The town hall in Somers, a leafy section of Lawler’s Hudson Valley district, began to teeter off the rails soon after it began.

The first crack emerged when Lawler, in his opening remarks, told the packed prep school auditorium: “This is what democracy looks like.”

Laughter crept through the crowd.

A little while later, the congressman’s mention of federal health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. drew loud jeers.

  • kreskin@lemmy.world
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    7 hours ago

    The beatings will continue until morale improves. And thats some nice social security you have, it’d be a real shame if something happened to it. (just kidding, something will happen to it regardless).

  • andyburke@fedia.io
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    13 hours ago

    Who’s his challenger? Where do we donate or volunteer? What is being done to vote for some better representation in that area?

    Because these “news stories” about upset people keep happening but nothing is changing.

    • mPony@kbin.earth
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      10 hours ago

      those folks are just over 100 days in to a new administration and you’re expecting… something different? Something more? What you are seeing IS the difference.

      When was the last time you saw town hall meetings being held 100 days in with protesters being dragged out? These folks are letting their displeasure known. This is what a movement looks like in its early stages. Don’t even be insinuating that it’s not enough, or that progress isn’t being made.

      • kreskin@lemmy.world
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        7 hours ago

        I was expecting the democratic party to do more than collaborate and write sternly worded letters. I am pretty angry.

        • Ledericas@lemm.ee
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          1 hour ago

          thats just senile schumer and hakeem jefferies, you just need to primary them when the time comes.

      • andyburke@fedia.io
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        8 hours ago

        What tangible progress was made? None.

        Has a single.member of Congress changed their vote because of this? They are passing what they want and killing what they don’t.

        There is no way to recall a member of Congress before their term ends, nor has there ever been. No U.S. senator or member of the House of Representatives has been recalled by the electorate. Americans are unable to remove an elected member of the House or Senate from office because there is no recall mechanism set forth in the Constitution.

        These reps aren’t going to help these people.

    • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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      12 hours ago

      It’s too early for a challenger. Midterms aren’t for another 18 months. NY D-17 is a coveted swing district in the Hudson Valley, about an hour north of NYC. Mondaire Jones lost to Mike Lawler last November.

      • andyburke@fedia.io
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        11 hours ago

        Alright, well, let us know when there’s a candidate that is challenging this guy. Until then, this isn’t very newsworthy at this point.

        • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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          11 hours ago

          It’s not my post, but I think it’s important to see people in swing districts pushing Republicans to the point of getting ejected. It’s good to morale, especially with all of the political pessimism.

          • andyburke@fedia.io
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            11 hours ago

            Belongs in a feel-good vibes community and not a news one now. This storyline is old and these reps clearly haven’t changed their minds around holding the administration accountable.

            • modifier@lemmy.ca
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              11 hours ago

              It looks like this was just this past Sunday. In yet another part of the country. Report to the mods if it doesn’t fit your personal description of newsworthy but it is current, relevant, and distinct from similar stories in other districts.

  • don@lemm.ee
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    13 hours ago

    Another attendee, Kristi Thompson, 52, said she was bothered by what she said were Lawler’s long-winded answers that didn’t address the substance of the crowd’s questions.

    “He claims to be available to constituents but he isn’t,” she said.

    The crowd walked out during the final question of the night, which was about protests against Israel. Lawler began to answer, but cut himself off as the room emptied out.

    “I appreciate everybody coming out tonight and taking the time to ask your questions and hear my answers, whether you liked them or not, or agreed with them or not, or whether you really actually wanted to listen to them or not, but I very much appreciate you participating,” he said as attendees exited.

    Of some small note: one of the pictures in the article shows him apparently making the sign of the cross before going out to address the assembly.