stupid? Brainless or whatever other term has been tossed at them from this list??
LikeLike
That has become increasingly apparent in the last few weeks.
LikeLike
Did you hear McCain’s answer to Chuck Todd about a free press in assessing Drumpf’s tweet about how the press is the enemy of the American people? McCain was his old feisty self and insisted that a free press is vital to a democracy…to keep it honest. Ah, wish it was McCain in the WH despite is all.
LikeLike
What, a positive word about a republican? Now I can die happy…
LikeLike
Republicans AND Democrats must be confronted, because BOTH parties have been representing the greedy interests of Wall St., corporations, and war profiteers, while ignoring workers and the poor for more than 40 years.
Tell them: support legislation for Medicare for All, family leave, a livable wage based on regional costs of living ($15/hour in NY or SF is insufficient), free college, forgiveness of student debts, and other social safety net policies our European allies have had for their people for decades, or face being primaried and thrown out of office.
Can the U.S. afford these and other sensible policies, such as a transition ASAP to a fossil-free society and infrastructure repairs? Yes, if the imperial global war/militarism budget is eliminated (one trillion dollars per year) and the rich are taxed at the levels they were under Eisenhower (90% marginal tax rate).
It’s time to end the oligarchy.
LikeLike
YES…so what do you think Acosta will do?
LikeLike
My upstate NY Congress-critter refuses to meet publicly with his constituents, after having beaten his opponent by complaining he (the opponent) never met with his constituents.
According to the Congressman and his supporters, the fact I live in the district and am a registered Democrat makes me a tool of outside groups, a violent anarchist, a rioter, someone from outside the district (because no one inside the district could take issue with this Republic Congressman), disgusting, un American, a communist, a socialist, I apparently now hate God as well, dirty and unwashed, I smell, and I don’t brush my teeth.
Tomorrow they may add that I eat kittens and puppies.
His staff won’t answer my emails, letters, and I’m treated rudely when I call. That’s why I want a town hall meeting, but my Congressman is too timid to leave his comfortable echo chamber where the sounds of right wing conformity are soothing to him, instead of the more discordant sounds of strident and patriotic dissent.
LikeLike
OMG…sorry for you rockhound. In my district in California, I hear from my Senator Kamala Harris daily with an report of her day to day actions in DC and inviting me to stay in contact with her (must be truthful that at the bottom of her missives is a DONATE request, and I get long well conceived letters from Senator Feinstein too. My Congresswoman, Julia Brownley, a former teacher, also replies to all letters. Their offices are always polite and helpful when I, and most all constituents, call. We do sometimes march on Feinstein to make a point, and during RECESS on Feb. 24 we are joining with many other groups to visit Brownley to thank her for her attention and support for Planned Parenthood.
However, I despise CCSA so much that I am relieved that by contrast my Dem legislators are on the ball…generally. At least some listen to us when we talk about charter schools…not all agree but we keep working on them. Even Repub Kevin McCarthy, head of the lower House, is from our state, and I disagree with every word he utters, but he is a gentleman and keeps his office open to his constituents.
it must be the sunshine and fresh air. Though this week we need an ark. but our resevoirs are filled and we will have enough water now to brush our teeth, drink, and finally flush our toilets again.
And BTW, my RESIST meeting today was excellent. We are starting next week, two study groups to learn the nitty gritty of the Constitution, and we have a couple of marches planned this month, and a letter writing group, but we have prioritized battling Pruitt and a moribund EPA under his direction, in order to protect our stringent California environmental laws which are the model for 40% of the states, primarily with auto emissions. Smog is almost gone here…we will not allow Pruitt the Evil to turn this around…yes, even if it means Calexit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“If you have a Republican Congresdmember, go to the town hall meeting, if they dare hold them. Ask questions. Speak up.”
Go to your Democratic Congress members meetings as well. Encourage and buck-them-up.
LikeLike
All things considered, the end of bipartisan education politics in this country is a very good thing.
DeVos is eek and evil and outrage, but it is the smug, smiling, and smarmy Arne Duncan who history will record as doing much more damage to public education.
LikeLike