Into The Lair Of The Beast... Bula Journeys To A Paul Ryan Town Hall In Elkhorn

Yesterday our Wisconsin correspondent, Bula, covered Paul Ryan's town hall meeting at the Monte Carlo Room in Elkhorn the Walworth county seat. Last November it was heavy big margin Ryan had rolled up in Walworth County that helped him overcome Rob Zerban's big win in Kenosha County.

Has The Shine Worn Off Paul Ryan In The Conservative Heart Of WI-01?
- by Bula

That was the question I wanted to find out at a Paul Ryan town hall meeting in Elkhorn, WI.

This is not an election year for the Congressman, so I was curious to see the turnout. The parking lot was only half full, but the police presence was as large as usual... The Sheriff, Deputies, Elkhorn PD. No crowds mulling around outside, I walked right in and was greeted by the usual staff and aides handing out questioners.

The crowd was noticeably smaller than recent meeting I have attended, but the make up had not changed. Older white people. Exclusively. Not a person of color in the house. The burning question in my mind was how damaged was Ryan after his catastrophic implosion as the VP pick of the Romney campaign. I would soon find out.

sanpaku

I sat down in the 2nd row, off to the right side where Ryan would be entering (I've been to a few of these before), a few feet from the Sheriff and officers standing guard along the wall. As it turned out, Think Progess had a research assistant at this meeting, taping it, and I sat next to her. It felt a little more comfortable having an independent journalist taping the event. It gave me more confidence to speak out and push back on Ryan. At least, I thought, if I get tased and removed it will be recorded.

My strategic seating location, along with the initial malaise of the crowd allowed me jump in for the first question. I knew from previous meetings, you get one question (if you are lucky), and it will be your last. That's quite a dilemma with Ryan. A had a list. An abbreviated one. Not even the top ten. The top 3.

  I decided to pull the trigger on an issue he owns. My question is in regard to the bank bailout. He challenged me immediately. Do you mean TARP or Dodd Frank? I said the bill you twisted arms to get through Congress. He tried desperately to confuse the bailout and Dodd Frank. He began regurgitating his talking points.

  Once I was able to get him to own TARP, I asked if he would support the bi-partisan bill Senators Brown and Vitter have proposed to break up the big banks.

Let me digress for a moment. When Ryan walks out on the stage he explains how this is going to work. I'm going to give a PowerPoint presentation (all discredited talking points recycled), and then I will take questions. He goes on to say he does not want back and forth in the audience. Or any State or local issues.

Seemed to me to defeat the purpose of a town hall, a meet your congressman and discuss issues,  kind of thing.

   So after a couple of minutes of gibberish, where he finally said he does not support that bill, but he does support the Volker rule and wants to repeal Dodd Frank.

Are you clear yet? Me neither. At this point I decided to break the Ryan Rule and call him out. So, I said, then let's bring back Glass Steagall!

A stumble and a glare. Well, he says that would make the banks uncompetitive (?) and he could not support that, and let's move on!

One of his loyal followers was upset about the lack of White House tours caused by the sequester.  All those disappointed kids (whose parents have enough money to send them), what about them? She asks, you guys fixed the FAA traffic controller problem?

Ryan says the sequester is horrible plan hatched by Obama. The Republicans wanted to be more reasonable, this is Obama's fault, only he can fix it.

This is where I broke the rules again. WHY DID YOU VOTE FOR IT! I interjected. Dirty looks from the audience, Ryan and the Sheriff.

Stumbles, admits he voted for it, but... Next Question!

It was like I was a 10 year old in church, being scolded by the old people around me with dirty looks for kicking the kneel-er. But, I figured, go big or go home.

I waited. Minding my manners. I wanted to get a question about CISPA in, but how (without being tased)? Then, as luck would have it, a Republican unknowingly laid a trap for the Congressman Formerly-Known-as-a-Wonk (does anyone still think he is?). "What is your view on a federal law requiring taxing internet purchases according to state laws"... was the question.

A very tricky subject for a Republican, in a state dominated by a Republican Governor and legislature who would love free (of having to vote for it) revenue. He handled it, let's say, in-artfully. He appreciates that small business's, brick and mortar businesses are being hurt by on-line retailers. It is not fair. But how to do it?

  Are you waiting for his concerns?

Here it comes (I'm paraphrasing.) Well then Amazon and all the big retailers will have to keep a database of purchases and the federal government will have access to your financial information.

THEN WHY DID YOU VOTE FOR CISPA! I shout out.

Major scolding. Deputies had their hands on the taser's. Boo's, catcalls.

  Ryan stumbles again. I did vote for CISPA, but it has protections built in so... (he mumbles, voice trailing off... I'm getting verbal abuse).

My last gotcha came at the last question. He picked on a friend in the front row... who gave him the softball question of "What are we going to do about Obamacare! My company's premiums have gone up 30% this year!" A truly sympathetic Ryan wished he could repeal the law, and make it all better. He went on to say, "I don't know of any other costs that have gone up 30%... and you're lucky! I've heard of even higher increases!"

To which I shouted out (in my last act of defiance) GASOLINE! AND I DON'T OWN OIL WELLS LIKE YOU DO!

Ironically, I had the first question, and also got in the last word.

Paul Ryan has stayed true to his benefactors principles.

  And from what I can tell his voters want it that way.