Tag: Rep. Paulsen

Erik Paulsen: Bold Immigration Reformer or Midterm Election Opportunist?

This week, Erik Paulsen joined a coalition of 20 of the most vulnerable house republicans in a stated effort to persuade House GOP leadership to take a vote on the Deferred Action Childhood Arrival (DACA) program. Paulsen’s sudden interest in DACA starkly defies his own well-established voting record on immigration. While the midterms might compel Paulsen to project an empathetic stance, his own record reveals this performative 180° degree turn as last-ditch attempt to persuade angry voters in Minnesota’s Third Congressional District that this issue is one that actually matters to him.

Unfortunately for Paulsen, it’s far too late for this leopard to change his spots on immigration; here are 6 examples of Representative Erik Paulsen efforts that have harmed immigrant families and communities: Continue reading “Erik Paulsen: Bold Immigration Reformer or Midterm Election Opportunist?”

After 2,459 Days, Rep. Paulsen to Finally Hold Small Town Halls

We’ve just become aware of three town halls Rep. Paulsen will be holding on May 30, 2018. The locations will be small, tickets must be requested in advance and a photo ID must be presented before a ticket holder will be allowed into the town hall.

  • May 30, 9:45 AM — Hamel, MN.  No location specifics provided. Request a ticket here.
  • May 30, 1:45 PM — Chanhassen, MN.  No location specifics provided. Request a ticket here.
  • May 30, 6:45 PM — Brooklyn Park, MN. No location specifics provided. Request a ticket here.

This sounds similar to the type of limited town hall Rep. Lewis has recently held. And, they will be Wednesday of Memorial Day weekend when many people are either still out of town on vacation or catching up at work and unable to take time away. So, not a true town hall, but some constituents will still have a chance to gain access to their representative in Congress.

Paulsen’s moderate badge is a misnomer

To the editor:

Alice Seagren’s May 3 letter to the Bloomington Sun Current endorsed Rep. Erik Paulsen for Congress.

Paulsen seeks re-election in the Nov. 6 midterm election. Paulsen’s DFL-endorsed challenger is Dean Phillips, a District 3 businessman who is running against Paulsen’s voting record.

Seagren writes that Paulsen is not a partisan, that he is a moderate. The word moderate is a misnomer. There is nothing non-partisan about Paulsen. He has voted with President Trump’s agenda 97 percent of the time according to fivethirtyeight.com’s “Tracking Congress in the Age of Trump.” Continue reading “Paulsen’s moderate badge is a misnomer”

How are progressives misleading in opposing Paulsen?

To the editor:

Please, Sean Boylan, tell me how I and other “progressives” have engaged in misleading or dishonest tactics as we work to support the candidacy of Dean Phillips to replace Erik Paulsen who, among other actions, voted to undermine efforts to provide health care to everyone, who voted for tax breaks for companies that are now buying back their own stocks to further enrich the 1 percent, who voted to allow gun owners from states with less strict laws to roam free in those states with more stringent ownership standards, voted to weaken tools used to conduct background checks, voted to eliminate protection of surface waters in mining districts, and who voted to scrap many consumer protections that were implemented following the 2008 financial crisis.

What is misleading or dishonest about our demanding that Erik Paulsen stand before an open meeting of his constituents and try to justify his votes on these and other matters that are of great concern to of most of us in the 3rd Congressional District? Continue reading “How are progressives misleading in opposing Paulsen?”

Rep. Paulsen’s Staff Refuses to Hear from Constituents

I recently called the D.C. office of my U.S. representative, Erik Paulsen, to express my opinion about cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in the farm bill. I identified myself and my ZIP code and proceeded to register my objections to SNAP cuts, citing the problem of hunger in Minnesota for adults and children.

The staffer listened until I said “in light of Mr. Paulsen’s votes on tax reductions, we will be watching his vote to restrict food programs for the hungry.” The phone clicked: I was hung up on! I immediately dialed back and asked why. The staffer said he did not hang up on me; we had said our goodbyes. I said that was not true and asked his name. No response. I stated my right to express my opinion and asked his name. Again, no response. We were still connected, but there was no sound coming from his end. I suspect he muted the line and set the phone down.

At no point did I raise my voice or say anything disrespectful to him or about Paulsen.

Mr. Paulsen is not truly my representative in Congress if he and his staff will not listen to my opinions. Sad to say, but my treatment on the phone from his staff is consistent with Paulsen’s avoidance of constituent town halls. The citizens of the Third Congressional District deserve better.

Rebecca Monson, Plymouth
StarTribune, May 18, 2018

Paulsen’s polls are limited in scope

I received Congressman Erik Paulsen’s most recent Paulsen Post (April 29) in my inbox Monday morning. In it were the results of a poll given during one of his “telephone townhalls,” which aren’t townhalls at all, by the way, but I digress. The poll was this:

“Do you believe Independent Counsel Robert Mueller should be able to complete his investigation?”

