While Republican legislators duck and cover to avoid their enraged constituents, Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio held full-house Public Forums in Eugene and Corvallis “to candidly discuss ways to be engaged, fight back, and work together to implement change at the local, statewide, and national level”.
Congressman DeFazio knows his district well and is aware of the dramatic burgeoning of civic engagement. During the forum, he asked the audience to raise their hands if they were first-timers in political action--fully half the audience did. DeFazio smiled and said:
“That’s what they have wrought. They have activated the silent majority,” DeFazio said. “This is not small. It’s not going away. It’s getting better every day.”
”Preaching to the choir” has taken on a whole new meaning when the choir has doubled in size. However, the choir is not all that DeFazio addressed. He spoke of how Senators John McCain (R-Ariz) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) have stood up to Trump, eliciting enthusiastic applause. He also spoke of those in his diverse district, many of whom voted for Trump not because they believed him to be presidential material but because they wanted change. He cautioned us not to dismiss these Trump voters because we need them. He urged us to channel the new energy which has risen since the election to get involved in local groups to act to effect change in local, state and national government.
Congressman DeFazio shared why he had chosen to spend from his campaign fund to have this Public Forum, which would allow political content, rather than the traditional Town Hall. It is worth quoting DeFazio at length for his reasoning behind this choice.
I'm taking it on as an individual entrepreneur as an elected Member of Congress. I stood up at the Democratic retreat two weeks ago and Nancy said "You should all have town hall meetings" and I said, "No, excuse me, people should not have town hall meeting because if I do a town hall meeting I can't have this conversation with you. I can't talk about partisan politics, I can't talk about how we're going to win back the House. Everybody should go home and have their campaign sponsor these meetings and talk about how we're going to take back America! That's my position and I'm pushing that in my caucus."
Democratic Senators and Congressmen would be wise to follow DeFazio’s lead. He is currently serving in his 16th term as our representative from Oregon Congressional District 4 which covers a large geographic area of Oregon and takes in conservative rural and progressive urban areas. He encouraged citizens to also join the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “March into ‘18” program and support the National Democratic Redistricting Committee to end gerrymandering.
We love Congressman Peter DeFazio for good reason. He has never forgotten that he is of the People. He wears leadership not like a royal cloak but like a workman’s jacket. He brought his own hope for the future to encourage and embolden us.
DeFazio also encouraged his constituents not to be discouraged and to keep looking for more ways to get involved.
“I’m actually, somehow, strangely despite how depressing this all is, totally energized by this,” he said. “And I’m ready to fight. Are you ready to fight?”
The crowd answered with a rafter resounding YES!
ADDENDUM: The following video by Ashley Terry has a play list of clickable links which will open sections in a new tab.
Published on Feb 26, 2017
00:00 Mayor Biff Traber Introduction
04:42 Oregon State Senator Sarah Gelser Introduction
08:41 Peter DeFazio Introduction
31:19 What can we do now to stop big pipeline projects?
36:06 What will it take to impeach Trump?
40:40 How do we address the DEQ issue of glass particles locally?
43:34 How does re-electing Pelosi as Democratic leader make change in the Dem establishment?
46:42 Will Perez's election as DNC chair further divide the Democrats?
49:45 I'm worried about the buyout of our public lands. Will that happen?
51:54 I'm concerned about Public education. What can we do to help save it?
55:24 What is the impact to the Ag business for deportation?
58:20 What is the future of Social Security and Medicare?
1:01:58 What would persuade you to sponsor the Medicare for All bill?
1:04:59 What can we do to win elections in Red States?
1:08:22 Any way to begin rolling back the privatization of prisons and the military?
1:10:33 I also want you to consider HR 676 about Medicare for All.
1:14:06 How do we defend scientists work from getting removed from the internet?
1:17:16 How do we combat people whose worldviews rely on "alternative facts"?
1:22:43 Why don't we have major political parties anymore and do you predict change within the Democratic party?
1:26:10 Why are the disabled always left out of health care discussions among politicians?
1:30:27 How do we defend our State's right to sell Cannabis?
1:33:21 Would you support a bill defending "BDS"?