Intern Kristi Noem is holding a real public meeting tonight in Brandon! Whoo-hoo! Unlike her "Aren't We Special" closed meeting with Madison's elites yesterday, this town hall at the Brandon Valley Performing Arts Center is open to anyone who wants to attend. That means you!
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. tonight with an opening address from Noem. Then, says organizer and Brandon Ward 3 Alderman Bob Bruning, he'll turn the microphone over to the public to ask questions.
Questions, people. Questions for Kristi Noem! Go ask your Congresswoman stuff! Like...
- Why did you vote to kill Medicare?
- Will you vote to end farm subsidies?
- Along with Medicare, what specific programs have you voted to cut to balance the budget, and why? (We know the answer to the first half; let's see if Kristi can finally answer it.)
- Do you think it is irresponsible of President Obama to make our tax burden lower than any President has since Eisenhower when we're facing such a huge deficit? (yes, this is a trick question)
- Who is your internship supervisor?
- Do you support earmarks or not?
- Why did you support a budget deal for this year that only cut $350 million from federal spending, not the $38 billion you and Speaker Boehner bragged about?
- How many donations did you get from your Laguna Beach cocktail party friends?
- What programs would you recommend to replace the women's health services that will be lost if you succeed in defunding Planned Parenthood?
- Have you or your family used your government health insurance yet? Has it required you to throw your mother under a bus?
That's my short list, but I know you, dear readers: you're a creative lot! You can come up with better than that! Think up some questions, bring some sources to refer to, and pack the house at the Brandon Valley Performing Arts Center tonight, starting at 6:30 p.m.!
Bonus Brandon Boosterism: Alderman Bruning is thrilled to have the opportunity to show off Brandon to our most famous intern, and he's eager to bring Senators Thune and Johnson to town in the near future for similar open town halls. "We're now the 12th largest city in South Dakota," Bruning says in the Brandon Challenger. "No. 12 in South Dakota - that's somebody[!]"
Reporter Jill Meier didn't use an exclamation point, but I would have, and I bet Bob did. Go get 'em, Bob!
I like more of a "would you put a cap on farm subsidy payments" because other wise you give her the out of saying, "many small farmers depend on those subsidy payments"
{CAH: Good point, Joe! That's why we put our heads together and think up these questions ahead of time. Other suggestions, folks?}
And now for a little experiment. For the next five minutes (or as long as it takes me to write my answers to the 10 questions posed above), Stan Gibilisco is your representative in Washington.
1. I didn't, and I wouldn't.
2. Farm subsidies should be based on proven need.
3. I wouldn't vote for or against any specific cuts. Instead, I'd introduce a bill for a constitutional amendment requiring that we balance the federal budget year-by-year, except in case of emergencies (natural disaster, war, etc.) declared by 2/3 majorities in both the House and the Senate.
4. Yes.
5. Alfred E. Neumann.
6. No.
7. Did I do that? Shame on me.
8. Not a single one. I don't drink alcohol. I was snorkeling in one of those wonderful coves they have out there, and I missed the party altogether.
9. Unbiased sex education, but not before the eighth grade.
10. I have not taken advantage of the government health insurance program. I turned it down and kept my DakotaCare policy instead.
eighth grade, Stan? you don't have kids, right?
Anybody remember the advice Tea Baggers got when the town halls on health care were going on....
Here's a refresher for the history impaired Republicans that visit the site.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/tea-party-town-hall-strategy-rattle-them-stand-up-and-shout.php
Anybody know why SDWC scrubbed the "Paying taxes is NOT patriotic" post. Damn, they jumped the shark so well and now we can't even see it in all of its glory.
{CAH: What?! Scrubbed that post? Nertz! I put a really good comment there! Actually, they were having some software trouble yesterday; it could be a technical glitch. We shall see....}
Larry,
How did you know?
urp. Sorry. Go, Two Socks; they are as stars in the midnight sky.
Joe and Cory, No wiggle room on farm subsidies-just eliminate them period. That also includes federal crop insurance. The few dollars in direct payments is minute compared to the run up in land costs caused by large grain operators receiving federal assistance(call it welfare if you wish). The road block to beginning farmers is the unfair competition for land access.
Charliie- I'm not disagreeing with you on what should be done, but I hear every congress member from the heartland talk about the small farmer who depends on them, well if thats the case lets at least put caps on them.
I know I'm late to the game, but does $25 million to the rebels in Libya count as an earmark?
Even Palin and Hanity are going nuts over the bill Noem and her GOP supporters signed.
Palin is going to be a big thorn in the GOP ladder climbers like Noem. Noem better start following through on some of her campaign promises.
$358 Million sounds like a pretty poor effort if the GOP media outlets are saying it is so and it shows the GOP elected officials are not on the same page with their base.