Republicans are having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
Instead of creating good-paying jobs and protecting our national security, Republicans spent the past week working to take away health care from millions of Americans, threatening national security by continuing to support an unconstitutional ban on Muslims and refugees, and emboldening Wall Street at the expense of the working class. Democrats and the public will continue to speak out against Republicans' anti-worker, Make America Sick Again agenda.
POLITICO: Republicans face anger over Obamacare repeal during town halls
Two Republican lawmakers representing reliably conservative districts on opposite ends of the country on Saturday faced down heated questions from Obamacare supporters, demanding that Congress preserve the program.
Fervent backers of the health care law shouted down Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) during a town hall meeting, blasting his views on the Obamacare repeal and President Donald Trump's immigration ban. Hundreds of demonstrators showed up — some as early as 6:30 a.m. — to a theater in downtown Roseville, just northeast of Sacramento.
…
In Pinellas County, Fla., Gus Bilirakis, who represents a district Trump won, was on the defensive as voters packed a town hall on Obamacare. For more than two hours, Bilirakis listened to stories from his constituents — young, old, black and white — who implored him to not repeal the federal health care law without having a replacement ready.
…
Amanda Barnes, a 28-year-old resident of Auburn, Calif., told McClintock she considered it an "act of God" a few years ago that she was able to get on her mother's health insurance five months before she was hit by a car, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. Barnes said she was covered by the Obamacare provision allowing young adults to stay on their parents' insurance until age 26.
"If I had not had my mother's insurance to cover my health care costs, I would have been over half million in debt just in the first three days," she said, asking how McClintock would protect her health.
Chicago Tribune: Protesters gather outside GOP meeting attended by Roskam
More than 300 people describing themselves as concerned citizens of the 6th District of Illinois demonstrated outside the Palatine Township Republican Organization office early Saturday morning while U.S. Rep. Peter J. Roskam spoke at a meeting inside.
The meeting, originally advertised as "free and open to the public," was changed to a "members only" gathering on Feb. 1. Action 6th District organizers said they speculate the meeting was closed because Roskam learned they wanted to speak with him.
…
The closed door meeting comes just four days after Roskam's staff in his West Chicago district office abruptly canceled a meeting with16 constituents who had arranged to meet with them about their concerns over a repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
NBC Chicago: Hundreds Protest Rep. Peter Roskam in Suburban Palatine
"His time is reserved for donors and corporate interests," said Carolynne Funk, one of the protest organizers, adding that Saturday's demonstration was to express concerns that Roskam is "not listening or engaging with his constituents."
"We can no longer accept that he refuses to hold town hall meetings or meet with constituents who may disagree with his voting record," Funk said. "The stakes are now too high to tolerate being shut out of the democratic process any longer."
Videos posted on social media showed protesters chanting things like "Talk to us" and "Hey Peter, we vote," as well as "Shame on you" as Roskam appeared to leave the meeting.
Sacramento Bee: McClintock exits with police escort following raucous town hall meeting in Roseville
Facing a packed auditorium and raucous crowd, Republican Congressman Tom McClintock on Saturday defended his party's national agenda and voiced strong support for President Donald Trump's disputed executive actions to scale back Obamacare, ban refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries and build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
"Vote him out," hundreds of demonstrators chanted outside the Tower Theatre in downtown Roseville, the Republican-heavy population center of McClintock's sprawling congressional district.
…
McClintock quickly left the theater with police escort at about 11 a.m., wading through a thick crowd of protesters who followed him shouting, "This is what Democracy looks like."