I attended one of the “listening sessions” for the new health care (HR3200) bill that Congressman Steve Kagen was holding. I went to the one in Green Bay, WI on Monday night August 3. The room was so full I was unable to get directly into it to see what was going on but I sure could hear it. I later saw video of it on the evening news and also on FOX television.
I am concerned. The crowd was boisterous and clearly angry. They regularly would shout down the Congressman. I appreciate the anger. I too am angry. Yet….I think we need to state our positions respectfully or we can be too easily labeled as “radical” or “right wing extremists”. I believe that conservatives can win the debate on the issues and we ought to stay focused on them. By letting the Congressman speak, we allow his ideas to speak for themselves and that is good for us and our position.
I also believe that we should have respect for the office of Congressman itself. Respect often fosters more respect. Clearly stated healthy debate is good for all stakeholders. So let me encourage all of us to speak our minds forcefully yet respectfully. I disagree with Congressman Kagen on many issues. I feel that it is fair to do so, but I refuse to name call, shout down, or belittle him as a person. I will show him the respect he’s earned by being elected for two terms to the office and I do it because I believe it is the right thing to do. I learned in Sunday school as a child “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” – and that’s not a bad reminder.
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I’ll go along with you to a point. In a large crowd when only a small number of the people will have an opportunity to ask questions, are the rest to sit on their hands with their mouths shut? Is the Congressman to leave knowing only the opinions of those lucky enough to have been chosen to ask questions?
I was also in Green Bay and under the circumstances I thought the crowd behavior was understandable. Kagens responses were typically evasive and sometimes downright inacurate. He was defending a bill that is an obvious assault on our liberties, which a growing majority of us do not approve of but which congress seems intent on forcing on us anyway.
The congressman is not doing a good job of representing his constituents, and they were doing their best to make that fact clear to him, I suspect however, that he did not get the point. Perhaps if the Congressman wants to be treated with more respect he should cause us to feel as though we are being respected.
David, these are all really good points and I agree with you on most. True communication does take two sides doesn’t it? What I was trying to convey in my blog is the idea that both sides need to listen to each other. In this case, since the congressman was here to listen to his constituents, well I guess he had a chance. But did the yelling and shouting accomplish anything? It seems like it caused him to just dig in his heels and become even more stubborn. So did that help? We all might feel better because we expressed our outrage but then nothing changed.
Like I said, I am angry too. That’s why I am putting everything I do at risk to run for office. I hope that during this campaign I can set aside some of the emotion and really listen to people. Left and right, and try to make sure that even when we disagree we all leave with the thought that at least our opinions have been heard and just maybe some good ideas will come forward to help us balance the federal budget, reduce the debt and secure the futures of our children and grand children.
To your point about the congressman showing respect to the audience. Of course I agree with you. So what should our response be to that? Hopefully to make a change and support condidates in the future who will act consistent with the consitituents interests. I want to be that type of representative and I hope to earn your vote. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. I am listening.
Congressman Kagen was interviewed on NPR yesterday, he claims that the crowd at Green Bay was there at the behest of some higher organizing authority, and expressed regret that he was unable to “educate” us. There is no good explanation for that opinion. At Green Bay he was asked repeatedly to explain his vote in favor of cap & trade when members of his staff admitted that calls and emails were running 5 to 1 against it, obviously he could not provide an explanation acceptable to the audience. What you saw in Green Bay, and elsewhere, was the release of much pent up frustration. What Congressman Kagen saw were ignorant obstacles.
I suspect that the majority of eighth district constituents will be looking for an alternative in 2010, I know I am. I will be watching your blog, and looking forward to reading about your policy positions.
On listening, right now I do not want you to listen to me. I do not want you to be able to tell me what you think I want to hear. I want to listen to you. I want to know who you are, what you think about what is right and wrong, good and bad, what your vision for our future is. I want to know enough about you to be able to predict how you will vote on any given issue.
I will be listening…..and voting.
This week Rep. Kagen clearly demonstrated he is completely out of touch with voters in the 8th district.
First he schedules “listening sessions” in venues that have minimal capacity so hundreds were turned away at the door. His staff said the turnout was “unexpected”. We are given to believe that neither Rep. Kagen nor his staff had heard anything about massive turnouts across the county. They are either ignorant or contemptuous of 8th district voters.
I am not a registered Democrat or Republican. I attended the “listening session” in Green Bay on 3 August and was fortunate to have arrived early enough to be granted entrance (I sat on the floor). I recognized a number of local citizens but failed to see any Community Organizers.
I and the people around me were there because we thought “listening session” meant that Rep. Kagen actually intended to listen to his constituents. Unfortunately, Rep Kagen’s idea was that we were there to listen to him lecture us. Even more outrageous was the condescending and pandering manner in which he spoke. A lady near me commented that it sounded like a kindergarten teacher reasoning with 5-year olds. This did not sit well with the audience. People quickly became frustrated when it became apparent that Rep. Kagen was not there to listen. He handled it poorly.
The quote in the August 5th Press-Gazette article exposes Rep. Kagen as a political elitist: “There was a sufficient amount of anger there,” he said, “as if the referee made the wrong call in a Packer game. I don’t think the people of northeast Wisconsin would behave that way spontaneously.”
It is clear from this quote that Rep. Kagen believes his 8th district constituents would never question what he and the political elite are doing to us, our economy and our country. We are NOT the docile sheep that Rep. Kagen believes us to be. He has spent way too much time with the political elite in the rarified atmosphere of Washington D.C.
Congress rushed through the stimulus package and told us that quick passage would mean unemployment would not get above 8%. Unemployment is now 9.5% or higher in the 8th. Congress rushed through Cap & Trade that will further increase unemployment and dramatically increase energy costs for all of us. Now they want to rush through a health care scheme that the country cannot afford and destroy a medical care system that the vast majority of US citizens like.
Is it any wonder that people are replying with a resounding no?
David, thank you for your thoughtful response. I am anxious to talk about the issues and will continue to add more information here so people like you can get to know me.
I am not perfect. Just a regular citizen frustrated enough to, as my adult children say “put some skin in the game” and effect change. I talk about listening to you and other constituents because I feel that there is much to learn; and I do think it fair for you to get to understand me and learn how I am most likely to vote. I do have opinions on how to improve things and will be sharing them soon. Please stay tuned.
John, out of touch may be the best way to describe his voting record. I would like to ask this question of the congressman – “Do you really believe that the values of Nancy Pelosi are the same as our values? If not, then why do you insist on voting with her on almost every issue?
His vote on cap and trade will most certainly cost jobs and raise expenses for Wisconsin businesses. I don’t understand that vote at all.
Thank you John for taking to the time to share your thoughts with me.