If you don't build it, someone else will. Unlike Representatives Tom Perriello (VA-5th), Jim Moran (VA-8th), and Rick Boucher (VA-9th), Glenn Nye (VA-2nd), Bobby Scott (VA-3rd), and Gerry Connolly (VA-11th) have yet to announce a Town Hall during this summer recess. At least intentionally. Local activist groups in Hampton Roads have recharacterized this Saturday's regular Virginia Beach Democratic Committee (VBDC) breakfast as a Glenn Nye Town Hall and networked across meetup groups to build representation.The Hampton Roads Tea Party, dubbing the event Tea and Crumpets with Glenn Nye, and the Ron Paul Meetup are among the groups calling for members to attend the event, hoping to grab Nye and the media's attention. Groups such as these and the The 9-12 Project have proliferated, often attracting common membership. Thus far, after reducing the responses for redundant membership, there appear to be a dozen or so committed to presenting their positions on health care and government accountability to the freshman Congressman. Taking a cue from these groups, the local Republican committee has also notified its membership that this is a town hall and encouraged attendance.
No matter Nye's intent when he scheduled a get together with his VBDC supporters, he seems to have forgotten he is a public person. The venue for the VBDC breakfasts, a local restaurant with limited seating, would be overwhelmed if even this many additional, accompanied by the press, were to attend. That could mean that a number would be left to demonstrate their angst outside in the parking lot along busy Holland Road. For this, a cautionary phrase has been passed among potential sign bearers: "please avoid distasteful Obama signs, this is about the bill, plus aren't you all tired of being called racists etc. the wrong sign will be the one the media shows on tv." So, the Congressman having allowed the initiative to be stolen, it seems, will be holding a town hall this Saturday after all.
