Cops kick Eric Cantor's constituents out of hotel room they rented

This has been a dispiriting August for those of us who embrace democratic principles. Members of Congress refuse to meet with their constituents, kick them out of their offices, ban cameras, charge admission to meet with them, even circulate watch lists of people who criticize them.

This is not what democracy looks like.

It may well be that members of Congress have gotten used to the police-state atmosphere of the Capitol. Heavily armed guards surround the building, the plaza in front is often filled with police vehicles and scary looking black SUVs, and you can't even walk into the building any more without a pass or a guide. There's a new subterranean "Visitor's Center" where the riff-raff constituents have to enter; it ought to be called the "Servants' Entrance."

But the latest episode really takes the cake. It's brought to us by DailyKos:

This August, Eric Cantor's congressional office did not hold any town hall events for his constituents. Instead, yesterday his campaign hosted a "Cantor Advisory Council Meeting," which is a quarterly event designed primarily for his supporters. Cantor describes the advisory councils as being "open to the public," but this one was only advertised on a local tea party website. Additionally, media are barred from attending the events.

Sensing an opportunity to confront Eric Cantor over the lack of congressional action on jobs, over 200 local activists led by Progress Virginia and Virginia Organizing rented the ballroom above the one in which the advisory council was being held. However, about an hour before the meeting was scheduled to begin, hotel management appeared with a large police presence and told the activists to leave.

"Hotel management told us we had to leave immediately," saod Anna Scholl of Progress Virginia. Scholl added that about a dozen sheriff's deputies accompanied hotel management to make the demand.

Blue Virginia brings us the video of the rally they held in the parking lot instead. Somehow we can't link to Blue Virginia. Wondering if we should be suspicious....

Oh, and if you're not famliar with Eric Cantor, he's the House Majority Leader who wants to destroy America -- but we guarantee he'll save the banks at all cost.