Summer Break Hide-n-Seek: Can you find your Politician?
Do you know if your Congressional members are holding ‘Town Halls’ over the August recess?
All members of Congress should be holding ‘Town Halls’ over the next few weeks. Dysfunctional leadership doesn’t get paid to play golf or sit on the beach while millions of Americans are out of work and layoffs continue to happen every day. Who gets five weeks of vacation?
Start reviewing your Congressional employee’s web sites to find out where and when you can track them down and ask questions.
My Congressman, Rep. Tom Cole, has a list of Town Halls on his site for August. This month I attended an event at the Cowboy Hall of Fame Museum in which Rep. Cole gave a very good, well-written speech. (FYI, many political events are not free – I paid $50 to attend this event.)
Two things that bothered me the most about this political event and other political events I’ve attended:
- The Three P’s: No Pledge – No Prayer – No Pride for our Military
- I didn’t’ get to meet/speak to him; he was given the “Rock Star Treatment” like most politicians.
Still overall, Rep. Cole seems to have it together and he’s actually one that I wouldn’t want to vote out. Is he perfect? No–but the again, no one else is either.
Reviewing the August plans of a few other members was a little bit more interesting.
Congressman Kurt Schrader –No Show to work? I didn’t find any Town Hall meetings scheduled on his web site. I wonder what he’s doing for the next 20+ days? Like most other Americans, I have to work 12 hrs+ just to pay him and I don’t even have time to call his office to find out where he is hiding…
Congressman Tom McClintock, on the other hand, announced his August Town Hall Meetings schedule right on the front of his web site. He’s going to show up for work—and that’s more than we can say for some of the others.
McClintock says, “I try to get back to the District every week, glad to be spending more time here during recess. It’s hugely helpful in staying connected with folks, and staying grounded. You can lose your perspective real quick being in Washington too long.”
Rep. Peter A. DeFazio has one of the best ‘Town Hall’ Schedules I’ve reviewed so far. Ironically, he’s a Democrat who lives in a very ‘safe district’ and really has no reason to hold Town Hall meetings; he could be on vacation for all five weeks and no one would notice.
Sen. Tom Colburn’s schedule—or as it turns out, complete lack thereof–was very disappointing. I called his office and told his staff member I was writing an article about various Congressmen’s August speaking schedules and asked about Rep. Colburn’s. I was told Rep. Colburn’s schedule “wasn’t available yet”. He and his staff have known that that August is time to spend with Americans back in their districts–and they don’t have it posted? Unacceptable.
My next Town Hall this month will be with Congressman James Lankford and I strongly encourage you to find out about a Town Hall near you and attend. Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions; after all, we are their bosses and it’s up to all of us to hold them accountable.
