(WSB video of Rep. Jayapal’s Town Hall)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal wanted to know who was in the audience at her West Seattle town-hall meeting last night, so she began with a few questions for the full-house crowd at The Hall at Fauntleroy.

Any federal employees furloughed or fearing furloughs, or fired since the White House changed occupants? About a half dozen people stood up.

Any researchers, health care workers, others affected by cuts and policy changes? “Stand and let us give you some love.” Even more people stood up.

Any immigrants, or people who know an immigrant affected by “this administration’s horrific anti-immigrant policies?” Several stood.

Finally, she invited anyone who considered themselves “a concerned citizen … ready to do whatever it takes to take back our democracy” to rise – and the whole room stood.

Jayapal, in her fifth two-year term as U.S. House Representative for Washington’s 7th District, which includes our area, is a West Seattle resident. She noted, however, that while she’s held 125 town halls, she hasn’t had one in her home neighborhood in a while, so they arranged it: “We are in community together and we will get through this.”

Her primary topic was the federal-government shutdown, now entering its fourth week, though she added that it was “Day 32 of (House Speaker) Mike Johnson sending us home instead of taking votes.” She insisted the Democratic members of Congress are holding their ground on their primary demand for breaking the impasse, restoration of health-insurance tax credits. She also threw in a big dig at what she called the “Big Bad Betrayal Bill … that stripped (money) from Medicaid and supercharged ICE … since that bill we have only been in session for 20 days … while the country is suffering, instead of doing the work of Congress, we are not in session.”

While each party blames the other for the impasse, Jayapal insisted that if one party controls the government, it’s their job to negotiate with the other party to reach an agreement. And she said people in Republican-controlled states will be hurt by the loss of the tax credits too: “80 percent of (people who use them) are in states Donald Trump won … 60 percent of births in (Speaker Johnson’s) state are covered by Medicaid … it’s difficult to understand how Republicans continue to vote for things that are going to deeply hurt their constituents.” Although, she added, there’s the occasional outlier – currently U.S. House Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia).

For the Republicans who are trying to say they don’t have to address the health-insurance situation now, they’ll fix it later, too late, Jayapal declared – people are getting notices right now about the rising premiums. She also took on what she says is another lie that Republicans are telling, that Democrats are seeking funding for health care for undocumented immigrants: “Let me be clear, that is not on the table, it’s never been a proposal that’s on the table.”

Then there’s the faction contending they just have to approve a “clean continuing resolution.” Jayapal said that means “non-partisan” and that what’s on the table right now “is a continuation of the partisan budget” approved earlier. She ticked through a list of other concerns, from nutrition-program cuts – “this is the richest country in the world and people are going hungry” – to energy-grant cancellations – to Project 2025 (“this is what we’re seeing in action .. the people he installed are all the people who wrote it”) – to the U.S. Supreme Court (“MAGA-corrupted justices”) – to Speaker Johnson’s refusal to swear in Arizona’s recently elected U.S. House member, a Democrat.

Moving on to address the president sending troops and/or National Guardsmen into cities such as Portland, she noted that some judges have ruled against it, and cited what she said were quotes from rulings, such as:

-Judge in Portland: “This is a nation of constitutional law, not martial law.”
-Judge in Chicago: “Oolitical opposition is not rebellion”

The recent rappeling raid of a Chicago apartment complex is “beyond anything I ever could have imagined,” she said, especially as “one of only two dozen naturalized citizens to serve in the US Congress … this is not the couhtry that America is supposed to be … not the country that we are.” She said a majority of those detained do not have criminal records, adding, “in the US, it is not a crime to be undocumented,” it’s a civil violation.

Jayapal said that “if we take back the House” she will chair the committee dealing with immigration, and she is having “shadow hearings” in Illinois in a few days.

Ultimately, she said, “The most important check and balance the founders built in (when setting up the nation) is you… (the first check) Congress failed … (the second check) the courts are teetering … the only remaining check is the people. What you do matters.”

After speaking for 36 minutes, Jayapal moved on to Q&A, getting through 16 open-mic questions/comments in the ensuing hour:

-A federal employee worried about potential furlough
-Someone overwhelmed by daily “outrageous proposals” emanating from the White House (“pick a few things to work on,” Jayapal advised)
-Are our electeds really ready for possible federal troops? Yes, said Jayapal
-A DACA recipient brought here as a baby, worried about removal
-A mental-health counselor who can’t afford health insurance for their own employees
-Someone wondering why no nationwide protests against corporations “who folded”? (Jayapal said she thought “Tesla Takedowns” were “effective)
-Why is president cutting education, nutrition $? (Jayapal said education should be seen as “an investment.”)
-Concern about treaties with indigenous nations being at risk
-Renters’ rights (Jayapal said one solution is for more federal investment in building housing)
-Frustration with “how ineffective the Democratic Party has been … we are where we are because the Republican Party is horrendous but also because the Democratic Party has been so ineffective” … Jayapal said she didn’t disagree but that it’s time to work for change, not to just “throw up our hands.”
-Concern that staffing cuts in programs helping disadvantaged people are rendering those programs impossible to administer
-Medication is too expensive
-Ongoing concern about Gaza (Jayapal said “the genocide is continuing” because not enough aid trucks can get in)
-Gratitude for Jayapal’s “Resistance Lab” program
-Medicare Advantage shouldn’t be allowed to have “Medicare” in its name (Jayapal, a longtime MA critic, said she agreed)
-For the Democrats to hold the line is “defense” when “we need offense” – how can local organizations be better partners? (Jayapal said she agrees and that “structural changes” are necessary “when we take back the House and Senate and White House,” such as Supreme Court expansion and getting rid of the filibuster).

She ended by telling the crowd, “Don’t give up, we can do this!” and then stayed a while for photo ops with attendees.