The congregation assembles for liberal worship

Your Intrepid Squire was roundly booed Wednesday night. Hissed at and catcalled. He had whacked the wasp nest inhabited by Madison’s bien pensants by daring to challenge their liberal-progressive-socialist hegemony.

Five hundred true Madisonians and other Second District dark blues had assembled at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, the very Joseph-Conrad-est heart of Leftism on University Avenue, to wage their faux French Resistance against the Republican ascendance, protest signs at the ready. On the altar, an empty chair asked: “Where is Senator Ron Johnson?”

So, of course, Your Squire walked where angels dare not to the head of the line in front of the microphone. Clear of voice, intent in purpose, Blaska bellowed into the microphone: Please, Senator Johnson, continue your support of Betsy DeVos and education reform.

Thunder and damnation! Pandemonium! Snakes in the auditorium!  Such opprobrium had not been heard since Ted Cruz urged the Republican delegates in Cleveland to vote their conscience. Blaska tightened his grip on the microphone. He suggested that the sturm un drang around him suggested that Senator Johnson chose wisely in leaving the chair empty.

Didn’t we just have an election?

Oh these Madisonians loves them their government monopoly, teachers union-controlled public schools!

Unlike most Town Halls, this one was organized by the resistance rather than by the legislator. Like many of them this month, the Left came with rhetorical pitchforks. (Sen. Tom Cotton hears from the Libs in Arkansas. Yes, Arkansas has libs.) In so doing, they took a page from the Tea Party (which, back in the day, Nancy Pelosi insisted was astroturf, not grass roots).

Speakers to come Wednesday at the church would vow that various loved ones were alive only through the tender ministrations of ObamaCare so please don’t repeal it and why can’t we be more like Canada? Immigration fevered many of the minds. Amnesty International was well represented. The party of Alger Hiss professed to newfound fear of the Russkies. The Democratic Socialists of America made an appearance. Global warming, global warming. Former alderman and Capital Times propagandist Anita Weir urged the Constitution be invoked to declare Donald Trump crazier than a mad hatter. This seemed to revive the spirits of our spirited losers.

Anticipating all this yet to come, Your Humble Bloggeur — missionary to the misguided — reminded the nabobs of a particular date, one that no doubt lives … in INFAMY! among our disgruntled acquaintances. That date being Tuesday, November 8, 2016. All of this — ObamaCare, immigration, Trump, RoJo — were on the ballot. The people of Wisconsin spoke. Hillary and Saint Russ of Feingold lost. Again.

As would be said at a sports event, “Scoreboard.”

Jay Heck of Common Cause was waiting to lay out his well worn case that gerrymandering had deprived the people of Madison their rightful place at the Big Table. (Such talk is more soothing to the Left than a Garrison Keillor monologue.) I’d heard it before (and gave Mr. Heck holy hell at a debate on the subject) and so made for the Exit. While so doing, one speaker mentioned the Hallowed Name of Blaska. Righteous anger filled her sails. The lady glared as she walked past; The Squire — gracious as always — gave her thumbs up. Participation Trophy.

Then he took his leave — but not before bowing ostentatiously from the waist, with a graceful sweep of the hand. The expected applause was not forthcoming. Still, Senator Johnson, you should have been there!

I received this missive just now:

I was the MC at the Town Hall last night and I wanted to apologize for the booing and jeering that was directed your way. Although I see on your website that your intent in attended the event was to “spoil the party” it was my intent that the event be civilized. While you and I would probably disagree on many issues, I imagine we can both agree that we want America to be at its best and that civic engagement through voting and constructive discourse is an essential part of making America great.

You are likely aware that Senator Baldwin has not scheduled a Town Hall either. I personally will be pushing her staff to schedule one. And if she does not, then I will likely schedule one for her. You are more than welcome to attend.

Sincerely,

Adam Wood

It’s a little hard to hear but here I am: