Cowardly Dems Hold 'Stealth Care' Meetings

It hasn't been a good week for Congressional Democrats. Wherever they go, "angry mobs" of little old ladies and "mobsters in Brooks Brothers suits" pop up to ask inconvenient questions of them at town hall meetings, questions such as "why haven't you read the bill you're voting for?"

Democracy can be messy, folks, which is probably why most Democrats seem to prefer socialism, where opposition can simply be silenced and crushed.

So it should come as no surprise now that these fearless leaders ready to herd you into a government boondoggle beyond our wildest nightmares have sunk so low as to hold their "town hall meetings" in private and in some cases with no advance notice.

How's that for change, suckers?

New York lawmakers are taking extraordinary steps to make sure their "town hall" meetings on health care don't become angry shouting matches or embarrassing clips on YouTube -- in some cases turning events into private, invitation-only affairs.

A handful of Democratic members of Congress across the country, including Rep. Tim Bishop of Long Island, have gotten booed and shouted down by crowds at meetings with their constituents, in what some charge is a coordinated nationwide effort by opponents.

But several area lawmakers are taking steps to minimize the chance that health-care critics will be able to protest.

* Rep. Steve Israel (D-LI) held a health-care "roundtable" Thursday night, but made the event "invitation only."

An Israel staffer who had been asked in advance about any planned town-hall meetings didn't respond to a Post inquiry until after the event was over.

* Rep. Scott Murphy of the Albany area didn't send out a release about a Tuesday health meeting until the next day, after the event was over.

The release described the event as a "small business roundtable" with business leaders.

The event wasn't included in the public schedule Murphy's office put out in advance.

So here we are in New York, an overwhelmingly blue state, and Democrats are too afraid to even hold public meetings. Do they not stop for even a second and ask why their constituents might not want to be forced into a government-run operation that they themselves aren't fully clear about?

But no, they have their marching orders from Queen Pelosi and King Obama and damn the people who elected them.

This is not the democratic process. Indeed, it's mob rule, the mob reigns from Washington and you peasants better just get out of the way and shut up.

These Democrats who don't want to bother meeting the people who elected them may not have such concerns any longer once the 2010 midterms roll around. They'll have plenty of time on their hands when they're booted from office.

Thanks to Hot Air for the link.

Republican Tedisco Clings to 24 Vote Lead In NY Recount

Nothing to get giddy over just yet since the Democrats can certainly find 25 dead people in no time to overtake this lead.

Republican Jim Tedisco is leading Democrat Scott Murphy by 24 votes in the latest count of a too-close-to-call special congressional election in New York state.

The state Board of Elections reports Thursday that unofficial vote counts show Tedisco leads Murphy 77,201 to 77,177. The lead has fluctuated since the March 31 election in the 20th Congressional District.

For the first time the totals include some of the absentee ballots expected to decide the election. Dutchess, Columbia and Greene counties have submitted their unofficial absentee results.

Yesterday Tedisco's lead was reported as 17 votes.

Absentee ballots are expected to decide the election. About 6,760 have been returned to date; close to half of those came from registered Republicans.

Military and overseas absentee ballots are still scheduled to be counted on April 14.

Both the Tedisco and Murphy campaigns have hired attorneys to prepare for legal actions that will likely occur after all ballots are counted and a winner is declared. Tedisco is an assemblyman; Murphy is a venture capitalist.

Ordinarily venture capitalists would be tarred and feathered as greedy oppressors of the little people, but it's OK to be one when you're a Democrat.

Wonderful! NY-20 Race a Dead Heat, Waiting on Absentee Ballots and Likely Headed for Recount

It doesn't get much closer than this.

Scott Murphy (D): 77,344 - 50%
Jim Tedisco (R): 77,285 - 50%
% Precincts Reporting: 100%

But hold on, kids, there are absentee ballots to be counted, so don't expect any official results until April 13, which gives ACORN enough time to find some late votes for the Democrat.

Oddly enough, this Congressional seat is outside Tedisco's Assembly district, so the people who've been sending him to Albany for two decades couldn't vote for him.

While a formerly heavy GOP district, Obama narrowly won the region in November and it's considered in some quarters a referendum on the porkulus bill.

Mr. Murphy closely aligned himself with President Obama, who narrowly won the district in November; Mr. Murphy also won support by promoting the stimulus package. Mr. Tedisco, who eventually came out against the stimulus, struggled to articulate a compelling economic message early on, but capitalized on outrage over bonuses for financial executives, portraying Mr. Murphy as sympathizing with Wall Street financiers more than ordinary upstate families.

The Democrat machine threw everything they had into this election and with these results it doesn't appear there's much if anything to be celebrating if they manage to narrowly keep the seat vacated by Kirsten Gillibrand.

All sorts of reaction here. The left-leaning media and blogs are declaring it a huge defeat for the GOP. Considering it was their seat they were defending and Obama apparently has no coattails, that's some unique spin. But what do you expect from these people?

Gillibrand won by 24 points in November. If Murphy wins it'll be by the skin of his teeth. And that's supposed to be an ominous sign for the GOP? I'd say it's more a reflection that Obama and the national Democrats may have some problems come the midterms.

Linked at Instapundit. Thanks!

Tedious: Dems Running Against Rush Limbaugh in NY Special Election

You have to figure they're holding off on their secret weapon--the coveted Meghan McCain endorsement--if this utterly predictable strategy doesn't work. I guess they figure there are still a couple of idiots out there who still don't realize this quote is taken entirely out of context. Even lamer, they're not even using the proper quote, which was "Okay, I'll send you a response, but I don't need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails." .

Democrats are seeking to use conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh to rally their base in advance of next week's special election in New York's 20th district.

A new direct mail piece from businessman Scott Murphy's campaign features an angry shot of Limbaugh over the words "I hope Obama fails." At the bottom of the piece in parentheses is written "Somebody wants you to stay home on March 31st...."

On the back of the mailer, an Obama drawing is featured with text superimposed over it that accuses "Rush Limbaugh and his lackeys in Washington" of trying to "be a roadblock to the change America desperately needs."

Democrats have been using Limbaugh's comments -- made at his keynote address at the Conservative Political Action Conference last month -- to raise money almost since the moment they were made but using Limbaugh as a turnout tool is a new wrinkle in this strategy.

A new wrinkle?

Please.