The Trump/Musk administration has been in power for a mere two months, and during that time we’ve been treated to a firehose of destruction and illegality. Two months isn’t much time for people to begin recognizing the threats to their lives, their finances and their wellbeing posed by these insane incursions. Most people have busy daily lives–family to care for, jobs to do, obligations to meet….the would-be autocrats wreaking havoc with our lives have undoubtedly been counting on those distractions to delay resistance to their wrecking ball.
Meanwhile, the GOP cowards in Congress who have obediently bent the knee to those autocrats have decided to avoid face-to-face confrontations with We the People who elected them. However, as awareness and resistance have gained momentum, local organizations have decided to hold Town Halls anyway.
Hoosiers4Democracy and Central Indiana Indivisible will each hold an “empty chair” Town Hall at Broadway Methodist Church during the Congressional Recess.
Indivisible of Central Indiana has tried for the past few weeks to obtain an agreement from Senator Young to attend a Town Hall– without success. Accordingly, that organization will hold an “Empty Chair” Town Hall on Wednesday, March 19th, at Broadway United Methodist Church. Hoosiers will be able to address an empty chair (an emptiness that will signify not only Senator Young’s unwillingness to face his constituents, but the appalling emptiness/non-existence of his backbone in the face of Trump’s assaults on constitutional governance.) That event will also feature brief introductory presentations on the dire consequences of various elements of the Trump/Musk assault. (Yours truly will address the constitutional issues–others will explain assaults on Medicaid, etc.)
The Indivisible Town Hall will be held from 6:00 to 8:00, and registration will be required (they anticipate a large turnout, and while the sanctuary is spacious, space is still limited). You can access the Mobilize link here to register.
Hoosiers 4 Democracy will sponsor the second of those events. Here is the information provided by H4D:
Congress will be in recess from March 15-23, when representatives typically return home to engage with constituents. However, despite our repeated efforts, we have not received confirmation of any town halls hosted by Senators Jim Banks or Todd Young. There is a possibility that Representative Victoria Spartz will hold an event in Muncie, but that has not been confirmed.
Meanwhile, the Braun administration has aligned itself with the Trump/Vance/Musk agenda, further jeopardizing our democracy. Now, more than ever, people must have a space to connect, share their experiences, and send a clear message to our leaders: their actions and policies are harming our lives and livelihoods.
To ensure our voices are heard, we are hosting a People’s Town Hall—a space for community members to come together, share their stories and concerns, and collectively demand accountability from our state and national representatives.
Date: Saturday, March 22
Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Location: Broadway United Methodist Church, 609 E. 29th Street, Indianapolis.
If any of you reading this wants flyers to promote the event, you can access them here.
Kudos to Broadway United Methodist Church for demonstrating that there are actual Christians–not just White Christian Nationalists– in Indiana. I hope those of you reading this will attend one or both of these events. I certainly intend to participate in both.
I know that this blog is an example of “preaching to the choir,” but sometimes, the choir needs to be reminded to sing…
Democratic lawmakers in a few states have announced People Town Halls, open for all who want to participate. This is the smartest idea the Democratic party has come up with over the past 18 months or so…and it is only a FEW Democratic lawmakers in a FEW states.
“I know that this blog is an example of “preaching to the choir,” but sometimes, the choir needs to be reminded to sing…”
Let’s begin with “Lift Every Voice And Sing…”
Thanks for sharing this info with us, but I take issue with you referring to the Young and Banks as our “leaders”. They do not deserve to be referred to as leaders.
Yes. But will the growing resistance be enough, soon enough to rid ourselves of the cancer in the White House? Rule of law? Pfft! The “speech” at the DOJ yesterday was beyond nauseating. And who the hell is Pam Bondi? How do law schools graduate such idiots?
Next Friday, March 21, Bernie Sanders and Alexandra Ocasio Cortez will visit Denver in front of the state capitol to deliver an anti-oligarch speech. Todd, you should come visit. I’ll buy you dinner. Gates open at the downtown outdoor plaza at 4:00 MDT. Denver county is over 80% blue, so I expect a crowd of over 20,000. Not just another Friday night in Denver.
From several posts I’ve seen, Spartz is indeed holding two town halls: March 28th, 6pm-8pm at Westfield City Hall & March 29th, 11am-1pm at Muncie City Hall. The Westfield location apparently holds only 100 people; those going are anticipating a *large* crowd outside. No idea the capacity in Muncie. The more the merrier. Let’s see if she shows up…
Vern
C and Bernie 
that should be fun – maybe you can get SCAMala to come and mix some word salad she learned from her law school! She can bring Doritos.
A
Enjoy the tantrum
Poly Sci teaches that humans are ideologically conservative but operationally liberal.
