TOWN HELL:  Sen. Tom Cotton’s constituents drop a thermonuclear truth bomb on him

Posted by | February 22, 2017 22:23 | Filed under: News Behaving Badly Politics

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Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton is one of the most unrelentingly shrill conservatives in the “upper chamber” – a walking, posturing one-man roster of Heritage Foundation and NRA talking points who has been positioning himself as a front-rank voice of American conservatism.

Today, he held a town hall in Springdale – and was unrelentingly hammered by Arkansas voters.

Cotton (R-Ark.) faced hundreds of angry constituents at a town hall Wednesday night who grilled him for two hours on the Affordable Care Act, immigration, President Donald Trump’s administration and other issues.

The town hall, held at a high school in Springdale, Arkansas, was raucous throughout. About 2,000 people packed the auditorium and frequently drowned Cotton out with cheers, boos and jeers. Some attendees waved red cards when the senator said something they didn’t agree with.

The uproar hit a peak when a 25-year-old constituent pressed the senator on whether he intends to preserve the Affordable Care Act’s treatment protections for people with preexisting conditions. (Congressional Republicans, including Cotton, have vowed to repeal Obamacare but have yet to lay out a comprehensive plan for replacing it.) She kicked off her remarks by asking who in the auditorium was affected by the Affordable Care Act:

She then explained she suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a condition that affects the body’s connective tissues and blood vessels.

“Without coverage for preexisting conditions, I will die,” she said. “Will you commit today to replacement protections for those Arkansans like me who will die or lose their quality of life or otherwise be unable to be participating citizens, trying to get their part of the American dream? Will you commit to replacement in the same way that you’ve committed to repeal?”

The auditorium erupted in cheers as the crowd gave her a standing ovation. Cotton then attempted to dodge the question and asked for others in the audience to offer comments before he gave an answer.

That didn’t go over well with the bulk of the crowd, which began booing and chanting, “Do your job.” Cotton eventually returned to her question but largely evaded her request for specifics on how he intends to preserve coverage for preexisting conditions.

Some would call Cotton a weasel – but that would be an insult to weasels everywhere.

The Hill, which in recent years seems to have taken a somewhat conservative slant, saw it this way:

[D]roves of protesters jeered and heckled [Cotton] over topics ranging from the Affordable Care Act to Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

They almost say it as if it’s a bad thing! But I digress…

Another woman chided Cotton for allegedly sending her the same letter over and over when she tried to get a hold of him.

“I have sent you one message after the other, sir, about our family,” one woman said. “I live just down the road a few places from your office, and I have invited you into our home, and not a word, except a classic, regular letter sent.” …

Some attendees also urged Cotton to take a tougher stance on Russian interference in the presidential election and allegations of ties between President Trump and the Kremlin. One protester carried a banner reading: “If Hillary [Clinton] did this, you would have already locked her up.”

One attendee punctured a favorite right-wing talking point.

[A] woman stood up, introduced herself, and said, “I am not a paid protester.” A lot of people at the town hall applauded wildly.

Cotton said this in response:

“I don’t really care if anybody is paid or not, you’re all Arkansans and I’m glad to hear from you. So I know… there’s been some talk about that in the media, some politicians have said that. I just want to say thank you to everyone for coming out tonight, whether you agree or me or disagree with me. This is part of what our country’s all about.”

He couldn’t even win an argument with a seven-year-old:

Toby had the microphone.

“Donald Trump thinks the wall is more important than kids’ games and stuff,” Toby began. “Donald Trump makes Mexicans not important to people who are in Arkansas who like Mexicans, like me.”

He continued, “And he’s deleting all the parts in PBS Kids just to make a wall. He shouldn’t do all that stuff.”

Cotton’s answer was terrible. After tossing the stock “we are a melting pot and we’re all one people” answer, he told this 7-year old child that “we need to help Mexico be better partners.”

“We want to help them deal with their problems with drug cartels and crime and help them grow their economy,” he blathered, to a 7-year old child who wants PBS Kids and not a wall.

“We also have to protect our own citizens from that, and that’s where the wall comes in,” Cotton went on.

It was absurd, and the room was not impressed. You can hear Toby chanting “PBS! PBS!”

You can watch the entire event as seen from the press pool camera. We recommend you prepare a lot of popcorn first.


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Copyright 2017 Liberaland
By: dave-dr-gonzo

David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.

* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.

60 responses to  TOWN HELL:  Sen. Tom Cotton’s constituents drop a thermonuclear truth bomb on him

  1. granpa.usthai February 22nd, 2017 at 23:10

    if they were to just give every American/people in America the exact same coverage they have as a us senator, – the whole Obamacare Health Insurance Act would be mute and voided.

    Pretty simple law too.

    “Every person in America shall receive the identical medical insurance/care as the representatives of the people at 0 cost.”

    problem solved.

  2. robert February 23rd, 2017 at 01:50

    WOW I couldn’t get half way through this without hearing all the loud booooos

    It was a hell 😈 of a night for Tom 💀

  3. The Original Just Me February 23rd, 2017 at 02:43

    I think Cotton just got a BAD case of Boll Weevil.

