Republicans Dismiss Backlash Over House Budget Vote

WASHINGTON -- As Congressional recess draws to a close, Republican lawmakers who supported Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) budget plan continue to face harsh criticism from voters at town hall meetings in their districts.

Ryan's plan would lower tax rates for corporations and the wealthy while replacing Medicare with private-insurance subsidies for those under 55. It would cut an estimated $6.2 trillion from federal spending over 10 years

Speaking in his home state of Pennsylvania last week, freshman Rep. Lou Barletta (R) was rebuked by 64-year-old Linda Christman who demanded to know why he supported a plan to "destroy Medicare.”

Barletta's troubles continued on Wednesday when, at a town hall meeting in Columbia County, a constituent had to be escorted out of the room by police after calling Barletta “a lying son of a bitch” for supporting Ryan's budget plan.

WATCH:

Barletta isn’t the only lawmaker who faced anger at home in the wake of voting in favor of Ryan's plan. On Wednesday, upon arriving to give a presentation on the proposed budget, freshman Rep. Sandy Adams (R-Fla.) was met by a line of angry protesters, while freshman Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) faced a similarly critical audience at his town hall debate in Brooklyn. At an event hosted by Freshman Rep. Allen West in Florida, meanwhile, sign-toting protesters were forced to leave the premises -- marking the second night in a row the congressman faced heat from constituents at a town hall.

West held his ground on voting to change entitlement programs, telling the West Palm Beach News, "If you support Medicare the way it is now, then kiss the United States of America goodbye." He also cited abundant media presence as evidence that his critics were Democratic plants.

Other GOP lawmakers have dismissed the backlash as a staged assault by liberal advocacy group Moveon.org, which, Barletta spokesman Shawn Kelly has charged, emailed its list of supporters asking them to "disrupt" the lawmakers' meetings.

Justin Ruben, executive director of Moveon.org, said members did circulate notices about planned town hall meetings to alert local supporters. But, he added, Republicans "ignore the backlash at their peril."

“Go ahead and minimize it. Ignore it. Pretend it’s a few people," he told Time magazine's Alex Altman. "What the Republicans are trying to do is so out of whack with the priorities of the American people."

Comments

[demandhonesty]

07:10 AM on 05/18/2011

They can try to dismiss the protests if they wish. Just, let's remember them when the next election rolls around. Put them on the street.

[Richard Lee Morris]

11:48 PM on 05/17/2011

Those republican patriots know they can do this destructive stuff with impunity, because they have the backing of China and Walmart. China will buy the next election with the help of Walmart, a corporate sponsor for republican patriots of corporatism.

[TheOneIndependent]

03:56 PM on 05/17/2011

Sick'em.. Americans have had enough of their lies. Even staunch republicans have had to re-evaluate their parties lies and repeated stabs in the back. It really kills me now because they aren't even being as slick as normal they have admitted that this was their plan all along. Now they dismiss the protest as staged, well guess what GOP, 2012 could not come sooner.

[1088]

12:15 PM on 05/01/2011

West is a dangerous man, and will do what is takes to take you out! Just ask one of the people who dare to ask him a question, that wasn't on one of his 3x5 card.

[AG creative]

09:50 PM on 05/15/2011

Yeah he's a henchman that belongs in a SS uniform. He's in the wrong country, he belongs in the ministry of China - or in Russia's Parliament.

[Samiiam]

02:45 AM on 05/01/2011

It amazes me that the GOP is able to find so many self hating African Americans like West and Clarence Thomas.

[AG creative]

09:51 PM on 05/15/2011

Think of it this way, there's no competition.

[Oonagh]

01:41 PM on 04/30/2011

Where are the jobs? All that we see is the rich getting more and the talk of more being taken from the middle class.......

[Smaiyna]

11:40 AM on 04/30/2011

A case of buyers remorse. Remember they came in power with the talk and promise to create jobs, jobs, jobs..Thus far NONE!..What a shame.

[Stephen Trusas]

09:46 PM on 05/18/2011

The Republicans, especially Eric Cantor who doesn't even know simple Constitutional Facts and his ignoramus buddy of his, Paul Ryan and his feeble minded way to abolish or severely cut Medicare and Social Security for those who have served this Country as hard working & well respected Citizens. The problem is not that we as individuals haven't given all of ourselves and then some, the problem is that we've been sold off to the Chinese all these past decades to fund PORK for Members of Congress. Why can't they pony up to the table and pledge to refuse campaign contributions from Lobbyists and Big Oil? Why don't they penalize businesses such as Walmart and the Financial Institutions who outsource to India? And those who buy Cheap Cheap Cheap from China? Governor Schumaker of NY had proposed a .50 Cent Surcharge on all those annoying calls you get beginning at 8:00 AM from Call Centers demanding to know when you mailed the Amount Due on your Credit Card. Great Idea!. Hit them in the pocketbook. Seriously, think about joining a Credit Union if you aren't now a member. And advise your Family & Friends to do the same. They are HONEST, and you are Part Owner as an Account Holder. Let's give Bank of America, Citicorp & Wells Fargo and JP Chase Morgan something to fuss over. The loss of Customers. Quit shopping at Walmart! Don't you realize that the every time you shop there you contribute to the problem?

