Category: The Real Erik Paulsen

What a Trumpcare Nightmare: Just About Everyone With Health Care Is Going to Pay More, Get Less and Face Chaos

The following article by Steven Rosenfeld was posted on the AlterNet website May 4, 2017:

The good news is that the reception in the Senate is decidedly cold.

The final total on the vote on the Republicans health care bill was displayed at the Capitol in Washington on Thursday, May 4, 2017. Relieved Republicans muscled their health care bill through the House, taking their biggest step toward dismantling the Obama health care overhaul since Donald Trump took office. HOUSE TELEVISION VIA AP

The buzz hadn’t even worn off the Republican fratboys chugging beers to celebrate the House’s passage of its latest Obamacare repeal before the political hangover started surfacing.

While this motley crew was drinking Bud Light before trekking to the White House to bask in President Trump’s winner’s circle, the Washington Post’s editorial page—no bastion of liberalism—trashed the flock as lying hacks. House Republicans “betrayed” Americans by promising they would “maintain access to health insurance for people with preexisting medical conditions, and then on Thursday press[ed] a bill through the House that would eliminate those guarantees,” the Post said. Continue reading “What a Trumpcare Nightmare: Just About Everyone With Health Care Is Going to Pay More, Get Less and Face Chaos”

Math Guy Paulsen Votes FOR the AHCA

Second vote on a major bill affecting large numbers of people in the country he says he represents — without having any idea of the social or monetary impact of the bill

Yes, Mr. Invisible did it. He cast his vote in favor of damaging coverage for millions of people nation-wide — hundreds of thousands in his home district. All without knowing how deep the impact will be on these people.

Remember this, folks.  He isn’t a moderate.  He’s never been one, but has hidden in plain site as one for years. Don’t return this person to office in 2018.  He doesn’t care about you, he only cares about getting enough money to keep himself in office. It will be interesting to watch how his large donations come in moving forward. We think we know.  (He had no time to meet with his constituents in a public town hall, but did have time to meet with organizations that are made up of businesses and executives who’ve given him big bucks.)

We’ll have to watch what happens with coverage changes (it WILL trickle down to those with employer coverage from what we’ve read and will impact any child in special education with a massive funding cut).

 

Why were people not paying attention?

My letter is in response to Rick Wall’s letter questioning why people are now challenging Rep. Erik Paulsen. You asked by we were all “crawling out of the woodwork” and where we have been for the last eight years. I am ashamed to admit that I wasn’t paying attention. I thought our country was doing OK.

It wasn’t perfect, and I didn’t agree with everything, but I thought in general the democratic process was working and the people in public office were mostly concerned with the good of the country. And then Donald Trump was elected, and I woke up to find we are living in a political nightmare that could have a far-reaching, chilling effect on everything we hold dear. Continue reading “Why were people not paying attention?”

Trump is reason for Paulsen bashing

To the writer of “Sure is a lot of Paulsen bashing,” you had some questions about letters criticizing Erik Paulsen, and as the author of one of those letters, I wanted to answer. Why are there so many people speaking out since the election?

Perhaps it’s because that event elevated to office a man who the majority of voters didn’t cast their ballot for, who makes claims that are demonstrably false false, whose stated policies are harmful to women, minorities, the poor and the sick, and who, as his administration crosses the 100-day threshold, polls show is historically unpopular, according to Gallup. Continue reading “Trump is reason for Paulsen bashing”

Paulsen Doesn’t Seem to Respect His Constituents

To the Editor:

Rep. Erik Paulsen does not seem to respect his constituents. Take the American Health Care Act. Asked the Congressman’s position, staff in DC and Eden Prairie don’t know or haven’t spoken with him.

But wait, according to The Hill Senior Staff Writer Scott Wong’s tweet of May 1, Mr. Paulsen whipped this bill. It’s unlikely he whipped votes without supporting the bill.

Pretending to be undecided is disrespectful. Third District voters were falsely led to believe Paulsen might care about their opinion. Continue reading “Paulsen Doesn’t Seem to Respect His Constituents”

GOP’s Erik Paulsen spent big on last cycle, on track to do so again

The following article by Maya Rao was posted on the Star Tribune website April 30, 2017:

Democrats targeting seat with attack ads over ACA.

GLEN STUBBE • STAR TRIBUNE
In 2015 and 2016, U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen more than doubled his campaign spending.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen, who spent more on his own re-election last year than any other Minnesotan in Congress, is continuing to spend big this year as he prepares for what is likely to be another competitive race in 2018.

According to recent Federal Election Commission filings, Paulsen laid out $198,087 from his campaign account during the first three months of this year — more than any other federal representative from Minnesota except for Rep. Keith Ellison, whose $879,852 in spending so far in 2017 was mostly tied to his unsuccessful bid to lead the Democratic National Committee.

Now Minnesota’s senior elected Republican in Washington, Paulsen in the previous election cycle spent far more defending his congressional seat last year than any other Minnesotan in Congress: $5.8 million. Most of that was on media advertising — more than any of the 435 other members of the U.S. House, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, D.C. Continue reading “GOP’s Erik Paulsen spent big on last cycle, on track to do so again”

Responding to “Sure is a lot of Paulsen Bashing” Letter to the Editor

The following letter to the editor was submitted to, but did not appear in, the Eden Prairie News on April 26, 2017:

Thank you for printing “Sure is a Lot of Paulsen Bashing” by R Wall in the April 271, 2017 Letters to the Editor. The writer adeptly illustrates several examples of America’s political engagement that can be improved: citizen participation in the electoral process and the quality of political discourse.

The writer is correct in questioning “where were all the concerned citizens” in previous elections. The Trump administration has rightly heightened citizen concern and has positioned Erik Paulsen, by association, under a policy microscope. My opinion of Paulsen had been he was a moderate just a bit right of center. After a thorough review of his voting record and campaign financing it is clear that he is not. His votes have all the appearances of being dictated by party leadership and allegiance to corporate donors and PACs. He has voted 100% for Trump’s agenda since inauguration, which is far from representative of our district. If more voters, regardless of party affiliation, had been observant of Paulsen’s allegiances in his first term, his tenure as a congressman would have been much shorter. Continue reading “Responding to “Sure is a lot of Paulsen Bashing” Letter to the Editor”

Paulsen lacks concern for privacy

Dear Eden Prairie News and to the person who kindly pointed out all the letters “bashing” U.S. Rep Erik Paulsen:

When Paulsen was elected, there was a Democrat in the White House, a Democratic majority in both U.S. House and Senate.

He was part of a vote for moderate and progressive values.. I think we all thought he was progressive.

Now that we have a Republican in the White House and a Republican majority, those of us who thought he was moderate are just so dismayed to see his voting record in this environment.  I really do worry about President Donald Trump’s finances and what he’s hiding, and Erik is on the committee that decides whether anyone sees them.  He personally has voted to help Trump maintain his privacy. Continue reading “Paulsen lacks concern for privacy”

Paulsen is not a moderate

To the Editor:

Reaons why Erik Paulsen does not reflect the values of the Minnesota Third Congressional District:

Vote Smart, formerly called Project Vote Smart, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States. See http://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/3833/erik-paulsen. Continue reading “Paulsen is not a moderate”