"town hall night in america" — every congressional district, once a month, all on the same night:
oldgoats.substack.com/p/lets-creat…— Rachel Maddow (@maddow.msnbc.com) March 7, 2025 at 1:45 PM
(Antique media person) Jonathan Alter, via Rachel Maddow:
… The larger problem is that Democrats have no effective way to disseminate their arguments — no media ecosystem like the right-wing has built or even a DNC capable of producing sticky talking points.
But there is one time-tested democratic structure that has been working lately: the town hall meeting, evoked in 1943 in Norman Rockwell’s quintessentially American image. Republican House members got an earful last month — especially about DOGE — at town halls in Texas, Wisconsin and Georgia. These are the perfect venues for publicizing the human wreckage of Trump’s assault. Stung by the raucous videos, Trump called attendees “paid troublemakers” — just another lie — and National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) told fellow Republicans to host tele-town halls or live-streamed events instead of in-person ones…
So here’s an idea that originated, as far as I can tell, in this tweet from conservative-operative-turned-Never-Trump-stalwart Bill Kristol. So far, Democrats don’t seem to have taken Kristol up on his idea of the party hosting town halls this month in all 435 congressional districts. They should. In fact, they should go further and hold town hall meetings in every district, every month, every year.
That’s because the best way to channel our anger, fear, and patriotism is to speak out not just on cable news and in elite institutions but in the schoolhouses, libraries, municipal buildings, and churches where American democracy was born…
I’m fully on board w this overall. I’ve been saying all along that focused action in Repub districts is by far more important than in Dem districts, but there should still be organizing in the Dem districts (esp in districts in purple or red states).
There are some process problems…/1— Dana Houle (@danahoule.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 2:23 PM
…in the details of what Alter describes; for Dem districts it’s difficult to legally mingle official congressional work (including staff time) w overt campaign work, it has to work around the legislative calendars, etc.
In Repub districts the biggest challenge & greatest value are the same…/2
Namely, in a lot of Republican Congressional districts there’s not much of a Dem party organization. Overcoming that problem would take serious resources, but there’s certainly enthusiasm for this kind of political organizing/action. There’s also the problem that in a lot of places the Dem Party…/3
…is local/county focused but doesn’t really operate by Congressional districts. But again, that’s a challenge but also a reason to do it.
As for national coordination, I think picking a week nationally but letting locals decide the day makes most sense. And the DNC just doesn’t have…
…the resources to do something this big. Maybe they run a table of the overall participants, but organizing in Repub districts should probably go through the state party. In some places the state party is amazing, other places it’s horrible. And it doesn’t match up w the partisan balance…/5
…of the state; one of the best state parties I worked with was in Kansas, but after a few years that party org was dormant. CA typically has a decent party org, NY is usually awful. So there would have to be some oversight on how the parties do it, & support for the incompetents & the under-…/6
…resourced. But it should go through state parties.
It would also be important for there to be some involvement from the House Dem caucus & the DCCC. And you’d want strong people/organizations running the show so a handful of loons don’t dominate the event & steer things on a stupid direction…/7
The obvious answer is for strong involvement of organized labor.
There are a thousand and one other details that would need to be worked out for any type of nationally coordinated action, but it can be done. And there’s no reason it needs to wait; if a state party wants to dive in & begin…/8
…town halls in Repub districts they should go for it.
However it’s done, whoever leads it, the most important goal is to organize in Republican districts. Dem electeds need to be hearing from & being seen by their constituents. But to get power we need to defeat Repubs & that should be goal #1 /9
Could leading Dems go into districts where Republicans have retreated from doing town halls and say, "If they won't talk to you, we will?" and then offer solutions/alternatives, possibly showcasing potential candidates along the way?
— Steven Goldman (@stevengoldman.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I’m sure there are important details that I’m overlooking, but short answer is yes. And the other day someone—Robert Garcia maybe?—said that he would start doing that.
