|
 |
4/7/2010
Kagen is delusional, hiding from his public
This is really angering. Rep. Kagen has 30 people come to a secret meeting, then proclaims the tone is changing on health care reform. That’s ridiculous.
APPLETON — The new federal health care law has changed the tenor of the conversation and debate happening at U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen's town hall meetings.
So thinks the Appleton Democrat, who on Wednesday came to the Thompson Community Center for the first of six forums in his northeastern Wisconsin district to outline to senior citizens the major provisions of the legislation.
…. They're having a different question now," Kagen said in reference to the feedback he has been getting. "It's not about what should be in (the bill), but what does the law do for me?"
What a fearsome warrior. It’s one thing to offer an unpublicized meeting to serve as a supposed expert to address seniors’ questions. It’s another thing to say this represents the way his district feels. Ridiculous. Why aren’t these health care law meetings published to Kagen’s constituents who are paying for the damn thing?
Be assured, Kagen’s getting good coaching. From The Hill early this morning:
The AARP, the Obama administration and lawmakers are trying to convince skeptical older voters of the benefits of healthcare legislation before they go to the polls in November.
Their strategy involves selling seniors on the enhanced prescription drug and prevention benefits and easing their worries over the future of Medicare.
…. Older voters tend to be a reliable presence at the polls, and Democrats are trying to stave off losses in both chambers of Congress.
Imagine that.
McClatchy has more on the “what’s in it for me?” questions:
Questions reflecting confusion have flooded insurance companies, doctors' offices, human resources departments and business groups.
"They're saying, 'Where do we get the free Obama care, and how do I sign up for that?' " said Carrie McLean, a licensed agent for eHealthInsurance.com. The California-based company sells coverage from 185 health insurance carriers in 50 states.
McLean said the call center had been inundated by uninsured consumers who were hoping that the overhaul would translate into instant, affordable coverage. That widespread misconception may have originated in part from distorted rhetoric about the legislation bubbling up from the hyper-partisan debate about it in Washington and some media outlets, such as when opponents denounced it as socialism.
"We tell them it's not free, that there are going to be things in place that help people who are low-income, but that ultimately most of that is not going to be taking place until 2014," McLean said.
According to the Post-Crescent, Kagen will be at the Waupaca Senior Center (407 School Street) at 1:30 PM today (Thursday) and in Shawano, Marinette, Oconto and Green Bay Friday.
FP published news that the Shawano meeting would be yesterday – which apparently is incorrect. Hopefully we can get accurate time and place information for Friday’s meetings by phoning a Kagen office – Appleton, 920-380-0061 or Green Bay, 920-437-1954. The message I get at the D.C. office is that the office is closed today – maybe it’s still too early - ? I’ll post the specifics whenever I learn of them; if anyone else sees them, please let us know via the comments.
Update from FP reader Pat Ryan (8:42 AM): [We weren't in error yesterday about the Shawano meeting...]
Hi Jo,
I attended the Kagen session in Shawano yesterday. I found out about his visit thanks to FoxPolitics. Probably about 20 folks. One table of senior "believers". Majority were 20's and 30's and well armed with questions and well behaved. Kagen's push on the "Health Security Law" was to find out what's in it for you!! The younger folks had a darn good idea what it was going to "cost" them.
Update (9:35 AM): I spoke to Rep. Kagen's Washington office which had no information on meetings and referred me to the Appleton office. There I spoke first to Steven who transferred me to Craig Moser, head honcho in Kagen's Radisson Paper Valley office. Moser stated the notification in the paper was incorrect, an error. "So Craig, there are no meetings scheduled the remainder of this week or next?" Moser: "Those meetings are specifically for seniors and not open to the public.... These are not open Town Hall meetings."
See again, The Hill article above; our representative is following his marching orders to a tee. Tell the seniors all that's coming to them via the new health law - and under no circumstances, risk a meeting of regular ol' constituents. Unbelievable.
Have organizers of our April 15 Appleton Tea Party meeting requested a meeting with the good Representative? It seems he appreciates those special invitation opportunities.
Is it interesting that Kagen is so proud to have (according again, to today's Post-Crescent article) "secured a congressional hearing as early as this month on transparency in the health care sector." Where's the transparency when it comes to discussions of the big huge fat 2,700 page new all-encompassing health care reform law? Geeeeesh.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
It is almost as though Kagen is stuck between a rock and a hard place. His constituents are the rock, and the Chicago-style strong-arm politics in Washington are the hard place, threatening him to garner support, or else...
Poor, poor Kagen. His political aspirations dashed after a mere two terms in office...
