Town halls are no longer "in." No way. The tea party movement did a number on democracy, wounding it severely. First, it bullied its way into Congress through confrontations. Now it seeks to avoid confrontations.
From a report in The Atlantic:
... High-tech alternatives, like "tele-town halls," have emerged as something of a double-edged sword for elected officials. The mass conference calls are an easy, low-cost way to reach hundreds of constituents, but they've been criticized for being "a little bit more easily manipulated," said Norman Ornstein, an expert on Congress at the American Enterprise Institute. ...
... "You have got to entertain the thesis" that some members of Congress just don't want to face an angry public, said Ornstein. Many members avoiding town hall meetings this recess rode a wave of tea party anger to victory in 2010, Ornstein noted. To hide their faces now is "quite a pivot," he said.
"We are a direct democracy," said Bill Whalen, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution. Politicians "have to hold town halls or some sort of open forum" if they ever hope to get elected, let alone stay in office.
Sam Rohrer, state director of Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania , also said that the interest of people "has never been keener," and the angst level has never been higher. "If you're telling the truth and serving the people properly when you're in office, you desire two-way communication" with your constituents, Rohrer said. He called the lack of open town halls in his state "unfortunate."
Steering clear of town halls this August may have helped lawmakers avoid a repeat of August 2009. But in an increasingly networked world, it's getting harder and harder for politicians to control any of their public appearances.
Yes, there is a remedy. I hope it is used and used well.
"A political flash mob is something I would look for in 2012," said Whalen. With tools like Twitter making it easier than ever for voters to organize, he said, "What's stopping you and your group from mobilizing?"
Be sure to keep your phone fully charged...
