Editor's Corner: Our representatives under attack

One of Madera County’s representatives in Congress, Rep. Tom McClintock, has lately been the target of harassment from Democrat activists trying to tie up his office phone lines so callers from the outside can’t get in.

The way this works is that bunches of these Dems get together and make call after call to McClintock’s office, and when they get through they make certain demands, such as that McClintock should hold town halls in his district to discuss issues which they support, such as what they call immigration reform; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning rights; global warming; and free health care for all.

If you live in the 4th District, which includes most of eastern Madera County, and you need to reach McClintock’s offices to conduct business or get information, good luck.

This effort by these so-called Democrats to tie up McClintock’s phones is nothing but harassment. It is being done to the offices of other valley Republicans in Congress as well.

It has been a rump Democrat tactic ever since Donald Trump won the presidency, defeating Hillary Clinton, who ran as favoring adoption of the issues they claim to support.

Why harass McClintock?

He is known as a congressional conservative whose interests lie in protecting the taxpayers, enforcing laws, etc. He does oppose Democrats on some issues, but he also opposes his fellow Republicans when he is at odds with their stands.

He is an intellectual who writes prolifically for conservative publications, particularly on economic subjects. He does hold town halls, but Democrat activists tend to get shouted down in those town halls when they attempt to take over discussions.

McClintock doesn’t encourage that; it just happens his constituents are by in large conservative in nature and have a short attention span for certain causes.

Rep. Devin Nunes of the 22nd District — the south-central San Joaquin Valley — and Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who represents the Kern County region, also have been attacked by these pseudo-Dem activists.

The activists have a right to express their opinions, but they’re doing a good job of making themselves look like idiots.

The Democrats I know don’t behave that way. In fact, many are embarrassed by the behavior of the activists — those trying to shut down congressional offices — and don’t know any of them.

Democratic Rep. Jim Costa, who also represents our county, doesn’t condone that behavior.

It makes one wonder who’s paying for all that time spent dialing telephones.