It would seem that I published my piece about the relative calm of the April 2011 town halls right before a few town halls got salty, and before liberal groups stepped up their efforts to make problems for Republicans. For example, Marin Cogan – and if there’s a better reporter on the House freshman, I’m not aware of it – filed this piece from one of Lou Barletta’s town halls.
First Barletta was told “not to be steadfast in Paul Ryan’s Republican plan,” to “bend a little, work and come together to pass something that’s agreeable to everybody.” Moments later, another constituent told him, “I don’t want you to bend; I want you to stand firm” on spending, even if that means a national debt default.
And hardly anyone in his senior-heavy district wants to see Congress touch their Medicare benefits.
But one sentiment resonated through both Rep. Allen West’s Pompano Beach gathering in south Florida and Rep. Dan Webster’s in Winter Garden: voters are still angry, they still don’t trust Washington, and they’re saying, “hell yeah, shut down the government if you have to.”
Webster, who preferred his constituents sound off on their opinions rather than ask questions, heard it this way: “If we have to shut the government down, don’t believe those polls you get out of the media. The people are behind you.”