Senator Bernie Sanders is one of many liberals who are becoming increasingly frustrated with the new trend from the right of elected officials canceling or dodging their town hall events in order to avoid angry protesters and concerned constituents.

In response to several Republican Senators and Congressman citing protests as a reason for not holding a town hall, Senator Sanders had this to say: 

“If you don’t have the guts to face your constituents, then you shouldn’t be in the United States Congress.”

Speaking with CNN’s Erin Burnett, the Senator continued,

“If you need police at the meetings, that’s fine, have police at the meetings, have security at the meetings. But don’t use that as an excuse to run away from your constituents after you support repealing the Affordable Care Act, throwing 20 million people off of health insurance, doing away with preexisting conditions. If you are going to do all those things, answer the questions that your constituents have.”

Florida Senator Marco Rubio was spotted in Florida just yesterday, despite having told reporters that he was overseas – his reason for not holding a town hall anytime soon. Rubio was pressed once spotted to say why he wasn’t at a town hall, but he simply ran away.

Meanwhile, Rubio’s constituents in South Florida held a town hall in the Senator’s absence, speaking to a literal empty suit up on stage. Before the town hall, activists posted milk-carton lost ads featuring Rubio’s face, a tongue-in-cheek goading of the Senator’s unexplained absence.

Scenes like this played in small town halls and public buildings across the nation, in even the reddest of red counties.

Senator Sanders hits the nail on the head when he says it is not up to the elected official to choose whether or not they face the consequences of their actions. Congresspeople and Senators are employed by the American people, and it’s time they had a performance review.
 
Watch.
 

Sydney Robinson is a political writer for the Ring of Fire Network. She has also appeared in political news videos for Ring of Fire. Sydney has a degree in English Literature from the University of West Florida, and has an active interest in politics, social justice, and environmental issues. She would love to hear from you on Twitter @SydneyMkay or via email at srobinson@ringoffireradio.com