— Dana Houle (@danahoule.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Views of The U.S. from Around the World
Nukular Biskits
I’m all for this.
In fact, AOC is on record as saying she’ll come to any “red” district.
lowtechcyclist
Sounds like a great idea!
zhena gogolia
We should send it to Chris Murphy. He’s being very energetic.
Suzanne
I love this idea. Obvs feasibility is key.
But, like, the whole assertion that “we need to build a left-wing media ecosystem!” is one of those things like saying “we just need to cure cancer”. If we could do it, or could have done it, we would have done it already. Like, yes, that’s a great idea! Maybe you can succeed where all others have failed! In the meantime….. starting with our actual elected Congresscritters would be far more manageable.
Also, this would likely illustrate immediately why we need more Congressional districts.
bbleh
Would also suggest LOCAL individuals and organizations DEMANDING it from their Reps. Like “where are you?”
Local- and state-level organizations are where it’s at right now. If Congress-critters (with some exceptions) are gonna get out from under their desks, we’re gonna have to INSIST they do so.
Like FDR said, “I agree with you. Now make me do it.” We gotta MAKE them do it.
Baud
@bbleh:
Agree. I think bottom up is the only way we have a chance of success.
mali muso
@bbleh: That’s exactly what Indivisible has been coordinating. Can attest that we had a rally in front of our local Rep’s office (Rethug) last week agitating for a town hall. Some 400 people showed up. Now the rep’s office is closed for walk in visits. Appointments only!
Nukular Biskits
This is something I’ve been pondering (along with protesting in front of local US Senator & Rep offices).
Schedule a town hall meeting and then invite Republican representatives/senators as well as local media to attend.
If GOP rep/senators show up, then constituents get to “share their concerns”
If they don’t show up, it’ll only reinforce how afraid they are of their constituents.
bbleh
@mali muso: have attended THREE Indivisible-organized or -informed rallies in the last month. They get the word out. And they’ve been around a long time. (Personal kudos to the (then-) head of Philly Indivisible, whom I met at a bar long ago.)
mali muso
@bbleh:
Awesome! I think they are on the right path…keep up the pressure locally. I don’t think for one minute that our cowardly rep will ever hold a town hall, but keeping the focus on his refusal to answer to his constituents seems like a good thing.
Chief Oshkosh
@Nukular Biskits: And be sure they have a separate lecturn with their name on it, so when they don’t show, it highlights their absence.
A Ghost to Most
Sounds likely to draw out the local fascists, in red districts.
Joy in FL
Since this is an open thread, I want to share this. I just left a voicemail for my MAGA representative (for a district in Florida). I wrote down what I wanted to say so I wouldn’t get side-tracked while on the phone. The representative’s weekly newsletter referred to SOTU as a “powerful speech.”
This is what I said:
“Mr Trump delivered a message that was filled with hate and fear-mongering. If that’s your idea of power, then it was a powerful speech. I’m sorry to know that you continue to enthusiastically support a person who has no respect for our 250 year old democracy.
To him the limits that the founders put in our constitution are only impediments to his intention to wield all the power. You’re on the side of a man who is attempting to turn our nation into his personal profit center and fiefdom.
Recall that your have sworn most seriously to support and protect the US Constitution. Instead, you are supporting a person who expresses no obligation to governing in a Constitutional manner. I’m sorry that’s your position, and I wish you would remember and live by your oath to the Constitution. You were elected to help people have better, safer lives, and what you are doing now is hurting our nation and your constituents.”
Also, couple weeks ago, I went to a town hall held by this same representative. It was specifically about the budget. It was well-planned and over 200 people were there. However, the take-away for the representative was only what people indicated should be cut in the budget. In the planning of the meeting, there was no place to say why social programs matter and how simply increasing revenue would allow them to be adequately funded. My point is that it would be good to have town halls, but if they are as “well-planned” as the one I attended (and this rep held two other, similar ones in the district), they are vulnerable to appearing only supportive of the hideous and inhumane cuts they want to make. There was a protest outside, consisting of about 10 people, and I was very glad to see that. This rep knows he is in a safe seat, and he feels he doesn’t have to care what people like me and those awesome protestors say or do. But I call (often) because I do not want him or his staff to be able to forget they are not the only voices.
