Town halls are part of the job

A Republican member of Congress from the Midwest was berated by angry voters during a town hall. So, the representative responded by having more meetings.

March, May and in August, when he held an event in a liberal college town and was jeered by his audience. But U.S. Rep. Mike Flood of Nebraska told NBC News he has no regrets and won’t stop holding town halls.

“Every member of Congress has to do it the way they see fit. But for me, this comes with the territory. And I feel like you got to put yourself in the town square if you want to be a member of Congress for your district,” Flood said.

“And if you feel strongly about how you’re voting and the choices you’re making, you should be able to stand on the town square and be accountable for those votes and tell people why you did it and take their input.,” Flood said.

“As elected officials, we have to put ourselves in environments that are not comfortable,” Flood said. Again, he insisted he’s not knocking members who opted against holding town halls.

But when you model a good example, you also shine a light on bad examples.

Which brings us to Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican who represents southeast Iowa’s 1 st District.

In April she promised to hold a public town hall. "Just like I've done every single year, we'll do in-person town halls," Miller-Meeks said.

Now, she has changed her mind.

“When’s Miller-Meeks going to hold a town hall?” she said, referring to persistent questioning on the subject by Gazette Deputy Des Moines Bureau Chief Tom Barton.

“When hell freezes over,” Miller-Meeks told a gathering of Johnson County Republicans in August, who chuckled at her answer. They posted the video online, where it wasn’t noticed until last week when CNN reported Miller-Meeks’ remarks.

Miller-Meeks said she’s been yelled at when she attends church, at a county fair and at a speedway. “I’m out in public all the damn time,” Miller-Meeks said on the video.

Like Sen. Joni Ernst and her “We’re all going to die” gaffe, Miller-Meeks clearly is letting the town hall issue get under her skin. That’s how you get “when hell freezes over.”

This isn’t complicated. Town halls are part of the job.

One great way to avoid catching hell is to refrain from voting for policies that will hurt your constituents. Don’t jeopardize their health care coverage, kill ACA premium tax breaks, hobble their rural hospitals or kick families off food assistance.

And when the public is displeased, tell it to them straight. Don’t insult their intelligence by claiming Democrats shut down the government because they want health coverage for undocumented immigrants. Illegal migrants already are barred from receiving Medicaid and other public benefits. Democrats want to avoid axing ACA tax credits at year’s end, more than doubling premiums.

Also, if you hold town halls more frequently, they’ll likely be more civil. Giving constituents more access can eliminate a major source of frustration. Also, you can’t represent only the people who agree with you.

Or go with “When hell freezes over.” But that response may answer another question. Will you vote to reelect Miller-Meeks in 2026?

(319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com