We all know how few and far between Congresswoman Kristi Noem's open public meetings have been. South Dakota's lone U.S. House member hasn't advertised a public listening session since May (and hasty notice of those May meetings came only after press attention to the Congresswoman's rather tardy invitations to these meetings). Rep. Noem staged two show trials of federal officials and policy this summer, but she's made very few interactive public appearances lately.
I did invite the Congresswoman to an open forum in Madison during the August recess. Noem's people told me she couldn't make the date I proposed. When I proposed another date, I heard nothing back.
Noem is, however, working really hard to soothe the rattled nerves of Tea Party activists. She has worn the patience of Teabaggers by distancing herself from the Tea brand and cozying up to the Washington establishment. Last week, the Congresswoman planned a breakfast with Citizens for Liberty, Barb Lindberg's poorly organized and thus mostly ineffective Rapid City Tea Party group. Now my tingly grapevine informs me that Rep. Noem is sending Brad Otten, her West River field rep, to talk with Bill Napoli's conservative wingnut lunch group in Rapid City later this month. Otten will address a number of disappointed conservatives' concerns about Noem's voting record, which has fallen far short of the short of government-destroying fire-and-brimstone the wingnuts may have hoped for when they gave Noem her narrow victory last November.
Now I can understand that Congress keeps a person busy, and there's a lot of ground for a South Dakota Representative to cover. But skipping public town halls all summer long and then focusing so much attention on extreme conservative groups in the fall makes me wonder about Rep. Noem's priorities. Of all the things she could be worried about, I might conclude from her tea-fawning that her greatest concern at the moment is that hyper-conservative impatience could boil up into a primary challenge.
South Dakotans have learned that Rep. Noem is just another Mostly Ineffective Lindberg Fawner.
I would like to hear Troy Jones give one example of a truely open public town hall like Thune held in brandon a while back.
Noem is not accessable to her constituents who have concerns about the biggest issues she voted on in DC.
I will admit that I agreed with Noem about SHS not holding town halls when Obamacare was being discussed.
Now Noem is pulling the same darn thing with her constituents about Medicare, Debt ceiling etc. Oh yeah but she will hold meetings for pine beetles, flooding and education if you presubmit your question to a staffer to screen it.
In Representative Noem's defense, a week or so ago I participated in a telephone question and answer session with her. Actually got to ask her a question and many people asked a question and were allowed to ask follow on questions. Listened for almost 2 hours until other committments forced me to hang up.
Have not spoken to Senator Johnson in years.
Voted for SHS.
Joseph G Thompson
When she voted for Boehner's plan to only make one eighth enough cuts to balance budget with no tax increases she proved she is not there to balance the budget.
And Joseph, when do these telephone town halls take place? When does Kristi give notice they are happening so working folks can make plans to attend?
I have no idea how her staff identifies telephone numbers to call, my wife said she saw a notice of it in the Argus Leader. Was laughing at me because I was not aware of it and she was(I'm political she is not).
Call was received at 6:oo PM on a Monday or Tuesday evening. Many "working folks" were at home as evidenced by the number of questioners.
Wish now that I had stayed on the line to see how long she actually took questions and provided answers. Like I said in the earlier post was at least 2 hours.
I am a pretty critical person as you well know, but I think she is fairly accessable Representative. You don't have to agree with her political stands but I do think it is unfair to describe her as un accessable or unwilling to hear from her constitutes.
Just my opinion.
Joseph G Thompson