Baud
@A Ghost to Most:
That’s why red state Dems are heroes.
David Collier-Brown
@A Ghost to Most:
Yes. I expect you have a police department. Maybe. Perhaps (:-))
SiubhanDuinne
Terrific idea!
bbleh
@A Ghost to Most: maybe not. Am sure you’ve seen the recent spate of articles about people showing up to red-district “town halls” and yelling at their Congress-critters about the Musk-Trump idiocy, to the point that the Republicans are advising their Congress-critters not to hold town-halls.
Could be very effective! “I’ve shown up, why won’t s/he?”
Baud
Via reddit, on topic.
zhena gogolia
@Joy in FL: Good for you.
lowtechcyclist
Since this is an open thread, I recently got a mailing from Planned Parenthood. On bold red letters on the envelope, it says:
WE WILL NOT WAIVER.
TOGETHER WE STAND STRONG.
The proofreader must’ve had the day off.
Baud
@Joy in FL:
What @zhena gogolia said.
Nukular Biskits
@Chief Oshkosh:
I’ll have to check but, IIRC, it only costs a couple hundred to rent one of the county’s community centers.
Suzanne
@lowtechcyclist: So, back in my advertising days, yours truly was the proofreader (among other things). I got a lot of shit for it from the account managers, who resented the additional cost of my time and protested that they could just use spellcheck….. until the day I returned one of their ads, which was for a home builder selling one of their new home communities, and the ad copy read, “three spacious Spanish armadas for residents to enjoy poolside”.
Just imagine, you think you’re going to chill by the pool, in the shade of the ramada….. but think again….. a whole fleet of warships shows up….
Ohio Mom
Oh, this sounds like fun. I imagine in some ways it will be like being regular at a bar — you’ll chat with the person you ended up siting next to, run into acquaintances, and seeing them every month or two, build something of a friendship.
That was my experience last time around, going to Indivisible meetings and various protests. I think at least some the protests may have been organized by DSA, particularly the one across the street from where Pence was visiting a machine tooling place, touting the tax cuts.
Then there was the big reproductive rights rally downtown, that was sponsored by Planned Parenthood. Every time, I ran into people I’d seen at other events and we’d catch up.
And a town hall sounds more interesting than a rally, where the sound system garbles everything, or a demonstration where chanting makes my throat sore.
Baud
@Suzanne:
Sounds like a job for AI. #DOGE
Urza
Having regular chances other than the 2/4 year cycle to participate in democracy seems like something we should have always had.
Suzanne
I will just note that Gabby Giffords was doing this vitally important work of meeting her constituents — where they were, while doing their weekend shopping — when she was shot. And when I see GOP cowards refusing to face their constituents, I think of how she has more courage in her pinky than they have in their McMansions.
Baud
@Suzanne:
100%
Raoul Paste
This is a much better idea than huge street protests., at least for now.. i’d show up, and hopefully there is press coverage that accurately reflects the mood of the country.
TBone
Bernie email from 4:15pm today:
It goes on to post photos of the crowds at all the events. He’s out there doing his thing, at his age. I’m handing it to him – respect.
Matt McIrvin
@David Collier-Brown: The local fascists ARE the police department.
Matt McIrvin
@Suzanne: Nobody expects the Spanish Armada!
Baud
The Trump recession is fake news.
Joy in FL
@zhena gogolia: Thank you. I think of some of the people who testified in the Jan 6 hearings, people who had been true believers. I don’t know that what I say would change a mind, or creak it open, but that’s one reason it’s worth making these calls.