I guess Trump must have missed that point in his exhaustive preparation to rule the formerly united States of the middle part of North America.
https://www.econlib.org/inside-democrats-outside-republicans/
Gail, thanks for your overt display of your 60 IQ. You couldn’t carry the briefcases of the two speakers. In fact, why don’t you apply for a custodial job in Pam Bondi’s DOJ. You’ll feel right at home sweeping up B.S.
Gail- thank you for taking advantage of the USA First Amendment. Your evident glee in name calling in front of millions of your fellow citizens and fellow humans may potentially capture the intelligent attention of other Americans who may share constructive thoughts. I am sure you are not holding your breath. I suspect even one constructive idea would make you very nervous.
Nonetheless, I would be happy to hear a serious constructive thought from you, something to lend us courage to act with kindness and energy to meet this fraught national moment and rise, together, to overcome. Sadly for me and many, many others, there is no breath-holding here.
Please stay safe! You’re so important and your observations keep us on track.
Sheila, will there be a live video recording of the empty town hall? If Todd Young did show up, it would still be an empty town hall. There is no way that putz served in the Marines!!
Pam Bondi should have been disbarred in Florida for her corrupt actions, but since she supported Trump, DeSantis gave her a hall pass.
Spartz held a town hall here in Muncie several weeks ago, but she didn’t show up. Instead, one of her latest hires took notes. Victoria is such a bitch that she burns through employees rather quickly. She has the highest turnover of any congressperson.
In case you didn’t see the reports, Mike Johnson told the Republican representatives not to attend town halls because Soros and Democratic donors are “hiring paid protesters to show up and harass Republicans” across the country. LOL
All those fired federal employees in Alaska who showed up and nailed their freshman congressman were paid to protest and ask tough questions, like, “Will you publicly condemn our firing?” The Alaska rep refused to condemn their firing. He’ll be a one-term congressman.
The media can’t shine up these turds either because there are videos everywhere capturing them impromptu without the protection of Fox News or the like. MAGAs are incredibly ignorant people who elect people just like them. They don’t like people who sound smart – it makes them feel inferior.
Vern, my only concern about Bernie and AOC is they have a history of trying to capture leftist movements and move them under the Democratic Party umbrella and then kill them. Obama tried doing that with Occupy Wall Street but they told him to flip sand. He then used the banking and surveillance industry to shut them down. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”
If the Ds cannot find populists that go against their donors, they’ll not win another election despite the horribleness of MAGAs. Schumer’s performative antics are embarrassing. Same with Nancy Pelosi. Their ability to put on a show for the cameras wanes as they age. Watch some of the Dianne Feinstein videos before they had her retire. The red pill, blue pill scam is ending. The ignorant MAGATs think Trump/Musk are outsiders. Most liberals aren’t that stupid so it will require a real outsider and not an actor playing one.
These events won’t be tantrums – those are officially MAGA property. These will be frustrated registered voters and taxpayers seeking explanations from elected officials who swore an oath to protect and defend the US Constitution about their failure to honor their oath of office. Or possibly explain why that oath has become an empty, symbolic-only exercise in misleading the voting public at large to believe that they really honor the Constitutional principles more than they fear displeasing MAGA.
If all goes well, Young and Banks may finally have to acknowledge the growing discontent with the Trump criminal empire. But, will either have the balls to do anything about it? I doubt it, but we can hope.
I’m waiting to see if my Representative will hold a town hall.. Since he’s now been anointed the next governor of Florida, he might feel he doesn’t need to. He’s done them in the past, knowing that the Magats would be there to lift him up.
If he holds one now I will be there to speak up,with my grey hair and my walker. Let’s see what the Magats will do.
Off topic, I’m guessing most of you either watched, or at least watched coverage of, the address at DoJ. It just might be the scariest speech ever given by a President. It’s clear that revenge is a dish that he wants so much, he’ll take it hot or cold, lawful or not, constitutional or not.
Why is a South African/Canadian immigrant, unwanted in South Africa and Canada, be appointed to run our government? What will it take to wake up the sitting lawmakers in this administration, who are in the majority over MAGAs, get off their asses and uphold democracy and the laws of this nation? Their constituents have spoken and they acted on that by ending their ability to be heard.
Johnson told reps that Soros is “hiring” anyone? Soros, who is quite dead? Cool!!
That Braun’s administration is siding with the dirtbags is no surprise.
Sock it to them, Sheila!!!!!!
JoAnn,
Ronald Reagan fast-tracked Rupert Murdoch’s citizenship and we got Fox News as our reward. It’s what Republicans do.
