18h ago

Protesters removed from GOP Rep. Byron Donalds' chaotic town hall

www.cbsnews.com

A town hall hosted by Rep. Byron Donalds turned chaotic Tuesday, with audience members repeatedly interrupting the Florida Republican, leading authorities to remove two people — the latest raucous town hall dominated by protests against President Trump's administration.

Donalds, a three-term congressman running in next year's Florida gubernatorial race, was asked a litany of often-testy questions, several of which focused on billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Audience members booed or cheered — and, in some cases, angrily left early — throughout the almost two-hour event at Estero High School in southwest Florida. Donalds occasionally verbally sparred with the protesters.

https://archive.ph/C2g84

19 comments

Nothing says free speech absolutists like having to put your constituents in a chokehold during a public forum.
I don't know about you guys but every leadership position I've had, I've always invoked wrestling moves to subdue dissent instead of listening to those I was supposed to serve.
I can't wait to hear this guy hawking boner pills on Infowars in a few years.
- This is why I'm advocating for my company to end its work from home policy. Muting someone in my team who is arguing with me just doesn't have the same gravitas as choking them out.
- Hilarious comment and beautiful sarcasm - thank you so much for sharing! I'm dying, LOL

My cousins were at a similar town hall in Florida. Maybe this one. It’s a deep red county and tons of people showed up. From reports from my family, most of the people there were Republican and very very angry. Like the loudest by far were Republican and they were just furious at the absolute chaos this Admin is engaging in.
So, for what it’s worth, that’s our small personal story.
Will it lead to representation? Maybe. Probably not. But it’s not nothing. And it sure ain’t praise.
At least the people who voted for this guy are angry and showing up. It’s absolutely not just “liberals.” I think we might see this more.
People have a right to be heard by their politicians.
- "People have a right to be heard by their politicians."
  This was a right that the people in the US fought for. Over the last 100 years or so, the mechanisms of government post FDR, have so thoroughly been absorbed by money and lobbying and lobbying money adding in new laws to pry the door of wealthy influence ever more open and close the door of democratic representation ever a smaller crack ajar.
  What this means, practically, is that there are now several generations, indeed, entire careers for many of the disgusting nearly life-appointment "representatives"(see lobbying and money influence above) who do not even know that the people they represent don't fly to DC in jets and visit them in suits to request legislation. After all, that is who has money, or who represents those with money, who drive campaigns, careers and power and influence. Constituents, largely no longer do.
  Town halls? Dialogue? Not necessary when the playbook was written 50 or 90 years ago.
  This does need to change and I'd guess much more likely than reversion to democracy, a full Pride Rock 🪨🦁 style recapture is what it will take to shake up the horror show.
- They'll still fucking vote R.
  These people will allow them to murder their own family before voting for someone with a "D" next to their name.
  
  Yeah very likely. But the parties have changed spirit without changing name a few times over. Something will break. Change is inevitable. Might not be humanistic change. We can do what we can in our own ways to protect and guard humanism and decency in our immediate communities. It’s probably not enough. But nothing can last forever, even this darkness. So, we can become part of their inevitable failure. Even if it is only a small part.
  There are occasions when it pays better to fight and be beaten than not to fight at all.

GOPers are still doing town halls? I thought they were told to stop doing them.
- If he is running for Governor, he probably has different motivations for having them versus other Republican members of Congress.

i'm just here sending hopes and prayers from canada. i don't know if they're the kind of prayers you're looking for, but i'm sure God'll sort it all out in the End.
- Before anyone is a jerk to you, thank you. Every bit of support is important, especially moral support. Kindness helps more than most know
- Just keep that dumb fuck poilievre from taking the PM seat. That's the biggest thing Canada can do for us.
- but i'm sure God'll sort it all out in the End.
  Like he did for the Canaanites!

These politicians were elected by us. They don't have the right to have their employees ( supposed to be "employers". All hail the earth shattering stupidity of my stupid autocorrect) removed because we're pissed at their job performance.
Drag em out and throw em in jail
- Employers*?
  
  They are supposed to work for citizens, although too many don't do that.
  
  Yep! Stupid phone

If this was an effective protest they would've ensured that the politician left in a bag

19 comments