1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

It appears that Republican representatives recent video and t phone-in town halls are the new (tarnished) gold standard for constituent engagement—nothing says "we value your input" like dodging protesters and avoiding face-to-face interactions. Rep. Bill Huizenga's decision to host a phone-in session after demonstrators braved freezing temperatures outside his office is truly a masterclass in political cowardice. It’s particularly curious that, despite the public’s demand for real, in-person town hall meetings, many Republicans continue to ingloriously hide behind screens or phone lines. The idea of courageously facing their constituents—hearing their concerns firsthand, and not just from a curated, safe distance—seems to be too much to handle. But let’s stop not pretend that a quick video or phone call is the same as meaningful face-to-face dialogue. I mean that pesky inconvenience of direct accountability has little meaning when you host a digital echo chamber.