Made it in!

I'll be live posting through this Ed Markey town hall. I'll try to hashtag everything: #EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

There were a few MAGA Nazis out in front of the high school yelling crazy shit about penises in women's sports and aliens raping and killing people, you know, the usual. No photo because they aren't worth it.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

They're currently playing "You are my sunshine", I'm pretty sure it's the version from "Oh Brother Where Art Thou", and now I'm thinking about the fact that I'd rather be watching that wonderful movie again than sitting in this crowd.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

There is a huge auditorium full of people at this town hall and I don't see a single person besides me wearing a mask. Not cool.
Oh, wait, there's one other mask!
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli #CovidIsNotOver

By the way, "You are my sunshine" was released in 1939, only seven years before Ed Markey was born (1946). This is why we can't have nice things.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

A bunch of state and local electeds just came out of the wings from backstage and were seated in front, so I assume we're about to start.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Now they're playing a video of Markey posturing to news cameras about not being allowed to every DOGE occupied buildings, speaking at protests, etc. Not why I'm here. I want to know what he's DOING, not what he's saying.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Ok, the video finished, everybody started clapping, we thought Markey was going to come out onto the stage, and then… nope.
Now the mayor of Malden just came out to introduce Markey. He's thanking Markey for the difference he has made in his hometown.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

National Anthem sung, somebody else whose name I missed is speaking now, a lot of puffing up Markey and talking about what an experienced leader he is. Again: I don't care about this. I want to know what Markey is doing, and I want to hear it from him. That's why I'm here.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

There are 1,500 people here in the main auditorium and two overflow rooms, Markey says. Full house.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Markey says we're here today on the 250th anniversary of the start of the American revolution.
"We did not want a king."
Talking about the "Muskocracy".
Now he's introducing all of the other electeds who are here. He's got a good memory for this stuff, and he's strong and solid. Nothing at all like Biden at that awful debate.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Markey talking about healthcare programs, education programs, other government programs that have made people's lives better in this country that "we took for granted until January 20, 2025" and that Trump and Musk want to eliminate.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

"I was the first in my family to go to college but I wasn't the smartest… We know the unfairness that was built into our society" before the advances that Trump and Musk want to undo.
Now he's talking about what Trump and Musk are going to cut to pay for $2 trillion in tax cuts.
Still not talking about what he's going to do about it.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Good golly, Ed, I don't want to hear about how things were 50 years ago, I want to hear what you're doing to prevent us from going back there.
"I want to let you know upfront they Donald Trump is bringing out the Malden in me."
Good line.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Ok now he just brought out three "experts" to talk about what's going on.
I don't want to hear from experts, I want to hear from Markey.
Maybe there are people here in the audience who are learning something from this, but I'm certainly not, and I doubt most of your are either, so I'm going to stop posting until they say something interesting and new.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Five word summary of the first expert speaker's ten minutes: we need to protect Medicaid. Gee, thanks, what a revelation. *sigh* I think coming here was probably a waste of time.
Next up: education.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

I am feeling cheated here. The point of a town hall with an elected official is for the official to answer questions from their constituents. I'm not here to listen to speeches, I'm here to see people challenging Markey about what he's doing and to see how he responds to those challenges.
This is a campaign rally, not a town hall. This is bullshit.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Ok, they're doing questions now, and they are indeed doing only prescreened questions.
I'm sure they're all going to be softballs.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

First question: checks and balances, from an AP History teacher.
Congress has the power of the purse.
The courts so far are defending checks and balances.
We don't know how this is going to play out.
I do know this… We're going to have to litigate.
So far it's tenuously holding.
But we also need to fight back in Congress and block block block. That's why I'm voting against every one of a Trump's things.
We're also going to need an uprising.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Second question: what are you going to do to protect the social safety net programs that my family depends on?
No good answer given, except perhaps that the state legislature will work to find funding to make up for any gaps created by cuts at the federal level.
Markey says that the cuts will affect everyone, red and blue states. I guess he's saying therefore the cuts won't be bad? That's a stupid answer.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Oh, I see, he's saying we need to reach out to Republicans in Congress and find a few who are willing to protect safety net programs because their states will be impacted too.
Yeah, good luck with that.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Next question: how are the jobs of federal workers going to be protected?
Musk is doing stupid shit.
I feel a special obligation to protect veterans.
We are not going to allow them to dismantle a system that was put in place to etc.
Great, tell us HOW you're going to keep them from dismantling those systems. HOW?
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Next question: what can be done to support Ukraine. This gets a standing ovation. The person asking the question calls Trump an Oval Office bully.
Markey says Putin is a dictator, Russia invaded Ukraine not the reverse, and what Trump and Vance are doing is absolutely irresponsible.
What we're going to do is block any cuts in aid to Ukraine.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

When Musk gives that salute, it's a permission slip for people in our country to say and do things that we have spent generations rooting out from our country.
It's wrong and it goes against our country values.
I will be there on the front lines in the Senate protecting funding for Ukraine.
(No specifics about how.)
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

Last question: what can we do if our electeds are already on our side?
You have friends. You have to use the social media to spread the word and let people know how they're going to be hurt.
Our job is to spread this revolutionary idea, which is being led by Massachusetts right now. [Name-checks Michelle Wu's testimony]
The more you talk to your friends all over the country, the more of a difference it makes.
Ok, I'll give him credit, this is good.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli

They lied, one more question. Person asking works in the green energy field, runs a small business. Ask their grants are frozen. How are they getting away with that? How are they stealing this funding?
How can we protect this important climate saving work?
Trump asked the fossil fuel companies for a billion dollars, said he would kill all the green energy programs if they paid up, they paid up so now he's doing it.
#EdMarkey #politics #USPol #MAPoli