Earth to Obey: Your Constituents Would Like to Speak to You

Earth to Obey: Your Constituents Would Like to Speak to You

Local Paper Notices Pelosi’s Wing Man in Hiding as August Unravels on Democrats

Washington- As August drags on and their government healthcare takeover continues to fall apart at the seams, Democrats like David Obey have taken a bold approach to dealing with constituents who wish to voice concerns about a plan that could kill millions of jobs and force millions from their current healthcare coverage. Instead of listening to Wisconsin families who have serious reservations about the Democrats’ healthcare agenda, Obey has decided to simply ignore them.

And now, his run-and-hide strategy is starting to catch up to him. Today, a local paper in Obey’s district called on the suddenly shy Congressman to do his job and face the people who put him in office:

“Part of the role of an elected official is precisely to confront and address public anxieties and misconceptions about the government’s work. Part of what we expect our representatives to do is to respond to opponents’ claims about the effects of their preferred policies. Right now, the national debate is about health care. Local constituents have a right to expect to hear from Obey, and to let him hear from them…[He] hasn’t addressed health care head-on in an open public forum. He should. It’s a topic that needs to be addressed.” (“Our View: Obey Should Hold Town Hall on Health Care,” Wausau Daily Herald Editorial, 8/19/09)

“Has David Obey finally given up all pretenses of representing the Wisconsin families who put him in elected office?” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “After forty years in Congress, David Obey has apparently fine-tuned his legendary ‘Washington knows best’ attitude to the point that he no longer even bothers to listen to his constituents. The people of northwest Wisconsin realize that when Obey is not in hiding he’s usually busy playing bag man for Nancy Pelosi, but folks are genuinely concerned about a bill that could have devastating consequences on the nation’s economic and healthcare systems. One would think that Obey could find the time on his five-week vacation to hear his constituents’ thoughts about his party’s government healthcare takeover.”

Given his unflinching support for the Democrats’ failed agenda, David Obey has plenty of reason to hide. Unfortunately for him, laying low isn’t part of his job description. With weeks remaining in the August recess, will David Obey finally face the music or will he continue to shirk his duties in Wisconsin’s Seventh Congressional District?

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