Joy in FL
@Baud: Thank you : )
Mr. Bemused Senior
You mean ALMADA. [ Erizabeth L ]
TBone
@TBone: 🎶🤘
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aFkcAH-m9W0
Geminid .
@Baud: Trump told Marie Bartiromo that he “wouldn’t rule out” a recession in 2025.
I think that interview aired this morning. That statement– or understatement– seems to be getting a lot of attention.
pluky
“ Namely, in a lot of Republican Congressional districts there’s not much of a Dem party organization. Overcoming that problem would take serious resources, but there’s certainly enthusiasm for this kind of political organizing/action.”
Like what a ‘50 State Strategy’ would provide?
mrmoshpotato
How is Tim Walz going to be able to attend every GOP district where the actual representative is too chickenshit to listen to their constituents? :)
Baud
@Geminid .:
Recession > depression
Matt McIrvin
@Mr. Bemused Senior: Aagh, the premier example of “Okay, sometimes Monty Python didn’t age well”…
TBone
I’m hiring local labor as economic stimulus whenever possible. To do household things I can’t do. I need some types of covert interview questions that will help me choose non-maga people. That’ll be a neat trick where I live…
Mr. Bemused Senior
@Matt McIrvin: ah, yes. It was a simpler time.
Geminid .
@Baud: I don’t think Trump would have said this he hadn’t been told the US is probably going into a recession now.
I guess we’ll know for sure when he starts blaming Joe Biden. Trump’s motto is, “The Buck Stops There.”
Geminid .
People in Mike Lawlers’s NY17 district are stapling pictures of their Republican Congressman to telephone poles. The pictures are captioned, “Missing Congressman.” The posters include details of Lawler’s voting record and a challenge for him to meet his constituents at a town hall.
I saw this posted by Westchester, New York Democrat Tom Watson (guitarwatson.bsky.social).
Nukular Biskits
@Geminid .:
I saw that.
I think that’s a great idea as well.
Baud
@Geminid .:
@Nukular Biskits:
See my # 18
Nukular Biskits
@Baud:
Thank FSM you didn’t ask us to see your #2!!!!!
And, thanks for the reddit link. THAT’S what I’m thinking of doing.
Nukular Biskits
Question:
For the sake of argument, let’s say I set up & schedule a town hall meeting (paying the deposit, etc) along with like-minded folks here on the MS Gulf Coast, invite Rep. Mike Ezell.
The afternoon/evening, whether he shows or not, how do we handle the inevitable MAGAs who will show up?
And, not sure about the particulars yet, but I know renting most of the community facilities can also involve paying for security (usually off-duty cops).
YY_Sima Qian
There needs to be specific actions against specific injustices:
Anonymous At Work
The first few times a Democratic candidate for Congress in 2026 holds a townhall in a purple district, it’ll be on the news and a few others might start. Hell, it’ll be a therapy session for Democrats in some of the worst places in the US to be a Democrat.
And don’t call it a Democratic Townhall or a Townhall for Democrats or anything like that. “Townhall for America” to say anyone can come. Issue invitation to the Congress-critter.
Martin
My republican neighbor just put up a very prominent Ukrainian flag. Curious.
Geminid .
@Nukular Biskits: I hope you don’t put your job at risk doing this. There might not be any MAGATs showing up at the meeting, but you can count on them spreading the organizer’s name on social media, and probrably his employer’s too.
Chief Oshkosh
@Martin: obviously confused. The muskrat thought police will show up soon and help him remember the plot.
Nukular Biskits
@Geminid .:
What I do on my own time is no concern of my employer’s, as long as I’m not using company resources or explicitly identifying myself as an employee of Acme Widgets, Inc., or otherwise implying some kind of endorsement.
TBone
@YY_Sima Qian: thank you for that important news. For those who don’t know (I didn’t either):
https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-15014bcbb921f21a9f704d5acdcae7a8
Geminid .
