Posts Tagged ‘United States’

The following is an eyewitness report written by Marty Heuer and reproduced with his permission…

“I don’t write blogs, and I seldom take the time to write about what is happening today. I’m a historian, among other exciting and fulfilling hobbies; so much of my focus is on the past. History often repeats itself, mainly because very few pay any attention to events of yesteryear, which include abject lessons for all of us. I’m writing about this current event because it’s an experience in the responsibilities of American citizenship I will never forget.

When it was announced — with little advance notice — that U.S. Representative Steve Kagen, D-Appleton, would hold two “listening” sessions this week in the Fox Valley focusing on the health care reform legislation being crafted in Congress, my brother, Ron, and I decided we’d attend the first session starting at 7 p.m. on Monday, August 3rd, at the Brown County Library, 515 Pine St., in Green Bay.

Although lifelong Republicans, neither of us had ever had the desire to attend this kind of political event because they are usually conducted with a member of congress pontificating from a raised platform, regurgitating tiresome Party “talking points,” and is often used as a venue for endless campaigning by the representative. The audience is expected to do the “listening.” In other words, the event is all about the representative and his/her ego and has little to do with input from the people. That’s the way it has always been, so why should this one be any different? But the mood of most of our friends, acquaintances, and the general public told us this might be different. Read the rest of this entry »

Congressman Kagen has made national news again…

“Despite President Barack Obama’s deadline, both the House and Senate failed to pass Obama’s health care plan before they adjourned for the month of August. Now Senators and Representatives are returning home to participate in one of America’s greatest democratic traditions: the townhall.

The events afford citizens the rare opportunity to share their opinions directly with their elected officials. Considering the unprecedented scope of power that President Obama wants to exercise over our nation’s health sector (a sector that is one-sixth of our entire economy and larger than the United Kingdom), we’re sure Americans will have plenty to say.

Rep. Kagen got a cool welcome from his fellow cheeseheads in Wisconsin last night.” Source: Townhall Downfall: Rep. Steve Kagen (D-WI) » The Foundry

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I will be attending my local Memorial Day event as I have all of my life because I believe in the importance of gathering together as a community to publicly say thank you and remember. We too often get caught up in our day to day lives and forget that we are here because of what others have done for us.

The oarsman on the small boats taking Washington and his men across the Delaware River. The infantryman on the front lines peering across “no mans land” just before the hopeless charge at Fredericksburg. The landing craft driver shuttling men under fire to the beaches of Iwo Jima. And most recently the soldier walking the streets of Bahgdad being killed by an IED.

All of these representatives of our defenders of our freedom deserve the hour it takes for us to show up, stand there quietly and say “thank you, I do remember”.