[nypapajoe]

11:21 AM on 04/30/2011

The Republicans prefer to cut Medicare/Medicaid in favor of further tax cuts for the Ultra Rich and Billion Dollar profit making Corporations? There's has to be huge bundles of money pouring into the Republican coffers! Why else would these lobbyist of the Rich commit such a brazen act against the people?

[Joseph Hemphill]

07:42 PM on 05/17/2011

you hit it right on the head, people need to wake up, the republicans are not our friends unless you make at least a million a year.

[GwenWare]

10:06 AM on 04/30/2011

Tea baggers are so gullible. Just because you can soap up people like Alan West and Florida's governor Scott and put them in $500 suits doesn't make their truthful, thoughtful, ready for prime time or likely to vote in your best economic self-interests. Wake up sheep, you actually have to read and do a bit of research yourself abut people who ask for your vote. A smart tea party (oxymoron) person receiving SSI, Disability, Medicare, education grants, etc. doesn't let their personal racism stand in the way of voting for their best economic self interests.

[KaAp]

09:54 AM on 04/30/2011

Allen West is a disgrace to the Congress, much as he disgraced his uniform (which is why he was forced to resign his commission). He is unhinged and unstable, and frankly really dangerous.

[GwenWare]

10:12 AM on 04/30/2011

Scaey but true. Ask peeople in the military what they REALLY think about Allen West - the responses might make Tea Baggers change their Depends.

[KaAp]

10:16 AM on 04/30/2011

I have! And, they are as appalled as I am. But, of course every time I mention something about west some ex-military guy (or faux ex-military chickenhawk) blasts me. They do not realize what he did and how serious his offenses were.

[GaryNMaine]

10:37 AM on 04/30/2011

He has the fascist gene.

[iyamchazz]

08:24 AM on 04/30/2011

Allen West, has anyone questioned his credentials?
He who says he has a higher security clearance than the President,
ought to at least provide the evidence.

[912er]

09:35 AM on 04/30/2011

Racist!!!

[KaAp]

09:47 AM on 04/30/2011

He says a lot of things. He is a disgraced officer who was forced to resign and pay a fine or face court martial. He has no evidence although he has a new buddy: "Mark Foley."

[nixrox04]

07:47 AM on 04/30/2011

The GOTP is an empty shell.

[supergenius02]

12:36 AM on 04/30/2011

Is it too much to ask for honest reporting from the liberal media? I guess once again I will have to provide actual facts here. Here was what today's USA Today/Gallup poll revealed about which party the American people preferred on the deficit:

"The federal budget was the only issue in which respondents clearly preferred one party over the other, with 48 percent favoring Republicans and 36 percent Democrats."
Cite: http://www.cnbc.com/id/42821086

Nuff said. Can the liberal media please stop distorting the truth? Too much to ask?

[bygollymissmolly]

12:53 AM on 04/30/2011

You call a Gallup poll "honest reporting". What a hoot.

[msbeal]

02:04 AM on 04/30/2011

If people want to do away with Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, drum up a couple more useless wars and usher in another Great Depression then they should definitely vote Republican.

Their platform is crystal clear and WE'VE ALL BEEN WARNED.

[sycodon]

12:13 AM on 04/30/2011

So...what...more unemployed ex- Air America radio hosts are going to show up and act like jack asses?

[KaAp]

09:48 AM on 04/30/2011

She works for WINZ and she lives IN THE DISTRICT. He is supposed to represent her!

[haskell]

09:48 PM on 04/29/2011

Whoops. My bad. The quotation I posted earlier is not by Abraham Lincoln:
The quotes were published in 1942 by William J. H. Boetcker, a Presbyterian minister. He released a pamphlet titled Lincoln On Limitations, which did include a Lincoln quote, but also added 10 statements written by Boetcker himself.

They were:

1. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
2. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong
3. You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
4. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
5. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.
6. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
7. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
8. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
9. You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
10 You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.

People who got the pamphlet thought the 10 statements were written by Lincoln and they have been distributed widely under Lincoln's name.
Sorry, I apologize.

[GwenWare]

09:54 AM on 04/30/2011

Number 3 is a farce. You CAN help the poor man by destroying the rich when the rich builds his wealth on the backs of poor men rather than by offering a better idea.