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Settle in folks this one takes a while.
I have not been gainfully employed for a while (by choice). As most can see Mrs. Lib and I have been spending much of our energy doing what we can to bring down the BFEE. Included in that endeavor is to participate in town meetings held by elected officials when they are nearby. This has included local, state and federal elected critters.
We tried to always make at least one Jim Leach appearance as his did his quarterly pass throught the second district. He would make an appearance in each county each quarter during some break. The meeting was usually pretty casual. But since most happened during the weekday attendance was usually sparse.
Now as a side note let me remind you that last January the Republican Party sent me (totally a surprise to me) a Republican Party card. Apparently having one of these cards identifies me as a donor to the Republican Party :wtf:. A hangover from my crossing over to vote in their primary for Fred Grandy about 15 years ago.
So the middle of last August, Leach was doing his tour. Mrs. Lib and I attended his presentation in West Branch. We usually make it to this one and have been there for most every one for 3 years. A pretty large crowd for a Monday noon. And not very friendly. I always have a long list of questions, but this day everyone had a question. Many on health care and the war. When there was a lull I would sneak one in. At the end Leach asked for more questions. I pulled one of his cardboard headbands from my folder, put it together, and placed it on the table. He tried to ignore it and end the meeting, but I insisted on speaking my piece. I said "this offends me" He laughed it off, said the kids loved it and we need a little levity in this world. I responded it wasn't funny, it was a symbol of oppression. End of meeting!
Tuesday noon at Muscatine and Mrs. Lib and I were seated 3rd and 4th down a long table that was part of a horse shoe setting. I still had many questions to ask. The meeting was well attended and a less hostile than West Branch had been.
Early on a young man on the other side of the room asked Leach about his stand on minimum wage. Leach responded that he has always been a champion of raising the minimum wage. I said nothing at the time. I asked some other questions as did others. About 45 minutes had passed fromthe minimum wage question and the room was almost still. No question had been asked for over a minute. Dead Air.
So I piped up, "Mr. Leach, I hate to back track, but your answer to the question on minimum wage does square with accounts I have read on the internet. I have seen that you fall on both sides of this issue, depending on circumstances."
It was like I had shot him. His face turned red and he wagged the index finger of his right hand at me as he stretched over the table trying to get totally in my face. He was screaming at me, face like a beet, "Look I Know you are from the other side and are just trying to embarrass me and you are not going to get away with it." I shouted back "I am a citizen trying to ask my elected official questions. I am giving you a chance to defend your stance on minimum wage against charges on the internet."
Quickly as he lit up he cooled down. Said he stood for minimum wage. End of that. My friends in seats 1 & 2 were honestly scared. They are in their 70s.
When the meeting ended I was immediately surrounded by all sorts of folks. Supporters for the most part who did not have nice things to say. One woman was belligerent and I reached into my billfold and took out my Republican card. I said "look, I used to be a Republican but I can't go along with what's going on now." A local newsman was in the crowd. He asked my name and address. I told him. In his report the next he said I "proudly proclaimed I was a Republican." Not true but made the story better.
As I got up to leave, the young man who was taping the meeting said "fucking Democrats." I thought he was joking and kept on walking and he said VERY LOUD "fucking Democrats." So I turned around and kind of chucklinly asked if he had a question for me. He said "how dare you call our President a traitor?" I said I never said that. I had asked Leach what his opinion was on Gonzalez trying to get the 1996 war crimes act repealed. So I said "You have a problem with Alberto Gonzalez, not me." He said "fucking Democrat" again. So I asked "Why isn't a 'man' like you in the Army? You obviously support this war." (he was about 5'6" and 300lbs.). He responded "I have to take care of my mom" I laughed in his face and started to leave.
The room was almost empty by now. As I got to the door a hand grabbed my arm and spun me around. It was Jim Leach. He started unloading on me about being a plant for Loebsack. I let him have it.
I said "I do not work for Loebsack. I have met him and I have told him exactly what I will tell you. If you are elected I plan to hold you to account. I will find his telephone number and you can ask him yourself." I then continued, "Jim you've been in congress for thirty years. THIRTY YEARS! You should be one of the leaders setting direction instead you sit in the background and do nothing while congress debates gay marriage and people die in Iraq and die here because of a broken health care system"
AND THE COUP DE GRACE - I pulled the card out of my pocket and said angrily "What does this say?" He looked like he had had a heart attack "It says you've donated to the republican party this year," he said looking at the floor. I responded "That is right and this is one former Republican who may never vote for a Republican again!" And I left.
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Three days later there was a final summer parade in Wilton. I went over to Clara's truck. There was quite a crowd around it, so I didn't know who all was there. A hand came through the crowd and took my hand and shook it. It was Jim Leach. He called me by name "--------- --------" good to see you here"
I said " Congressman Leach, Have a good parade. I turned and went back to Mrs. Lib and said "I am a marked man".
The Repubs were way behind us in the parade so I couldn't tell if they were handing out headbands. We waited until their float came in. All aboard were wearing headbands. So I grabbed my camera and tried to get a picture, but they scattered like scared rabbits. Including Jim Leach who pulled off his headband and "ran" to his car. I couldn't get a picture.
One brave man screamed at me as he ran away that i "should be shot" that "people like you don't deserve to live." I hollered for him to come say it to my face, but no luck. He literally ran into his car while looking back at me. Must've hurt.
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So I was relating this story yet one more time at a dinner the other night and this friend said she had once interviewed Leach for a PATV show. She asked him a question he didn't want to answer and he didn't. Later on she brought it up again. Leach changed the subject again.
After the show they were out side getting ready to leave and Leach just laid into her, screaming at the top sngs, red as a beet. She said she took his keys away from him until he was calmed down, so he didn't drive in that condition.
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Mr. moderate?
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The card has been given as a souvenier of a great campaign to a certain individual.
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