Yo, TEA Party Patriots,
Remember all that civil discourse and public participation that the GOP and the TEA Party were so fond of in 2010?
Well, that is SO 2010.
As a "citizen journalist" myself, I find it troubling that any publicly elected official can get away with assertions that town hall meetings are "private" events.
That argument doesn't pass any laugh test to which it could be subjected.
A while back I had a run in with Doug Ericksen, who is mulling over a run for County Executive now. He and I had a conflict over how I was going to (or more to the point not going to) document "his" townhall meeting.
That townhall meeting was held in a public school auditorium. His first argument was that he paid for the room. Like he was renting a hotel room or something.
This mentality is an insidious one, and I don't believe it is the exclusive domain of Republicans or TEA Party endorsed candidates.
Transparency favors everyone, and I hope that the TEA Party Patriots remember that this applies no matter who is currently elected.
Fortunately for those of us who live in Washington, we have a strongly and clearly worded Open Public Meetings Act.
I strongly suggest we, the citizens, defend that act strenuously. Because our public officials, regardless of party affiliation, chafe at it and seem more than willing to subvert it every chance they get.
Normally I'm a partisan, but in terms of public transparency, I'm partial to the citizenry being informed and cast a jaundiced eye at any government official regardless of political affiliation.
I'm not saying I don't trust the GOP on this issue. I'm saying I don't trust any elected official on this issue.
Silence from the TEA Party on this matter after all of the sound and fury from them last year is unacceptable.
You TEA Party Patriots need to sound off on this.
You had plenty to say last year.
Remember all that civil discourse and public participation that the GOP and the TEA Party were so fond of in 2010?
Well, that is SO 2010.
ThinkProgress readers passed along the following photos, taken outside town halls held by Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA) and Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV). Barletta specifically barred citizen journalists and other non-credentialed media from recording the event, while Heck took a more encompassing approach of “no recording devices” at allLink HERE.
Many in the community would likely not be pleased with Scott’s cuts, but those voices remained unheard — mainly because they were banned. Declaring the town square event to be “private,” Scott’s staffers had Sumter County sheriff’s deputies remove Democrats and those with “liberal-looking pins and buttons” from the eventLink HERE.
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| Florida Gov Rick Scott glowers at "liberal looking" town hall meeting attendees. |
As a "citizen journalist" myself, I find it troubling that any publicly elected official can get away with assertions that town hall meetings are "private" events.
That argument doesn't pass any laugh test to which it could be subjected.
A while back I had a run in with Doug Ericksen, who is mulling over a run for County Executive now. He and I had a conflict over how I was going to (or more to the point not going to) document "his" townhall meeting.
That townhall meeting was held in a public school auditorium. His first argument was that he paid for the room. Like he was renting a hotel room or something.
This mentality is an insidious one, and I don't believe it is the exclusive domain of Republicans or TEA Party endorsed candidates.
Transparency favors everyone, and I hope that the TEA Party Patriots remember that this applies no matter who is currently elected.
Fortunately for those of us who live in Washington, we have a strongly and clearly worded Open Public Meetings Act.
I strongly suggest we, the citizens, defend that act strenuously. Because our public officials, regardless of party affiliation, chafe at it and seem more than willing to subvert it every chance they get.
Normally I'm a partisan, but in terms of public transparency, I'm partial to the citizenry being informed and cast a jaundiced eye at any government official regardless of political affiliation.
I'm not saying I don't trust the GOP on this issue. I'm saying I don't trust any elected official on this issue.
Silence from the TEA Party on this matter after all of the sound and fury from them last year is unacceptable.
You TEA Party Patriots need to sound off on this.
You had plenty to say last year.
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