  4. majii February 23rd, 2017 at 03:07

    ““We also have to protect our own citizens from that, and that’s where the wall comes in,” Cotton went on.”

    BS on a stick! Not for one second do I believe the wall is necessary to protect us from Mexicans and citizens from Central and Latin America. Mr. “I voted to put guns in the hands of severely mentally ill Americans” already knows this, too. There are enough guns in America to repel almost any attack from anyone south of the border. Another thing that concerns me about building a wall on our border is why Cotton and his GOP buddies aren’t talking about building a wall on our northern border with Canada, or for that matter, a wall along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, since they seem to be so afraid of persons from other nations and appear to love themselves some isolationism?

    • Sandydog February 23rd, 2017 at 09:39

      And your solution to illegal entry is?

      • John Richter February 23rd, 2017 at 11:30

        Quit giving them incentives , such as jobs, schooling, etc. And the problem goes further than illegal entry, but politicians don’t want to address that. Half the illegals here came here on visas and stayed way past their expiration. When Bush brought this up in the debates,the subject was avoided by the others. Congress, including republicans such as Cruz, Poe, Labrador, and a ton of other supposedly conservative ones fought for years for more visas for their business lobby contributors. They realize no one keeps track of the visas or their status. But is is a good way to get their owners the cheap labor they are paid to and allows them to still cry about border security. Even Trump said he is not going after the visa overstays, just the ones that crossed illegally. .

        • Sandydog February 28th, 2017 at 00:40

          You speak for majii?

    • Charle Preuss February 23rd, 2017 at 18:44

      And so Drugs and Criminal gangs should be allowed illegally cross the border?…. Guess you did not read anything about taking away the the right to bear arms from those who have a mental handicap that is non violent…irregardless as to what the handicap is..? I am not afraid of an invasion from the South but rather want to protect my family from some zoned out druggie from breaking in and terrorizing or killing my family. We also are not having a problem from the North…they are not illegally crossing and we work with the Canadian’s but the Mexican Government is crooked and Mexico likes the money it’s illegals send back so they are not all about illegals entering the US but do not cross into Mexico illegally and find out how they treat you.. We are not an isolationist nation but do we want to be stupid and allow another 9/11 attack from ISIS members slipping into our nation because we have no vetting to prove who they really are. You need to think and read up on subjects before writing in these blogs.

      • Comicus March 5th, 2017 at 00:52

        All the druggies I see are rednecks zoned out on meth, oxys and heroin. All the Mexicans I see are working. That wall will really help.
        Do you remember where the 9/11 hijackers came from? Let me remind you. SAUDI ARABIA. Guess which country is not on Trump’s bad list? Wait for it… SAUDI ARABIA. That wall will fix that too.

  5. Budda February 23rd, 2017 at 06:17

    It’s about time these cons got a good taste of peoples displeasure of them. Cotyon especially.

    • Charle Preuss February 23rd, 2017 at 18:47

      Yelling out and shutting down forums is what people do who are desperate and nothing meaningful to say. More so these people like free speech for them but not for others. The obstructionists only show their butt which pushes away people from embracing a hate group that shuts down others rights.

      • Gina Bousquet February 25th, 2017 at 07:23

        Constituents demand their representatives to work to stop the insanity of this administration. They cowardly avoid townhalls.

        • Charle Preuss February 26th, 2017 at 16:26

          What….I love what Trump is doing….getting rid of criminal illegals….shutting down the stupid Transgender bathrooms debacle….on the way to getting a great Supreme Court Judge….getting rid of NAFTA, getting the Pipeline project moving….about ready to get the Wall built…..working on reducing and simplify the income tax laws…getting congress working on repealing and replacing Obamacare….limiting lobbyists…. and much much more he is working so fast t he News can not even keep up with him. Beats our politicians who have been kicking the can down the road these past 10+ years. Of course if you are a free loader I guess you do not like Trump or what he is doing. .

          • Gina Bousquet February 26th, 2017 at 17:24

            Hope you open your eyes to what’s before you, blind fool

        • Obewon February 26th, 2017 at 18:11

          Record low plummeting Donnie, ended the Greedy Oil Polluter party as Putin’s playtoy.

          ‘teeny-weenie turnout DT45.94% is the only president to lose support during his first month:) 54% Majority Disapproval! 41% approve via RNC pollster Gallup! http://www.pollingreport.com/djt_job1.htm

          Dumb people: “.I love what Trump is doing.”-Illiterate & ignorant Charlie Prius grabber. “Preuss”-is mispelled as well. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/22f4317a587ab12efe8ec8d986e8dd39ffff60ef47e684c428db17b75ab67e6f.jpg

          • Gina Bousquet February 27th, 2017 at 14:20

            Maybe he’ll wake up when jobs, investment in infrastructure, health coverage never show up. He’ll have to be satisfied with a wall

  6. granpa.usthai February 23rd, 2017 at 06:36

    walls that ultimately fail usually begin with cracks. I say let ’em have at it, they’re people too, and deserve the same medical care as a us senator, I mean, after all, we the people are paying for their coverage first. I say get rid of the ACA and give everyone in America the same identical coverage as our representatives.

