Oh that’s not the half of it. But of course, I did not have a chance to tell my story. The Town Hall was only 90 minutes long, it started with a bunch of angry comments on Graham-Cassidy, which Ernst deflected for about 30 minutes by saying it was a moot point, it won’t come up for a vote now. She didn’t mention McCain opposing, and the audience still pressed her to commit to voting against it, or any similar bill. She said she had to represent ALL her constituents, with the clear implication that my Liberal town was outvoted by all the other rural Republican counties. Some one yelled "we’re constituents too!, she said she heard from this group and that group and this other group, and at this point I had enough and yelled, “But were you LISTENING?” This got a positive response from the audience, more positive than Ernst’s prevarications.
Then there was the obligatory rambling 15 minute question by an old guy dressed in a T shirt with military slogans. He rambled on forever about military benefits, and of course Ernst indulged his question with an equally pointless rambling monologue about how she is a vet and she understands the problem.
Then there were shouts about DACA from student groups, and a mass walkout chanting something about DACA. This was another pointless exercise. I was much more amused by the Robot Protester. Wow I haven’t seen him since the days leading up to the Caucus, where he made a scene carrying a sign “Robot Rubio.”
Of course he was roughly escorted out by police.
There were a smattering of questions about ending the AUMF, cutting the military budget, funding Iowa’s schools, and other questions that she was completely unresponsive to. Of course I expected her to avoid answering any questions, but this was a masterful performance.
However there was one thing that troubled me. On the way in, a lady was handing out signs, red printed with Disagree, and green printed with Agree. But people do not know how to use them. They hold up both signs, one behind the other. They face the Green Agree side towards the stage, but they’re holding the Red behind it, so to the audience behind her, it looks like she’s DIS-agreeing. Would you people all please get with the program, and hold up only ONE sign at a time? The press in attendance is looking for shots of a sea of green or red signs. But everyone blows it so it’s impossible to tell if you are for or against. Half of the reason we have the signs is to show your support to others in the audience. But you’re not supporting them if they don’t know which sign you’re holding up. So just hold up ONE damn sign. Is that really so difficult? Apparently it is.