EDITORIAL: New era but same duty to voters

March 01--Dozens of constituents show up, determined to let their congressional representative know exactly how they feel about health care.

There's grumbling, interruptions and some applause, including a round that erupts after one man says, "I think the message most of us are here to give you is that we don't want the government meddling in our health care at all." Outside, protesters wave signs.

Just a snapshot of the town hall meetings that have sprung up around the country since President Donald Trump took office, promising to repeal Obamacare?

Wrong. Try 2009, after President Barack Obama took office, promising universal health care.

It was just eight years ago that outraged protesters gave their representatives an earful about what eventually became the Affordable Care Act. Those protests signaled the birth of the tea party. Back then, it was Democrats who were feeling the heat; these days it's Republicans.

Rich Lowry, writing in the conservative publication National Review, said, "What was true in 2009 is true today: In the normal course of things, it's not easy even for a well-funded and organized group to get people to spend an evening at a school auditorium hooting at their congressman. If these demonstrations are happening in districts around the country, attention must be paid."

Locally, there have been increasing calls for Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Jimtown, to hold a town hall meeting, something she hasn't done since 2013. Some of the calls have come, not surprisingly, from the local Democratic Party. But the sentiment is also being expressed at the grass-roots level from residents, some of whom have written letters to The Tribune.

To be sure, if she held a town hall, Walorski would face a mixture of outrage, concern and protest. Sort of like the scenario from 2009 we described earlier. That scene took place here in the 2nd District, at a Martin's Super Market in Mishawaka, where then-Rep. Joe Donnelly, who had shown up for his regular "Congress on your Corner" event, found himself standing amid hundreds of people who crammed into store's deli area, many to talk about health insurance reform.

It was one of 14 such public meetings that Donnelly held in 2009 throughout the district, including events in Delphi and Kokomo. The hourlong Kokomo meeting, according to the Logansport Pharos-Tribune, had a crowd estimated at 500, was "relatively polite" and included "cheers and applause, mingled with a fair bit of heckling."

Holding such events is the very least that Walorski should do. It's called representing your district -- including those who may not agree with you and didn't vote for you. It isn't always pleasant, but it's part of serving the public. Walorski should be willing to stand up and face her constituents.

Eight years ago, at the Mishawaka Martin's, Donnelly began his impromptu town hall by asking the crowd to keep interruptions to a minimum and be respectful of each other. "I'm the hired help," he said. "I work for you."

That job description was a fitting one in 2009. And it still applies to the current 2nd District representative.

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