Rep. John Kline (R-MN) is seriously out of touch with his district. He rarely meets with constituents and the only times he does, his staffers vet every attendee to make sure no liberals get near him. So it is no surprise that Kline and his staffers haven't got the faintest clue that rural America is in crisis and has been for a long, long time.
Bob and Rose Zoubek hosted a meeting at their dairy farm in rural Montgomery July 10 to talk about low milk prices. About 40 people attended to discuss the issue with state Sen. Kevin Dahle of Northfield, state Rep. Laura Brod of New Prague and Mike Osskopp, district director for U.S. Congressman John Kline.
Osskopp said the meeting was, from his perspective at the district office, the first time he's heard that dairy farmers are suffering. Politicians tend to respond to what they hear coming from constituents, but agriculture isn't on the top of the pile right now, he said. The major priorities in the federal government are the economy, health care reform and the energy bill.
His district office received about 1,200 telephone calls in three days on the cap and trade legislation, but only one phone call -- the one to let him know about that day's dairy meeting -- about low milk prices.
(Agri News)
Kline's history of not listening to constituents is long and documented. Many, many constituents have tried fruitlessly to get their message opposing the Iraq War to Kline. He refused to listen to them and especially to meet with them. When they occupied the lobby of his office in protest, his staff (most likely Mike Osskopp) threatened to have them all arrested. All the other MN Congresscritters, including even Michele Bachmann, let them sit in their foyers and some even brought them coffee and doughnuts.
Furthermore, Kline and his staff are often rude to people with whom they do not agree. He does not tolerate dissent nor does his staff. So why would Kline listen to farmers who oppose his votes on free trade and think he's done a lousy job representing the needs of district farmers.
Plus, most farmers probably know Kline wouldn't listen to them anyway. With their heavy workloads, why waste the time.
Finally, Kline won't listen to family farmers because the large agri-businesses and multinational companies with ag interests fill Kline's campaign coffers. Money always talks louder than constituents with Kline. |
