“Senator/Congressman, may I have a moment of your time? I do not need much, just 15-20 minutes to go over a couple of questions I have for you so there is no misunderstanding and then you can reply to me in a appropriate amount of time. I live just a few minutes from the airport, so even a few minutes before you depart back to DC, no matter the time of day, would be appreciated.”
This has been my request to elected officials in DC for years now, especially when fuel costs skyrocketed and we independent truckers had no protection under current broker/freight billing regulations to be able to bill for the extra fuel costs we incurred. We either had to turn down freight, or we were forced to eat all the extra expenses ourselves.
Most recently, I had contacted all 3 to try and get a one on one with them while they were back during the August recess and again, NOPE, NA DA, No Can Do.
I had hope for Thune, but as usual, was brushed off at the last moment. Both Herseth-Sandlin & Johnson said they held public meetings while back in July and if I wanted to see them, I should have attended their open meeting over the 4th of July holiday weekend. I was also told by Johnson & Sandlin’s offices that they were NOT, I repeat NOT required to meet openly with constituents when back in the state.
OUTRAGEOUS! I was fuming, but politely asked to see if they could still get me on the schedule.
My 1st formal reply is in and maybe he had better go back and check his phone log, his own website where I have written(personal story on health care that he never responded to) as he suggests and maybe if he was more open on his website, ALL of his meetings would have actually been posted. All but the 1 meeting he held with Sandlin the weekend of July 4th were private/by invite only that the public had no knowledge of until they were reported in the lame stream media.
So, after a year of calling & writing requests for a personal meeting with him, just 15 minutes or so at HIS convenience, this is his reply. I ask, is this what SD voters thought they were getting when they sent him back to DC? I say them, because I saw through him long ago, thus I did NOT vote for his return to DC. I had voted for him in the past. HUGE mistake, just HUGE!
Constitutionally Speaking 