Guest post by Dean Dexter.
An editorial in the New Hampshire Union Leader yesterday congratulated the state’s junior senator for her hour long conference call from Washington with constituents the other night on Healthcare overhaul legislation. The event took place during a vote on the so called Cash for Clunkers bill, which is driving up the cost of used cars and tempting people into more personal debt.
Shaheen had to break away occasionally for floor votes, but would return to hear comments and field questions. Her staff says the senator received some 15,160 calls during the session. Click here.
According to the editorial writer: "The senator’s staff didn’t screen out hard questions, either. Several opponents of Democratic health care reform proposals got to put the senator on the spot."
Sweet.
Many Democrat legislators are opting for such telethons to avoid potentially loud and negative scenes at face-to-face town hall meetings in their districts. Shaheen, never one to stick her neck out, has been mailing canned, uninspired, "safe" Democrat talking points about the need to "reform the system" for months, in response to constituent concerns about "Obamacare."
So, although it was really big of her to take some phone calls from the people who pay her $174,000 per year salary, not including thousands more for travel, office space, and staff, we just cannot wait to see the senator field questions in person. Your time is our time, right senator?
The big question will be, how Senator Shaheen ends up voting on this farce. But we know how she’ll vote. The same way she voted for the Clunker bill. For it, unless a lot of other Democrats give her cover by jumping ship.
We can only hope.
Anyway, the title of the piece is, "Shaheen on call: The senator will speak with you."
Mighty nice of you Ma’am. Mighty nice of you indeed…
Dean Dexter is a former state representative from Laconia and served a stint as the Union Leader’s Editorial Page Director. This piece was originally posted at NHCommentary.com and is used with permission.