Kristi Noem didn't make the cut for the debt super committee. Whew! Now that our Congresswoman knows she won't have to spend the August recess studying all those really hard numbers, maybe she can focus on scheduling some public events to get in touch with her constituents.
Alas, Kristi's calendar is still distressingly empty, with no updates since May. This hiding from the public is starting to border on gross incompetence. If I were Congressman, I'd have assigned a staffer and an intern (or, if I were Kristi, a staffer and myself) back in May to start calling chambers of commerce and county party officials to start scheduling August events. I'd have two or three public events five days a week all through August. I'd publish them on my calendar and in a big press release to every daily and weekly and blogger in the state by July 31 so that everybody and their ugly sister could look ahead and plan to come bend my ear at an event that fit their busy August schedules.
Perhaps our Congresswoman can make time for the common person on August 18 by dropping her Minnehaha Country Club fundraiser with Speaker of the House John Boehner. Seriously, Kristi, are you sure you want to be associated with Speaker Boehner? Since you went to work in Washington, your boss's popularity has dropped 31 points. Speaker Boehner is now as unpopular as Nancy Pelosi. Public Policy Polling finds Democrats nationwide hold an advantage in Congressional races; hanging around an unpopular speaker may only make matters worse for you.
Think about it, Kristi: The only event on your calendar right now is a swanky breakfast and photo op with a wildly unpopular Speaker of the House. Is that really the ball and chain you want to lug around in 2012? Don't you think you should hurry up and add some public meetings to your August 18 Sioux Falls itinerary... like, yesterday?!
I am really dissappointed that Noem hasn't held any meetings with the public on Medicare or the Debt Ceiling.
It isn't as if she hasn't had time since she's held flooding, education and pine beetle gatherings.
I don't like the way Noem is being handled by Josh Shields and Jordan Stoick.
She is not open to the public on the major issues being discussed in DC. She is not acting as the people's representative by avoiding these meetings.
Noem is more than capable of articulating her position as a conservative. It's about time she shows us that.
I am getting a case of daja vu here. Didn't we say the same thing about SHS and the Obama care hearings?
MC,
Perhaps you did.
That being said, I am getting really tired of political discussions that boil down to "Our girl may be lame, worthless and out of touch but yours is .00000000001% worse." I hope to hold on to that sentiment when Noem is replaced by someone of the other party.
The fact is Noem should have more open meetings. I honestly don't remember how many Herseth had or did not have during the health care debate.
I do remember that many congresspersons were exposed to vitriol during that recess and I would urge Noem's opponents to me more respectful to her than many Tea Party folk were to those who congresspersons who supported health care reform.
I hope that the country and state can have actual political debates that move beyond talking points and "what can pass" to "what's actually good for the country." That debate won't happen if everything comes back to "your politican sucks worse than my politicain"
Sorry for the rant. I'm just really cranky today.
Boehners cuts were half of Rieds and one fourth of Obama's proposal. How can he impress either teapartiers of anyone else who wants the budget balanced. He is a political bully but not capable of rational solutions. But then he grew up in a bar, what do you expect. The Christian right did not look much at his background. Even his brothers and sisters claim they are not 'like him'.
I was mad at Herseth for avoiding constituents from Dakota Fest through the election.
Noem campaigned on Herseth avoiding constituents.
Now where was she during the Medicare debate and the debt ceiling debate??? Holding meetings on pine beetle's and education rather than the issues she is actually voting on in DC.
Paul Ryan held town halls and listened to voters. he articulated his position. Noem does not.
Plus if it is as Noem would say "the people's house" than why aren't "the people" invited.
The simple truth is South Dakota is an easy buy for the corporations in a post Citizens United world. Noem doesn't need to curry favor at this stage because she will have all the money she needs in the absence of a very strong ground game against her.
Are we Dems capable of taking it to her, no matter what she does or doesn't do, with a possible 4 to 1 (or more) spending imbalance? I honestly don't know.