Wade Fulmer
\nColumbia, SC<\/p>\n
On April 16, the 7:30 a.m. morning television news announced that there would be a \u201ctown hall meeting\u201d … \u201copen to the public\u201d with SC\u2019s congressional delegation at 4 p.m. The town hall meeting was to be a part of the day\u2019s programming of the S.C. Chamber of Commerce, the town hall meeting at 4 p.m., a part of \u201cWashington night\u201d, all to be held at the Columbia downtown Marriott. I phoned the Marriott which confirmed and read to me a schedule of the day\u2019s activities.<\/p>\n
Having experienced some of SC\u2019s individual politicians\u2019 past town hall meetings, it seemed beyond belief that the whole of the members of S.C.\u2019s congressional delegation would ever expose themselves together \u201cto the public\u201d, to the people, at any time.<\/p>\n
People, citizens, constituents, the congressional delegation \u201ctown hall meeting…\u201d was NOT \u201copen to the public\u201d.<\/p>\n
When we arrived, we walked down the corridor to where the business, corporate, and lobbyist games crowd attendees were mingling with members of the delegation before the 4 p.m. hour. I, and friend, Bill Kreml, were stopped at an entrance table and were directed to another table to \u201cregister\u201d for the town hall meeting. There, we were asked if we were members of the chamber? I said, no, we were there for the town hall meeting. <\/p>\n
The political elitists\u2019 bomb was then droned on our ears that each would have to pay $125 to attend. I reminded the staff person that the town hall meeting was \u201copen to the public\u201d, that we were SC constituents and veterans and that we should be allowed to attend the \u201copen to the public\u201d town hall meeting. She persisted and I asked to speak with someone in charge. She crossed over to quietly talk with another staff. That staff then joined her to repeat that we each would have to pay $125 to attend. <\/p>\n
I then asked for the name of the chamber\u2019s president, that I would mention him in my report to media about their \u201copen to the public\u201d town hall meeting, but now, NOT open. She hesitated. I waited. She then gave me the name of the chamber\u2019s president and CEO Otis Rawl, (803-255-2585). I assured her I would report their denial of our attendance. It was later reported that only Republican delegation members attended, and that three delegation members, Gowdy, Clyburn and Scott did not attend.<\/p>\n
The \u201ctown hall meeting\u201d … \u201copen to the public\u201d was NOT open to the public, but excluded the public for lack of paying what could be called a constituent charge of $125. The town hall meeting was a sham, a PR work of exclusion of the public, of the people. This sham and citizen exclusion seems no more than another example of plutocracy, corporate and elitist hypocrisy, of cover charge and denial of congressional delegation by non-transparency workings for special interests, and of the continuing politics of money and status quo non-representation in lieu of representation for the people.<\/p>\n
We the people must not and shall not be silent. Money in politics, congressional and legislatures, must no longer be tolerated. Profiteering elitist moneychangers of non-representation and shame shall be held accountable. 2014, the people, we the constituents, workers, families, military, veterans, jobless, and seniors will vote out incumbents of Washington and states whom prey on dollars and power paid for by the taxpaying public, while avoided by non-taxpaying corporates and wealthy tax dodgers. <\/p>\n
Cowardly members of congress and legislatures, of greed and arrogance shall be booted out. Non-representatives, sell out office holders, corporate cronies of economic and wars mayhem do not and will not ever represent the people, humanity, or nation. Slam out the shams. The town hall meetings will be \u201copen to the public\u201d, of, by, and for the people, 2014.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Wade Fulmer Columbia, SC On April 16, the 7:30 a.m. morning television news announced that there would be a \u201ctown hall meeting\u201d … \u201copen to the public\u201d with SC\u2019s congressional delegation at 4 p.m. The town hall meeting was to … Continue reading