via YidWithLid
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Michele Bachmann said that their would be days like this. Early reports are that thousands of protesters have shown up at the US Capitol today to push home the point that they do NOT want Obamacare.
One Senator, Michael Bennet (D) of Colorado was not to happy to see his constituents. They showed up at his Hart Office building office asking to meet with the Senator in his Hart Senate Office building. Instead of a meeting with the Senator, they got a meeting with the Capitol Police The protesters were arrested about 10 a.m. were charged with unlawful entry, a Capitol Police spokeswoman said.
[Click on image to enlarge]
Looks as if the Democrats are following the Presidents advice regarding blocking Dissent:
By JONATHAN ALLEN & MEREDITH SHINER
Politico.com
Thousands of Tea Party activists descended on Washington Thursday to protest the trillion dollar health care bill and government spending, holding signs protesting Barack Obama’s agenda while aiming chants of “you work for us” at the Capitol building. .
The gathering was organized by local Tea Party groups around the country, who are arriving in Washington this morning by the busload. Conservative leaders in Congress, led by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), have taken to the airwaves to encourage the activists to show up on the Capitol steps and demand meetings with members of Congress. The crowd is expected to grow into the thousands by noon, when Bachmann has promised to lead some protesters to a press conference inside the Capitol to express their opposition to the health care bill in person to members of Congress.
The arrived as early as 8:30 a.m., by bus, car and plane — from Bluffton, S.C., Des Moines and Dorris, Calif. — to rally with conservative lawmakers and possibly roam the halls of Congress.
“Can you hear us now!” they chanted from the foot of the Capitol, as they awaited the arrival of their heroine — Bachmann.
“She’s very brave,” said Nancy Holmberg of Dorris.
“Palin/Bachmann 2012,” came a shout from the crowd. The crowd is also chanting Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s name and demanding that she come address them on the steps of the Capitol.
Another hero of the movement, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), has been autographing tea bags for the crowd and is wearing a jacket covered in pins and stickers reading “Yes! Freedom!”
Speaking on conservative talker Laura Ingraham’s radio show this morning, Bachmann encouraged people listening to show up on the West Front steps, but she said they should show up with “cameras” instead of “pitchforks.”
A Capitol Police spokeswoman confirmed to POLITICO that nine activists were arrested in the Hart building, and they are being processed at police headquarters. All the buildings in the Capitol complex remain open for now.
The protesters, who are occupying the patch of grass only a few yards from where Barack Obama took the oath of office on Jan. 20, have also chanted “you work for us!” Many are holding signs that echo their distrust of Obama and their belief that he is pursuing socialist policies.
Last night, Bachmann reasserted a claim that Pelosi was considering tightening security in preparation for the activists, which she warned “would be a huge mistake.” There has been an increased police presence around the Capitol Thursday morning, and a Capitol Police officer told POLITICO that protesters are allowed to march on the West front lawn of the Capitol, but are not allowed onto the steps of the building.
Mary Beth Bishop of Monument, Colo., spent $500 on a plane ticket to lodge her complaints about the growth of government.
“We need to show up and uphold the Constitution,” she said. “It wasn’t written on toilet paper.”
Police patrolled the gates and stone walls keeping the crowd in but there was little sign of trouble.
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) shook hands at a wall line like a presidential contender. This is too great,” he said.
[Photo of the crowd at today’s Health Care House Call posted to Twitpic by hostagehoosier, November 5, 2009. Click on the image to enlarge.]