  • 60 percent Yes
  • 17 percent No
  • 23 percent Undecided

Because I have never been given the opportunity to participate in one of Paulsen’s undemocratic telephone townhalls, despite my being a constituent of Minnesota Congressional District 3, my position doesn’t get registered. My vote doesn’t get counted in his “results.” Shouldn’t any constituent who wants to get to participate Paulsen’s polls and “telephone townhalls” for that matter? Why aren’t the polls open to the entire 3rd District public? Congressman Paulsen’s lack of transparency on all fronts is incredibly disturbing and renders him an untrustworthy representative.

Laura Brubaker, Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie News website, May 6, 2018

Agree that voters have clear choice

I am writing in response to an article from a writer who suggested that voters should embrace Rep. Erik Paulsen for his support of recent tax cuts while warning that any support of Democrats in the mid-term elections would result in the stifling of the truth about what is happening in Washington (“Candidate will follow marching orders,” April 19).

I completely agree with the writer when he points out that voters will have a clear choice this fall between Rep. Paulsen and Democratic Dean Phillips.

I found it amusing that the writer pointed out that he had attended a town hall meeting in which he felt that Dean Phillips had not adequately answered a question. What a novel idea, candidates holding town hall meetings with the citizens of their district.

But then, I am certain that they have never attended at town hall meeting with Rep. Paulsen, because he refuses to hold them. The writer met with and asked questions to Mr. Phillips, while our own congressional representative refuses to give citizens that same opportunity.

It is often hard to keep track of all the different investigations that are going on at once because of the ethics issues and open corruption of this administration. And the reader wants us to believe that we should support Rep. Paulsen so that he and the current administration can continue to do wonderful things for the citizens of the Third District.

There is a reason why 40 GOP members of Congress, including the Speaker of the House, have chosen to leave office this fall. There is a reason why over 35 cabinet members and employees within the White House have either been fired or quit.

This president is reckless and, at times, unhinged. The only safeguard that we, as citizens in the Third District have, is to stand up, vote, and elect officials who listen and who are not afraid to meet with voters and truly represent us. That is certainly not Rep. Paulsen. His 100 percent voting record in support of President Trump clearly reflects who he represents.

The voters in the Third District do have a clear choice, and come November expect long lines at the voting locations that will reflect what our choice will be.

Michael Fitzgerald, Chaska
Chaska Herald, May 4, 2018

Political representation: Daschle’s example shows why you meet constituents face to face

The following article by Steve Kinsella was posted on the Star Tribune website April 4, 2018:

The lesson from the former senator is one that some of Minnesota’s U.S. representatives should learn.

Former Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. He served in the Senate from 1987 to 2005. Credit: Olivier Douliery, ABACA Ppress/TNS

It was late 1987 or early 1988, and my boss at the time, then-U.S.-Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota, had just arrived back in the state from Washington, D.C., as he did roughly every two weeks. He was headed to north central South Dakota for a series of face-to-face constituent meetings.

I was nervous and had repeatedly contacted the staff person who would accompany Daschle on the trip, to make sure everything would go as smoothly as possible. My anxiety was due to the fact that he had recently taken a couple of controversial votes in the eyes of many of the people who lived in that region of South Dakota, a state that has never been overly embracing of Democrats.

But this region of the state was particularly tough for Democrats, even for South Dakota. As a longtime Democrat activist from the area told me once, “you could run Jesus Christ on the Democrat side of the ballot against a dog on the Republican side, and Jesus wouldn’t pull over 30 percent of the vote.” His analysis wasn’t far off. Continue reading “Political representation: Daschle’s example shows why you meet constituents face to face”

Other town hall meetings are civil

On Saturday, March 23, I attended a town hall meeting sponsored by Sen. Steve Cwodzinski and Rep. Lori Pryor. It was a well-advertised event in local newspapers, and there were more than 50 people in attendance.

For 90 minutes, we listened to our state government representatives address our questions and concerns. We learned their positions on many issues and heard about their plans to move legislation forward. They talked about how they are seeking common ground with others who have different opinions. It was civil, even pleasant, as people stayed around after speaking face to face with their representatives and each other.

So I ask: What is U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen afraid of that he refuses to host similar events — for more than six years? Continue reading “Other town hall meetings are civil”

Erik Paulsen’s campaign funded almost entirely by corporations and the wealthy

The following article by Peter Kotz was posted on the CityPages website April 12, 2018:

Pundits nationwide are citing Congressman Erik Paulsen’s race for re-election in Minneapolis’ western suburbs as among the tightest in the nation. But if he wins a sixth term this fall, it will be almost entirely due to large corporate patrons.

The question is whether the congressman can buy his way to another victory after turning his office into a corporate lobbying firm. Credit: Fibonacci Blue

Thus far, Paulsen (R-Eden Prairie) has raised an impressive $1.9 million. Yet only a meager 2 percent of that comes from the little people, those donating less than $200. By comparison, his neighbor to the east, Minneapolis Congressman Keith Ellison, has accumulated 54 percent of his war chest through these small donations.

It should come as no surprise that Paulsen is shorn of support from anyone below the highest castes. It’s been six long years since he openly met with them in public, offering the chance to ask questions uncensored. They’re not exactly on a first-name basis. Continue reading “Erik Paulsen’s campaign funded almost entirely by corporations and the wealthy”