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| 9/8/2009 8:44:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Congressman Obey - a man who believes in the golden rule
We all knew these kinds of kids when we were growing up.
They were the kids that always managed to own a football so the neighborhood kids could play a game.
But they were also the ones who, if we didn't play by their rules, would throw a fit, take their ball and then run home.
Wisconsin 7th District Congressman Dave Obey has to have been one of those kind of "kids" when he was growing up because he is sure demonstrating those characteristics now.
Members of Congress from all over the country have been conducting town hall forums on health care reform, but Obey isn't one of them.
He won't hold such meetings.
Instead he held a telephone conference which made it very difficult for anyone with opposing views to have a chance to express them.
His excuse?
Basically he's old and doesn't have to put up with the organized "hooligans" who have shown up at such forums elsewhere. So the hidden message is: "He's afraid." He doesn't want to put up with anyone that could "disagree" with him. He's a 'congressman' and doesn't want his ears to hear any words of dissent. Just ask Congresswoman Maxine Waters about that!
The congressman wouldn't know how to handle anyone who disagrees with him other than how he has handled them in the past - try to bully them, use sarcasm and or ridicule his opponent's thinking. He's been doing that for years.
Mr. Obey just doesn't have the courage to go into an unscripted, unmanaged forum. He wants to play by the Golden Rule. You know what the Golden Rule is - he who has the gold makes the rules.
The current debate over national reform of our system of health care and health insurance is a prime example.
On Aug. 20 I emailed a request to the congressman's Washington, D.C., office under the Freedom of Information Act requesting information on his health insurance coverage through the federal government.
The Lakeland Times wants its readers to know what health insurance coverage Obey has through the federal government and how much it costs him.
We think it's only fair that during this national debate on health care and health insurance that we see what those who represent us in Washington, D.C., have for their health coverage and at what cost. That is very important information needed to help the public understand the issue.
But, in typical political fashion we have not heard one word, one peep, from the congressman's office about our request.
They haven't even acknowledged that they had received our request, even after we sent a second email asking them to tell us whether or not they had received the request for information.
As a second step to get the same information another identical request was emailed to the congressman's Wausau office. We have heard nothing in response to that request either.
After 10 business days had passed since the request was made to Obey's Washington office, I placed a call to his office there and left a message asking for a response. I still have not received a response for my request to receive a response.
That is their strategy - almost like the DNR in many of the cases The Lakeland Times has had against them - they will ignore the request as long as possible until they absolutely are forced to respond.
Attorney Bob Dreps, an attorney who has handled several public information and public records request cases for The Lakeland Times in the past, and who has won every one for us, said the information we sought is public record and should be made available when requested.
The information is all part of the benefits and salary package that we, the public, provide for Obey and his fellow lawmakers. We are not requesting his medical records, we want information on his insurance coverage and what he pays for it.
Dreps told The Lakeland Times that this newspaper has every right to request and expect to receive the information and we are not out of line in trying to obtain it.
The congressman has to halt this "head in the sand" approach and provide us, who represent the public, with the information we seek.
But don't just take our word for it as far as Obey's uncooperative attitude.
An editorial in The Chetek Alert dated Aug. 26, accused Obey of being "missing in action."
The paper said that when they recently emailed Obey's office asking for his schedule for his visits to the home district, they were ignored.
The editorial went on to further say: "The last time he (Obey) was in the area (Shell Lake) for a 'meet your representative' session, he refused to take questions, citing a busy schedule."
The editorial went on to further say, "It appears Mr. Obey has been in Washington, D.C., far too long and has forgotten he is actually supposed to represent the seventh district. It is time for Mr. Obey to retire or be fired."
Nero was said to have fiddled while Rome burned. Our 7th District congressman just plays his harmonica while the nation is swept up in the firestorm that is the health care debate and he listens to only the opinions and questions that he wants to hear.
We'll provide future updates on how the congressman has responded to our requests for information the public has a right to know.
Joe VanDeLaarschot can be reached at jvandelaarschot@lakelandtimes.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted: Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Article comment by:
SCLEO
This information does fall under the Freedom of Information Act. However, I don't think Obey is required to release it. This information can be obtained from other sources in the Federal Government, not just from Obey's office. The federal agency responsible for administering the health plan is required to release it, but I don't believe Dave Obey is required to. This still doesn't excuse his lack of response. This guy is so entrenched right now, and this district is so gerrymandered to his benefit, that he will never go away. We are stuck with him.
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