The above is a photo of the Women’s March in Houston. Over 23 thousand of us showed up to protest President Trump and that for which he and his Party stands. Misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, bigotry, authoritarianism and contempt for the truth. Thousands also marched in Dallas, Austin (over 50,000) and other cities throughout the state, including Denton. As we know, hundreds of thousands showed up in Washington, D.C., New York City and across the globe.
Apparently the YUGE turnouts rattled a few politicians’ cages other than President majority vote loser Trump. The 3 million votes he lost were due to voter fraud. Right. And the photos of the low turnout at his Inauguration are fake. That and not all the marchers participated to protest Trump.
While the marches energize and bring us together, they also serve as a reminder that frequent action is absolutely necessary. The marches mean nothing if we were to all go home, resume life as normal and forget about what is going on in our local, state and federal governments. Thanks to the marches many of us have signed up to a Daily Action application on our cell phones. Today’s action, for example, is for us to call the Army Corps of Engineers about Trump’s action on the Dakota Access Pipeline and divest in the banks that support it.
Many of us have vowed to call our elected officials in Washington D.C. in order let our representatives know that we are against most if not all of Trump’s donor class Cabinet appointees. We also demand answers on the so-called replacement for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. We are also concerned about the future of Medicare and Social Security.
But many of us are unable to reach our Representatives’ and Senators’ offices. The phone calls go to voice mail or the voice mail boxes are full.
So, what do concerned citizens do when we can’t get through? We go to our representatives’ local offices. And what do the Senators do when constituents show up?
Craven Ted Cruz locks out constituents. His staff will not schedule appointments with him and they actually called the Houston police to clear out the visitors. One of Cruz’s top requirements for staff members must be a “seasoned, nasty jackass.”
Frustrated at being unable to reach their elected representative, 28 people met Tuesday morning to visit the senator’s district office a little after 9 am. Someone brought donuts for the staff. Four constituents were allowed into the reception area, and two spoke to a staff member, who told them the senator would only meet with representatives of groups, and then, only with an appointment.
Which had to be scheduled by phone.
Which are not answered.
One of the visitors observed the following.
What we saw today was the exercise of democracy and the First Amendment for a better, healthier republic. No matter what side of the aisle you are on, we all believe in representation. It’s what this country is founded on. We peacefully protested, holding up our own end as citizens. It’s too bad Ted Cruz thinks he is too elite to speak to us.
Ted Cruz’s office should commit to staying open during the hours it says it will, and find some way to talk to more than a few of the many constituents knocking on his door because of the White House’s unqualified donor class nominees and the Republican plan to Make America Sick Again.
We’re here to talk. Does he work for us, or does he work for Trump?
Meanwhile, the yellow bellied John Cornyn hid behind his landlord when his constituents stopped by for a chat.
Yesterday, as Senator Cruz’s Houston district staff locked down their office and left for the day while Houston Police Department officers escorted constituents from the building, three-and-a-half miles to the west, a group of about fifty constituents was attempting to visit Senator Cornyn, anticipating a warmer welcome than their peers down the road.
The office building’s management essentially threw the visitors out.
If Texas senators refuse to return phone calls or schedule appointments, and cope with constituents by locking their doors and calling the police, they should expect that people will continue to peaceably assemble to exercise their right to petition for a redress of grievances.
The cowards are afraid of us because they know their Party’s nominee won based on gerrymandering, voter suppression efforts, rogue FBI James Comey and Russian hackers. Trump may have won the Electoral College but he lost the popular vote by nearly three million. This is not chump change.
The crybabies also know they have no replacement to Obamacare, mainly because the Affordable Care Act is a Republican plan to its core. Worse, a Texas Republican is taking a hatchet to Social Security.
It is not lost on many of us that twice in sixteen years (2000 and 2016) the majority of voter’s voices were silenced by an archaic system that no longer makes sense. And so we have an ill-tempered, narcissistic, authoritarian nationalist as our POTUS.
We are not going to go quietly away.
