Somewhere between apathy and disdain lies Debbie Halvorson's view of her constituents. While not (yet) approaching Murtha like levels of contempt, her disregard for voters in the 11th district was made painfully apparent to me today after a phone call to her Joliet Office.
I introduced myself, told the person who answered the phone that I live in the district and wanted to know if the Congresswoman had any townhall meetings scheduled with her constituents. The person on the phone told me that "they've decided not to schedule any meetings." I then expressed surprise that, with the interest over the upcoming legislation, voters in her district failed to show any interest in meeting with the Congresswoman. To the contrary, she replied,"we've been very busy answering the phone. People have been calling like crazy requesting (townhall) meetings." I followed that with the obvious (at least to me) "then why not have a townhall meeting if people are calling like crazy requesting one?" She replied simply, "the Congresswoman is too busy and has decided not to to schedule any." I asked if she could tell me the Congresswoman's schedule, or make it visible on her website. She placed me on hold.
And now the fun starts. Constituent Services Director, Chasity Wells-Armstrong picked up the phone. I introduced myself again, giving her my name and address (she responded with "do you even live in the district?"...I do). I asked her if the Congresswoman had any intention to meet with constituents during the break. She told me not at this time. I told her that I was surprised that voters in her district weren't requesting a meeting. Like the previous person she said,"no, they are (requesting town hall meetings)...the phones have been ringing off the hook. Then again, the obvious response, "if the constituents are clamoring for it, why aren't you having one?" She said, "the Congresswoman is too busy with meetings that were scheduled in advance. I then asked why she would schedule conferences with special interest groups and smaller meetings with limited attendance, before scheduling larger meetings with voters in her district? She had no answer. I then told her that if I was serving the Congresswoman in a PR or advisory capacity, I would certainly advise her to address the expressed concerns of the majority of her constituents before other interests, that I would grease the squeakiest wheels first. She said that the Congresswoman was very busy and the 11th district was too large to allow her to schedule enough meetings. I laughed and told her that Dennis Rehberg (R-MT) managed to schedule 14 townhalls, while serving the entire state of Montana...by himself. Her response was patronizing and galling; "that's your opinion and you're entitled to it." Seeing what I was up against, I ended the conversation (not before being treated twice more to her delightful catch phrase, informing me of my just claim to my own opinions) by saying that I hoped to hear from the Congresswoman's office soon in regards to any meetings.
Put it down to poor advisers (a near certainty if the demeanor of Chasity Wells-Armstrong is emblematic of the rest of her staff) obliviousness, or willful avoidance, Halvorson's disregard for her constituents could wind up being one of the major hurdles to her reelection.
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