Andrew Ellis (Thu Apr 08 08:34:33 2010)
I went to the Kagen meeting at the Thompson community center yesterday 11am. It was informative and there were good questions how the new healthcare bill will affect seniors and others. I suggest you all go to the other meetings , listen, ask relevant questions. But now that the bill is law I suggest you leave the death panels and other disruptive nonsense at the door.
dave allen (Thu Apr 08 12:28:10 2010)
Well, I AM a senior and DID NOT know about the meeting at the Thompson Center. I certainly would have attended with some good questions. Does the good Mr. Allen have Medicare plus additional insurance? I certainly hope so. Perhaps he is not concerned that (even with high priced added insurance) we are still paying a great deal of money to satisfy entire charges. Medicare hardly covers the cost of postage to bill for some (and most) services. No, we cannot just sit by and "wait to see what happens" by then we will probably be in front of a death panel.
I can see that Kagen is indeed walking the DC marching orders...and perhaps a little afraid too that he might just not win this battle let alone the coming war.
Babs (Thu Apr 08 13:32:49 2010)
Babs,
For your information I have an HSA type product. I am not covered by Medicare. I pay a huge amount of money each month, am self employed and eagerly anticipate the the changes. I would very happily trade my coverage and cost for yours on Medicare. If you think Medicare is such a bad deal just drop it and face the private world like I do. Otherwise you should find out what the bill does to protect your coverage and make it better. if the bill make your medicare worse than let Kagen and me know exactly how it does so. Exactly how does the bill negatively affect you?
dave allen (Thu Apr 08 13:39:00 2010)
Dave, how can Kagen's constituents attend these meetings if they are "by invitation only" affairs (per Kagen representative Craig Moser) and we don't know when and where they are?
Jo (Thu Apr 08 17:35:35 2010)
If I was Kagen I wouldn't have invited you if you had a cashier's check for the maximum federal donation in your hand. There is a reason why you are no longer in office, Jo. These kinds of petty prom-queen rejection articles are the reason you were removed from office.
[Whew. And removed? - when did that happen? Jo]
Frank (Thu Apr 08 21:54:29 2010)
|
|
Blog Archives
| 2010 |
  December
|
November
|
October
|
September
|
August
|
July
|
June
|
May
|
April
|
March
|
February
|
January
• Solberg: Healing After an Abortion
• Basketball fans eyeing extension of Miller Park sales tax
• Nanny sex-ed bill goes to Doyle
• A first. Village limits pension contribution for employees
• Nanny State update: Toothbrushing mandated
• Obama pushes education inflation
• WI Investment Board votes to borrow to juice up returns
• So Republicans have brought nothing to the table?
• You have got to be kidding me
• Nygren: Governor Continues Terms of Failure in State of the State
• Sen. Fitzgerald: Governor down the wrong track at high speed
• Phosphorus is the new CO2. $Billions in Wisconsin
• More Obama giveaways
• A reprimand? Would you keep him on the job?
• Burri: Sarah Palin for Prez troubles me
• Quote of the Day – Obama after the pie-eating contest
• Populism, abused and trampled
• Fitzgerald: Senate Republicans Propose Real Job Creation Agenda
• Stripped down health insurance – it’s about time
• Ok GOP, scrap the Party of NO; time to lead
• No way Feingold is a Coakley. Is Wall a Brown?
• Burri: Conservatives off the chart for a RINO?
• Paltry quid pro quo?
• Doyle says ARRA has ‘created or retained’ 44,000 WI jobs
• Does most of the public fall for this stuff?
• When you get signatures, always get a couple extra
• Blame it on the outmoded computers
• Scott Brown victory does not scuttle health bill
• 8th Congressional Candidate Forum, Jan. 25
• Scott Walker Meet-and-greet, Monday, Jan. 18
• Aren’t consumers taxpayers too?
• MORE taxes on investment income - dreadful and wrong
• Join the blaze orange army and say ‘Enough is Enough’
• The future of government-run health care
• Tax on banks is a really bad idea
• Roth, Savard on the stump, grassroots style
• Savard speaking in Appleton, 8 PM, Wed., Jan. 13.
• Rahmlow: Savard, Bies frontrunners for State Senate
• Burri: Failing Political Correctness 101
• School contracts and Race to the Top
• Senator Feingold worrisome and big red flags
• Psephological?
• This is really important. Contact Rep. Kagen. Now. Please.
• This is exactly what we need from Governor Doyle
• This guy is my hero
• Why am I not surprised?
• Talk health reform with Feingold (Th), Petri (today)
• Give the Mayor power over MPS - if he can break contracts
• Burri: Yup, Dems really are going to bypass a conference
• The $2.7 billion Wisconsin deficit no one told you about
• Walker launches county accountability website
• Rahmlow: Why is Van Hollen dodging the Nebraska deal?
|
| 2009 |
December
|
November
|
October
• The Lawton-Bader files
• Yup, it’s the TAX LEVY, not the tax RATE
• Ellis: costly automobile insurance laws must be rolled back
• If not Barrett, who?
• The subsidy game
• Burri: Bailouts, Banks, Health Care, and the Mob
• Attend Appleton Schools budget meeting tonight
• A public option WON’T increase costs? That’s delusional!
