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5/15/2007
Rep. Kagen has all the answers
It must be really easy to fix the problems of the world. I guess that’s why we’re not all in Washington – and why we sent Representative Kagen – because he knows what’s right.
I admit it. The Guest Column by the Congressman that appeared in the Green Bay Press Gazette Sunday is the kind of stuff that really makes me angry. It’s the perfect example of feel-good, tell-the-people-what-they-want–to-hear, and lambaste-what’s-out-there stuff. Even unsubstantiated scare tactics. It’s a bunch of platitudes. And not one meaningful solution.
It’s the stuff of campaigns – that treats us like we’re unthinking school children. And that makes me angry.
Because the answers to the immigration issue aren’t simple.
The problems, Congressman, are tough. Writing a bunch of campaign slogans in the local newspaper won’t get the job done. Telling the city of Green Bay that they’re not approaching this correctly. Telling the president of the United States he’s not doing things correctly (I shall refrain from mentioning Mr. Rove and “Dr. Millionaire”…).
And then ending by proclaiming “There is a better way to do things, and by working together, we will find it…. Let’s get started in Congress – today.”
Ok Congressman, you’ve got all the answers. Where are they? Perhaps you best sit in a room with Congressman Sensenbrenner (who has studied the immigration issue – and taken heat for it – probably since before you knew the word), find common ground, then walk over to your own caucus and find a way to sell them on “no amnesty or cutting in line – period.”
Your article railed against lots of the country’s ills and may have placated this voter or that. What it didn’t do is offer the glint of a road to solutions – and surely is not the work of a statesman. And that’s what makes me angry. That you think your constituents will just lap it up like so much milk and honey. It’s not that easy Congressman.
COMMENTS
I might join in with the Kagen bashing that regularly goes on here if it were not for things like HR 811. HR 811 is legislation to ban touch screen voting machines. It's sponsored by Rep. Kagen and as a freshman congressman I think it is an important move to reverse all of the so-called help Americans Vote Act provisions as possible. My call to the office in support of this also included that fact that I am a voting official here and became one because of the voting irregularities issues throughout the country and particularly in the last two presidential elections. A recent interview on WPR with Rep Kagen also shows his familiarity with health and farm issues. See the Joy Cardine archives at WPR for that. I just wonder what the comments would be like if Gard had beat him: the usual hysteria about gay marriage and concealed carry laws (?) Lon, your dedication to the issues you believe are important is commendable. However, I ask that you address the issue of Rep. Kagen's Sunday article in the GB Press Gaz. Did it offer any solutions? Was it as if from a statesman? JE

Lon Ponschock (Tue May 15 14:19:20 2007)
Your points are well taken. Our boy Kagen would, I think, tell us the moon is green if he thought that's what we want to hear.
Keep up the good work

Richard H. Griesser (Tue May 15 08:15:46 2007)
Jo - You have it right once again. The politicians in Washington have left us at the local level with no choice. They absolutely refuse to do anything meaningful to stem the flow of illegals, so it is left up to the local officials to make our communities less inviting to them. If Kagen and his ilk would get off their butts and do something, you wouldn't have this patchwork of ordinances designed to make life uncomfortable for the people here illegally. I've even had to draft something for the Outagamie County Board to deal with this issue. It will go to committee on June 7th.

Jim Steineke (Tue May 15 09:00:51 2007)
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