    • Charle Preuss February 23rd, 2017 at 09:34

      We are the land of opportunity….not the land of freebies. We have Medicaid for those who are unable to pay. We will not need these freebies if there are more jobs and better paying jobs. That is what Trump stands for…..anyone who objects to that is not thinking clearly or is a loser who wants a handout. Give them a fishing pole not a fish.

    • Charle Preuss February 23rd, 2017 at 18:30

      BS….we are not a socialist nation. We are the land of opportunity. Free medical care and then free whatever….it never ends…until the Country goes broke then what slick?

  7. Duke Woolworth February 23rd, 2017 at 08:27

    How many of these people actually voted? My rule: If you didn’t vote, you shouldn’t bitch.

  8. Charle Preuss February 23rd, 2017 at 09:29

    I love Tom Cotton and have and will continue to vote for him. There are a lot of people who are still in shock of Trump winning the Presidency and taking it out on Republicans. I also voted for Trump and am elated along with most people I know that he won “Big Time”. And, Trump is and also in the process of doing exactly what he said he would do and was voted in by Conservative to do. So…the Left is in shock and in denial. Those showing up at the rally’s are really the minority…and are the disruptions’. What they do not recognize is that they are having a reverse affect on voters who are disgusted by their ugly rhetoric.

  9. Dammitjim February 23rd, 2017 at 09:34

    I will never vote for Tom Cotton. He’s a tea party koch baby. I enjoyed watching him get roasted.

  10. Dr. Marc Niffers February 23rd, 2017 at 10:01

    These town-hall protests are mostly staged leftist events to grab the fake media’s attention. The cry-baby protests do not represent any where near the majority of the districts. Trump will soon pack the courts with “Baby Scalia’s” and the desperate Taxocrats will cry even more. Hopefully California secedes so those electoral votes will be lost forever.

    • Larry Schmitt February 23rd, 2017 at 10:04

      Right. Everything you don’t like is fake.

      • Dr. Marc Niffers February 23rd, 2017 at 10:24

        It is “fake”. The media and Left are trying to create a false narrative that this “protest” is somehow representative of the state. Arkansas overwhelmingly voted (almost 2-1) for Trump over Hillary. These people are not representative of Arkansas, but all we see is the Soros squeaky wheel cry-babies at the top of the news.

        • Snick1946 February 23rd, 2017 at 11:22

          Wow you’re good at this. You manage to pack more name calling into a few lines than any other RW troll I’ve ever seen on here.

        • William February 23rd, 2017 at 12:00

          How about a credible link, article or evidence to back up your contention. Note: This is the part where you have to decide if it’s worth the ridicule to post Limbaugh, Alex Jones or FOX as your source. I say go for it.

          https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1708fd86e4f6cc32bd9eb238f3ac1c64b648689e8584b44c4e8e793ce2a43d01.jpg

        • Charles Glisson February 23rd, 2017 at 12:03

          Well if YOU are representative of Arkansas, then Arkansas must be full of Inbred Welfare Cases, of wait, it IS, never mind :)

    • Charles Glisson February 23rd, 2017 at 11:51

      Got any FACTS to BACK Up your statement?
      Or are YOU just a $#iT Talker like your DADDY TRUMP?

    • Charles Glisson February 23rd, 2017 at 11:59

      If California Secedes where will your MOMMA get her “Welfare Check” from?

    • Gina Bousquet February 25th, 2017 at 07:10

      You are the idiotic fools of this country. You deserve what’s coming your way, you vote for it.

  11. Nan231 February 23rd, 2017 at 10:17

    Elected reps using town halls as an excuse to avoid doing what they promised. Repeal Obamacare. Protestors just create a ruckus so the media can use it on TV. Most complainers are women over 65 who are on Medicare anyway.

    • Gina Bousquet February 25th, 2017 at 07:07

      Coward elected officials Avoiding townhalls, because constituents in panic want answers to this dysfunctional circus.

    • Willys41 February 27th, 2017 at 17:34

      In case you didn’t notice, just about everybody age 65 and over has Medicare as their primary coverage and it’s been that way since 1966.

  12. John Richter February 23rd, 2017 at 11:22

    Big meanie unfair media. When the tea party did the same thing a few years ago, they were patriots. Now people doing it are paid thugs, crybabieas, etc. Waaaa unfair . Meanie media!!! BAD.

    • Charle Preuss February 23rd, 2017 at 18:50

      Tea Party people did not smash windows, block traffic, and loot.. They also did not shout out Senator town meetings and fill the auditoriums with swearing and hate. No one believes these hooligans as their actions are one of hate and intolerance.

    • PattyJM April 13th, 2017 at 16:14

      Remember that its okay if a republican does it!

  13. crc3 February 23rd, 2017 at 12:41

    To them “Obamacare” has to go but the ACA is fantastic. What a bunch of loons!

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