Tag: Rep. Paulsen

‘Town hall’ meetings mostly draw angry people. Should members of Congress hold them anyway?

The following article by Sam Brodey I was posted on the MinnPost website June 1, 2016:

MinnPost photo by Ibrahim Hirsi
3rd District activists held a town hall style event “with our without” Rep. Erik Paulsen. (It turned out to be “without.”)

What’s more American than the town hall meeting? Open debate, confrontation of those in power, yelling — town hall meetings, where communities gather for discussion and debate of the day’s issues, have it all, and they’ve persisted as a civic practice throughout U.S. history.

There’s a specific kind of town hall that gets the most attention these days, however: one in a school auditorium or coffee shop or library, where a member of Congress stands before his or her constituents and answers their questions about what’s going on in Washington. Continue reading “‘Town hall’ meetings mostly draw angry people. Should members of Congress hold them anyway?”

Paulsen failed to follow through on his statement

To the editor:

On May 10, Rep. Erik Paulsen published a statement on his Congressional website, “Paulsen Statement on the Firing of FBI Director Comey,” which called for an independent investigation into the firing of Comey, Russian interference with our election, and integrity of our institutions.

A mere seven days later, on May 17, Paulsen was given an opportunity to sign a petition to bring House Bill 356 ( tr.im/hr356) to the floor for a vote. Continue reading “Paulsen failed to follow through on his statement”

Local residents meet with Rep. Erik Paulsen on gun violence

To the Editor:

On Tuesday, May 16, I had the opportunity to meet with my congressman, Erik Paulsen.

Five Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense members met with him to discuss legislation to reduce gun violence, specifically, universal background checks. We each shared stories of the impact of gun violence on our suburban lives. Continue reading “Local residents meet with Rep. Erik Paulsen on gun violence”

Fact-checking a rosy portrait of the American Health Care Act

Note:  A similar commercial has been airing in the Twin Cities supporting Rep. Erik Paulsen.

The following article by Glenn Kessler was posted on the Washington Post website May 24, 2017:

“As a mom, rising health-care costs are a big concern. My family lost our insurance and doctor because of the Affordable Care Act. But now, we have hope.”
— California resident Elizabeth Jacinto, in an ad sponsored by the American Action Network

In a $2 million ad campaign to support the House GOP health plan, the right-leaning American Action Network (AAN) features a California woman named Elizabeth Jacinto who says she suffered under Obamacare and expresses enthusiasm for the American Health Care Act. The ACHA only narrowly passed the House and was greeted lukewarmly by the Senate, so a key part of the effort appears to assist 21 GOP lawmakers who cast a tough vote to support the proposal. Continue reading “Fact-checking a rosy portrait of the American Health Care Act”

Reading Erik Paulsen’s hate mail

The following article by Mike Mullen was posted on the CityPages website May 24, 2017:

Erik Paulsen’s vote for the AHCA, aka Trumpcare, has pissed off a few of his suburban constituents.Star Tribune, Glen Stubbe

Last week GOP U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen picked up a Democratic challenger: Dean Phillips, heir to the Phillips liquor brand and grandson to the nationally syndicated advice columnist Dear Abby. Not unlike Dear Abby, Paulsen’s been getting a lot of questions by mail lately.

Dear Congressman Paulsen,
We don’t see you around here much anymore, but I know how busy the people’s work must keep you! I write because I think you made a mistake when you voted in support of the American Health Care Act. I myself am a physician — with “one foot firmly on the golf course,” my wife says — and I worry about the effect this plan will have on my lower-income patients, facing less-certain retirements than mine. Won’t you reconsider?

Sincerely, Uneasy in Eden Prairie Continue reading “Reading Erik Paulsen’s hate mail”

More than Mueller probe needed to assess Russian meddling

The following commentary from the Star Tribune Editorial Board was posted on their website May 20, 2017:

An independent, 9/11-style commission could examine broader threat.

DOUG MILLS • NEW YORK TIMES
Robert Mueller, then director of the FBI, in 2007. The Justice Department has appointed Mueller to serve as a special counsel to oversee its investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

The U.S. Justice Department appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller to lead a criminal investigation into possible collusion between President Trump’s campaign and the Russia government is a welcome and overdue move to bring integrity and seriousness of purpose to the daily revelations that threaten to overwhelm Washington.

But more is needed. An old-school, by-the-book prosecutor, Mueller is expected to undertake a meticulously thorough examination and has the sweeping powers necessary to do so. He will be focused on whether the president, his campaign associates or members of his administration have or had illegal ties to an adversarial nation. If laws were broken, he will determine which ones and to what extent. Mueller also remains bound by Justice Department rules and supervision. His decisions, actions and budget can be reined in at any time. And a criminal probe, no matter how thorough, will not address the larger issues that confront this nation about how to ensure that U.S. elections and governments are protected against foreign interference. Continue reading “More than Mueller probe needed to assess Russian meddling”

Will leaders stand up to Trump?

To the Editor:

As someone who’s been deeply troubled by the administration in general and by the firing of FBI Director Jim Comey in particular, I was cautiously heartened by Rep. Erik Paulsen’s somewhat tepid statement calling for an independent investigation. Words are important, and so this is a decent start. However, if he does believe the situation is serious enough (as I do) to warrant an investigation of the president, then he must take action.

One thing he could do at any time is to sign on as a co-sponsor of HR 356 (which actually establishes what Rep. Paulsen is calling for) as his fellow Republicans Reps. Walter Jones, R-North Carolina, and Justin Amash, R-Michigan, have. Will he? Or will he take other significant action? Past experience has shown he won’t. Continue reading “Will leaders stand up to Trump?”

Paulsen brought criticism on himself

To the Editor:

Athens had Socrates. Eden Prairie has Rick Wall.

Plato said Socrates described himself as a “gadfly” sent to torment the people of Athens by asking uncomfortable questions and goading the citizens into self-examination. Eden Prairie has Wall’s April 21 “Sure is a lot of Paulsen Bashing” letter. In it Wall asked where the “concerned citizens” have been for the “last eight years” and questioned their motivation for “crawl(ing) out of the woodwork like termites in the spring to bash U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen.” Continue reading “Paulsen brought criticism on himself”

Missing the Point?

To the Editor:

I think the 80 or so percent of Trump supporters who still support him and believe what he says miss the point of what the anti-Trump people are seeing. We see a sexual predator, perpetual liar, racist, arrested adolescent and crying man/baby. Our moral standards are way too high to support a person like that. We are astonished that a morally and intellectually bankrupt person is our president, put there by people who value ideology, power and party more than country and humanity. We believe in bravery, freedom and facts. The only fake news is what comes out of Trump’s tweets, mouth and the White House press office. I think we can now call it even between Hillary’s e-mails and Donny’s dump of intel into the Russians’ lap when we talk of mishandling of secrets, OK? Donny is a frightened little boy who is in way over his head, and the likes of Erik Paulsen seem to share his fear, depraved morality, greed and religious intolerance. Good luck with that in the next election.

Greg Oasheim, Minnetonka
Star Tribune, May 18, 2017