Wednesday, February 23, 2011

In a Democracy, The Public Comment Period Never Ends

Stealing a motto from the I-69 movement - In a Democracy, the public comment period never ends.

Today I am heading to the Statehouse to support the Democrats in their efforts to protect working Hoosiers.

I will attempt to provide updates throughout the day as to what is happening.

[edited Feb 25, 2011 to add: links to video I shot while attending the Labor Rally at the Indiana Statehouse on February 23, 2011

Walkabout
Raising Voices in Song
Chants Through the Day ]
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45 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2011 at 7:42 AM

    Our form of government is a constitutional republic, not a democracy.

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  2. Blog AdminFebruary 23, 2011 at 8:18 AM

    It's a combination of both, a Democrat-Republic if you will. A constitutional republic with a representative form of Democracy in our legislative bodies.

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  3. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2011 at 8:39 AM

    While you're up there, remind the Democrats that they lost the last election, because Hoosiers don't want them in control right now. How about that as a sign of the people's will? Tell your Democrat legislator friends to come back to the statehouse and do the jobs the were elected to do by participating in the legislative process. How about you take time to protect Hoosier voters instead of your commie pals in the Democratic party? It's okay for the Democrats to steamroll their agenda through when they have the majority, but now that the shoe is on the other foot they flee the state. Saul Alinsky would be proud.

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  4. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 8:40 AM

    8:44 am -- it took half an hour to get through security, even though they were efficient. Lines getting longer. Ladies, come on down. We're underrepresented !

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  5. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 8:41 AM

    Anon 8:39 -- Hoosiers didn't vote for this radical agenda.

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  6. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2011 at 9:03 AM

    I think it'd be more accurate to say that Hoosiers didn't vote for the Democratic agenda. There was an election, your people lost. Play the game by the rules like you expect everyone else to.

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  7. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2011 at 9:11 AM

    The word democracy doesn't appear in the Constitution.

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  8. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 9:31 AM

    9:37 am - crowd growing events just now rolling

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  9. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 9:43 AM

    9:49 am - roll call of the House is supposed to start at 10:00.

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  10. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 9:52 AM

    9:58 am - comments from students and families now being heard.

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  11. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 10:02 AM

    10:08 am - House activity beginning.

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  12. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 10:09 AM

    10:14 - Bosma making comments... "looking at all options" to keep his radical agenda moving.

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  13. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 10:09 AM

    0:16 am crowd absolutely deafening.

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  14. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 10:11 AM

    10:18 am - folks kicked out of 4 th floor balcony area.

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  15. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 10:24 AM

    10:29 am - R's heading to caucus. Chants of " You're fired" and " He'll no, we won't go"

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  16. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 10:30 AM

    10:36 am - only the start of the Indy 500 is louder than this crowd achieves!

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  17. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 10:37 AM

    10:43 am - Vi Simpson speaking. crowd thanking House D's.

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  18. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 10:47 AM

    10:51 am- things quieting down a bit. Good. Folks need to let their voices recover. good mix of people here. young, old, men, women.

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  19. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 11:06 AM

    11:11 am - strong community speeches beginning.

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  20. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 11:19 AM

    11:25 am - Dixie land band entertaining now.

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  21. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 11:26 AM

    11:32 am - Folk music now. crowd upbeat and talkative.

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  22. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 12:08 PM

    12:13 pm - they've ordered in pizza due to the difficulty of getting everyone back through security in a tmely manner. I'm hearing 800, and it's not going to stretch far enough.

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  23. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 12:59 PM

    1:05 pm - Things starting up again, with sings of God Bless America

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  24. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 1:09 PM

    1:14 pm- running through the various bills that represent the radical agenda.

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  25. Paul K. OgdenFebruary 23, 2011 at 1:20 PM

    Anon 7:42,

    Back then the term "republic" and "democracy" were used pretty much interchangeably. People make way too much of the use of the term "republic" in founding documents.

    Our government, even as set up by the Founders, had a lot of democracy in it. The Founders weren't entirely trustful of democracy though and put limits on it. The notion they didn't believe in democracy at all is contradicted by the democratic institutions which were created.

    The best description of our government is that we are a democratic republic, i.e. we elect the people who represent us.

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  26. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 1:26 PM

    1:29 pm - hb1468 (right to work) is being assigned to a summer study committee.
    Sb333 ( elimination of project labor agreements) is dead
    Sb273 (ban of collective bargaining for state workers) is dead
    Both of the corresponding house bills are still alive

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  27. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 1:51 PM

    1:57 pm - Rep. Terri Austin addressed the crowd to wild applause.

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  28. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 1:56 PM

    2:02 pm - union leadership making comments.

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  29. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 1:59 PM

    2:06 pm - R caucus leaving room to loud jeers.

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  30. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 2:15 PM

    2:20 pm - while the main speeches are going on, group has assembled outside the house chambers where they are reacting to what is going on inside.

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  31. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 4:01 PM

    4:07 pm - festival atmosphere changing over to roll call watch.

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  32. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 4:15 PM

    4:22 pm - incredible quiet waiting for the roll call.

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  33. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 4:17 PM

    4:23 pm - Bosma speaking.

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  34. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 4:22 PM

    4:27 pm - Bosma's comment " No concessions" rewarded with crowd eruption. first repeating his words, then to "Hear our voices"

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  35. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 4:33 PM

    4:39 pm - chanting continues unabated. Now sustained booing.

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  36. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 4:35 PM

    4:42 pm singing "We shall overcome"

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  37. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 4:41 PM

    4:47 pm - "We'll be back"

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  38. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 5:07 PM

    5:13 pm - Vi Simpson addressing the crowd.

    numbers well off peak crowd size, with evening coming on.

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  39. Had Enough Indy?February 23, 2011 at 5:22 PM

    5:28 pm - looks like it's a day. "We'llbe back"

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  40. AmericanVetFebruary 23, 2011 at 6:41 PM

    This is a Republic. You must have had a public school education and considered that sufficient?

    Democrats lost because Hoosiers voted for the Republicans. Democrats are not representing anyone by running away, they are the worst of cowardly unethical idiots! We have unemployment problems but Democrats can just play hooky from work and you think that is okay?


    Is this America or Egypt? Dems, get your butts back here and vote. Trust me, we will remember every single one of you that ran away come next election! Republicans fight, Democrats run away.

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  41. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2011 at 10:43 PM

    I would hope that if Democrats controlled the house, senate and the govenors office Republicans would take every advantage of every loop-hole possible to prevent a core political belief from being crushed. That's exactly what the Dems are doing. It's what the Reps have done...it's politics.

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  42. AnonymousFebruary 24, 2011 at 9:24 AM

    Okay. When was the last time the Repubs fled the state to prevent a quorum? I'd be interested to know.

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  43. Central Indiana Jobs with JusticeFebruary 25, 2011 at 9:50 PM

    I believe the last time the Republicans walked out was in 2001 when they could not get the Dems to pass a ban on gay marriage.

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  44. AnonymousFebruary 26, 2011 at 10:21 PM

    Got it. Thanks.

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  45. AnonymousFebruary 27, 2011 at 10:10 AM

    The structure of a democratic republic is deliberate & cool headed as opposed to the whiplashed instability or emotional roller coaster of democracy. You need only look at California's referenda (and IN's "budding" version) process to get a glimpse of the problem.

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