• Appleton Schools budget meeting Monday
• Wisconsin should be screaming for accountability
• Burri: If anything, we need more obstructionism around here
• WI on the leading edge - in the wrong direction
• Rep. Montgomery: Utility Customers Join State’s Crime-Fighting Efforts
• Public Conservation and Recreation Lands Total 16.5% of State
• In the crow's nest of the Titanic, shouting 'Iceberg!'
• Is Rep. Nelson a political hack?
• Health care: The road ahead will be brutal
• Kagen's pandering again
• Birthers - good stuff for you
• How much do we bend over backward for seniors?
• The trouble with health care is paying for it
• Two-parent families: The Gold Standard
• Burri: Kids... the joys and blessings
• Very, very worried about health care
• Rep. Huebsch: Wisconsin is proof government health care isn’t the answer
• School district contracts push up tax levy
• What? Obama, the Peace Prize?
• TODAY - hearing on Campaign Finance Reform
• Appleton School District tax levy up way too much
• CBO report is out - and the bill isn't even written yet?
• So, how much do YOU budget for health care?
• Burri: Copenhagen trip was amateurish
• “Sotomayor, you have blood on your hands...”
• Cap and Trade. Always follow the money
• Rep. Kagen gets (almost) free health services
• I actually agree with Rep. Kagen
• Future Wisconsin Conference for Conservatives, October 10, Wauwatosa
|
September
|
August
|
July
|
June
|
May
|
April
|
March
|
February
|
January
|
| 2008 |
December
|
November
|
October
|
September
|
August
|
July
|
June
|
May
|
April
|
March
• Important votes Tuesday, including Appleton Common Council
• Democrats are becoming supply siders??
• Further debunking Hillary myths
• WEAC has created an unsustainable monopoly
• From Mark Gundrum: One of the greatest honors an American can experience
• 'Operation Chaos' working?
• Joe Martin the best candidate in Appleton's 8th
• State programs to cut? - Volume II
• Oh the naivete of youth
• Not just disingenuous - flat wrong
• Steve - you will be missed
• Make cuts only AFTER you're elected....
• Getting serious: What programs can we cut?
• Rep. Steve Kagen joining me on Jerry Bader Show today
• Rep. Van Roy: Dental Care Pilot Program
• Has Dave Obey turned the corner on earmarks?
• Speaker Huebsch: Governor turns down Federal Aid?
• Mark Rahmlow: "We're Broke."
• As taxpayers, how do we know if it's a Chevy or a Lexus?
• This is trash talk - about a veteran
• Frank Lasee: Take time to get the Compact right
• 'The Gableman Ad' - is it racist?
• Roth thankful, Kagen shaking money tree
• Gov. Doyle's office not enamored with Freedom of Information
• Governor Doyle will never do it
• Leadership on smoking ban? Not Hanna
• Rep. Van Roy speaks out about smear ads
• You're threatening me about potholes?
• Losing the Hastert seat is NOT a trend and NOT curtians for the GOP
• First suggestion for 'slashing' programs
• Big money-saver for municipalities
• More one time fixes. Nuts.
• Any chances???
• I'm doing the Jerry Bader Show, today, the 11th
• Representative Frank Lasee: Final Waltz of the Season
• Guest Blog: It's not the county's business to be in the nursing home business
• Yup, Hillary won Texas and Ohio
• Gableman/Butler race featured - and it isn't pretty
• Lies from Planned Parenthood and NARAL
• He who sacrifices liberty.....
• Duh.
• The Troha sentencing, Doyle and that $200K
• Guns, passion and "originality"
• How hard is it anyway, to shut down a government program?
• Voting is a PRIVILEGE. And so are property taxes....
• Guest Blog: Governor Doyle, cancel your Ireland trip
|
February
|
January
|
| 2007 |
December
|
November
|
October
|
September
|
August
|
July
|
June
|
May
|
April
|
March
|
February
|
January
• Lots of ideas. No money.
• The Cigarette Tax - "Poor Policy Instrument?"
• School budget Lite?
• Frankenstein - not in the library, but in the legislature
• A librarian, a legislator, a president
• $1.25/pack - NO, NO, NO, and NO
• Kagen and Reagan in the same breath?
• Menasha: behind the 8-ball, but not biting the dust
• Any way you slice it, Wisconsin government wants (further) in on health care
• The World is Flat...what about health care?
• The PAC - too precious to fail. Day 3
• News follow-ups: Appleton West, Kagen at the White House
• Fox Cities PAC - too precious to fail - Day 2
• Fox Cities PAC - too precious to fail
• New Transit Tax coming your way
• Rep. Petri has his finger in the dike - I guess
• AASD Retirement Costs Burdensome
• Health care, health care, health care, health care
• Water rate increase was no slam dunk
• Education for all is just a bad dream
• New Year's resolutions from a parade snob
|
| 2006 |
December
|
November
|
October
|
September
|
| 2000 |
May
|
|