I attended the veteran’s protest rally down at the Indiana Statehouse yesterday. There were about 40-50 people there. They are having another rally from 12- 2 today at the Statehouse.
“We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
The above paragraph is the Preamble to the Constitution that regulates our Government! Note that there are six pillars of this Constitution:
1. to form a more perfect Union
2. to establish Justice
3. to insure domestic Tranquility
4. to provide for the common defence
5. to promote the general Welfare
6. to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity
These pillars are expressed in the most generic and inclusive language possible. They do not say for white people only, or for black people only, or for red, brown, or yellow. This is important because it provides for future growth based on the Arc of History.
Establish Justice is inclusive; i.e. for ALL.
Provide for the general Welfare is equally inclusive; i.e. for ALL. It means that an individual who is born physically or mentally handicapped is not to thrown on the scrap heap of society. It particularly means that someone who is injured working or defending the Country is not to be thrown on the scrap heap of society. Au contraire, society has an obligation to provide for the least of these. It is the Christian commandment that “even as you do to the least of these, so you do unto me.” IT IS THE CLOSEST THAT WE COME TO A CONSTITUTIONAL STATEMENT THAT WE ARE A CHRISTIAN NATION.
I could go on, but I think that most of the readers of this blog understand that I am calling out the present Administration for violating all of the sacred pillars of the Constitution that they took an Oath to Protect! Shame on them!! And shame on all of us who gave them a second chance to wreck their havoc.
Why would anyone actually believe that these acolytes will subject themselves to those that elected them. And why is that? Because, why would anyone believe any laws or regulations would be followed starting with the midterms. He let the cat out of the bag when he told his religious backers that they wouldn’t have to worry about voting again. Well, like was mentioned before, they tell on themselves. But it seems like people are not listening. So who’s fault is it?
In Germany, this exact thing happened. No accountability was levied against those that allowed Chancellor Hitler to put into motion what became a horror and a hot bed of finger pointing because everyone turned a blind eye.
Don’t expect midterms, don’t expect any resemblance to law. It’s going to take much more than registering. Because if the boss man declares a national emergency, everything is canceled. And, if he doesn’t like what the supreme Court says, he can wrap that up and put a bow on it as he’s burying it in the ground. Military tribunals will take the place of habeas corpus. You will have to show your documentation to do anything. You will have to show who you support, and if they have their way, if they don’t like it, basically who you support, you can be deported somewhere else. Because you won’t have birthright citizenship. The problem with that, is that whatever you have here, whatever you own, is going to be confiscated by the state, and, you won’t have a pot to pee in, as they usher you on a one-way trip somewhere else. If they can get rid of social security, they figure people will be so cowed down, they won’t have to worry about them. They’ll be looking for food, shelter, medical care, and, forget education, slaves don’t need that!
I would suggest everyone starts thinking about the direction they are going to go when the crap really sprays out of that fan. Everyone seems to believe they can vote these people out, that ship has sailed with Biden. He should have declared a national emergency himself, and all of this could have been prevented. And yet, here we are! So that goes to show, they don’t have a clue. They’ve got blocks of concrete in the place of a brain. And now, they’re just acting in some Kabuki play because they don’t have one iota of thought to try and prevent what’s happening or what has happened. You can’t attempt change when you’re dumber than a bag of hammers. And there you go!
Sorry Mitch, George Soros is still alive and is now being blamed by Alex Jones for the murder of an Infowars reporter outside his home in Texas. I’m not sure any liberals care about Alex Jones’ dying media enterprise to commit murder. LOL
Alex Soros is also alive and well, with billions of dollars donated to Open Society by his father. He is now the “Soros bogeyman.” Glenn Beck has harped on Soros for so long, he believes his lies. Too bad he ignores all the bogeymen donating to right-wing causes. Alex and Glenn make millions off right-wing lunatics.
Mitch D,
Soros is 94, but he’s not dead yet. As billionaires go, he barely qualifies at only $7.2 billion.
Of course they blame Soros – that’s “Jew money”, as in “International Communist, Bankers, Capitalist Conspiracy” money, which is bad, in contrast to Musk money, which is White Racist money and is good.
I hope that some Democratic Senators get an earful at their town halls as well. They chose to spare the pain of amputating a finger and let the poison continue to slowly kill the body.
Sadly, a painful shutdown would have been felt by enough Republicans to make a difference. Instead, Democrats prevented severe pain, thus allowing the Musk/Trump steamroller to continue to destroy our economy, national character, and constitution. The shutdown would not have lasted for months, as Schumer said, but I cannot be certain about the duration of our democracy.
I only hope that the tipping point has been reached and the tide is slowly turning.
Good Luck Professor. I look forward to watching the stream. Thanks!