@YY_Sima Qian: I read that Mahmoud Khalil was the first protester detained under this policy. He won’t be the last.
trollhattan
Guess we had a Tesla thing this weekend.
YY_Sima Qian
@Geminid .: The reactionaries won’t stop at the Gaza protests, either. & they’ll dream about denaturalization under any kind of excuse.
trollhattan
The Dakotas are not sending their best.
CarolPW
@trollhattan:
My sister and niece were there and sent me photos. They will be back if another one is organized.
Geminid .
@YY_Sima Qian: It’s a bad precedent for sure.
This particular set of targets is vulnerable because they are small in number and very unpopular. DHS will get plenty of tips because the protesters are heavily scrutinized and doxxed whenever possible.
I remember seeing a couple people interviewed at a December, 2023 protest in Times Square. A reporter asked a man what he thought Hamas’s October 7 attack. He gave a speech about how inspiring it was. Then they asked the woman next to him the question and she said, “It made me proud.”
Somebody posted her name and employer that night. The next day the Brooklyn Botanical Garden issued a statement saying she no longer worked there.
YY_Sima Qian
@Geminid .: This is definitely a probe w/ bayonets, to test for reaction & to start normalizing the criminalization of speech. If they meet mush, they will keep going. & it will not stop w/ foreign nationals or even naturalized citizens.
AFAIK, Khalil did not advocate anything so radical, militant & vile.
pieceofpeace
Great idea – although unlike the photo, would expect and hope to see modern-day representatives from all walks of life.
I do understand this one is how things were back in those times, as I’m older and lived through them, and it’s beyond satisfying to see the visions and resultant attitudes change to being more inclusive, equitable regardless of race, religion, sex, education, etc. At the least, more people were/are able to have more choice in the lives. And that’s worth fighting and fighting hard for.
Geminid .
@YY_Sima Qian: I don’t know what Mr. Khalil advocated, but I assume he was more circumspect then the two people I described. I happened to see that video the day of the protest, and I remember another protester standing next them listening. He looked really worried, like he knew how his colleagues sounded.
But the fact is, those protests included a lot of people who were very sympathetic to Hamas and their October 7 attack. This included organizers who called many of the early protests “Flood Brooklyn…Flood CUNY…” etc.
Since when did people start naming their antiwar protests after floods?
Since Hamas named the biggest massacre of Jews since the Second World War: “Al Aqsa Flood.”
What kind of protest leaders would give their protests such a repugnant name? The kind who had no interest in building a broad coalition, but instead prided themselves on their isolation and victimhood. I don’t think these people could have been worse allies to the Palestinians if they had tried.
YY_Sima Qian
@Geminid .: Pretty sure that is why the reactionaries chose to probe here w/ their bayonet, in hope that it will not precipitate a strong response.
However, plenty of vile things have being said by plenty of people advocating plenty of vile causes, including supporters of the Israeli far right & its crimes in Gaza & the WB. That latter are not threatened w/ their visas or green cards being revoked. At least for now, anyway. Once the Herrenvolk reactionaries in power are done w/ all of the “Others”, they will turn toward Jews, & Israel.
tam1MI
They are definitely in the “Find Out” phase of their Fucking Around, that’s for sure.
YY_Sima Qian
@tam1MI: Seriously? That‘s your focus when the reactionaries are going to criminalize speech & protest under the non-existent veil of “anti-terrorism”? Assuming far right vigilantes do not take matters into their own hands 1st?
Derrick Evans is a former delegate to the WV House & a Jan. 6 rioter, arrested, convicted, & pardoned by Trump.
YY_Sima Qian
@YY_Sima Qian: & here is the supposedly non-partisan DOD apparently responding to the DNC video of “choose your fighter” (see video through the link):
Not a single minority soldier in the entire video, which otherwise could have been an anodyne recruitment ad.
Not a single part of the Pentagon’s massive bureaucracy was able to waylay this asinine BS?