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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / Foreign Affairs / Iowa Congressman Walks Out Of A TV Interview And Into An Angry Town Hall Meeting (425 Views)
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Iowa Congressman Walks Out Of A TV Interview And Into An Angry Town Hall Meeting by capatainrambo: 1:31pm On May 09, 2017 |
DUBUQUE , Iowa — An Iowa congressman walked out of a television interview on Monday , declining to explain why his staff is prescreening constituents who plan to attend his town hall meetings this week . A few hours later , Rep . Rod Blum ( R - Iowa ) showed up at his town hall meeting where most of the prescreened audience screamed at him . It was a rough start to a recess week for Blum, a second- term lawmaker representing a swing district that voted narrowly for President Trump last year after supporting Barack Obama in 2012 . Blum is a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who initially declined to support the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act but ultimately voted last week for the American Health Care Act. The way Blum struggled Monday night to explain his vote — through the loud boos of rowdy, impolite and infuriated constituents — is just a narrow sampling of the the growing concern and confusion caused by Republican plans to revamp the nation ’ s health- care system. But it indicates the difficult balancing act many Republican lawmakers from swing districts will need to strike as the complex debate continues in Washington . Blum said that the bill had been improved to his liking , but he agreed with constituents upset about the rush to pass it . He called the legislation “ Trumpcare ” several times during the town hall meeting, but in an interview with The Washington Post called it “ Obamacare 2 . 0 ″ and admitted that the bill doesn ’ t repeal the current health- care law. “ This isn ’ t a repeal and replace . This is Obamacare 2 . 0 . We ’ ve probably changed 10 , 20 percent of the bill is all , ” he said in the interview . Footage of Blum ’ s combative television interview aired just before the town hall meeting started. The reporter , Josh Scheinblum , asked Blum about his decision to hold four town hall meetings this week across Iowa ’ s 1 st Congressional District and why his staff was prescreening attendees to ensure they actually lived within the district ’ s boundaries. “ Some would make the case that you represent all Iowans … shouldn ’ t all Iowans have a voice at the table or at least have the option to ?” Scheinblum asked . “ I don ’ t represent all Iowans — I represent the First District of Iowa, ” Blum said . “ That would be like saying , ‘ Shouldn ’ t I be able to, even though I live in Dubuque, be able to go vote in Iowa City during the election because I ’ d like to vote in that district instead ?’” “ Would you still take donations from a Republican in Iowa City ?” Scheinblum asked . Blum smiled , stood up and removed his microphone. “ This is ridiculous . This is ridiculous . He ’ s just going to sit here and badger me, ” Blum said as he walked away. Scheinblum stayed seated , asking Blum to come and finish the interview . Blum headed for the door and waved him off . “ Would I take donations ?” Blum said. “ Wow . ”[center]DUBUQUE , Iowa — An Iowa congressman walked out of a television interview on Monday , declining to explain why his staff is prescreening constituents who plan to attend his town hall meetings this week . A few hours later , Rep . Rod Blum ( R - Iowa ) showed up at his town hall meeting where most of the prescreened audience screamed at him . It was a rough start to a recess week for Blum, a second- term lawmaker representing a swing district that voted narrowly for President Trump last year after supporting Barack Obama in 2012 . Blum is a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who initially declined to support the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act but ultimately voted last week for the American Health Care Act. The way Blum struggled Monday night to explain his vote — through the loud boos of rowdy, impolite and infuriated constituents — is just a narrow sampling of the the growing concern and confusion caused by Republican plans to revamp the nation ’ s health- care system. But it indicates the difficult balancing act many Republican lawmakers from swing districts will need to strike as the complex debate continues in Washington . Blum said that the bill had been improved to his liking , but he agreed with constituents upset about the rush to pass it . He called the legislation “ Trumpcare ” several times during the town hall meeting, but in an interview with The Washington Post called it “ Obamacare 2 . 0 ″ and admitted that the bill doesn ’ t repeal the current health- care law. “ This isn ’ t a repeal and replace . This is Obamacare 2 . 0 . We ’ ve probably changed 10 , 20 percent of the bill is all , ” he said in the interview . Footage of Blum ’ s combative television interview aired just before the town hall meeting started. The reporter , Josh Scheinblum , asked Blum about his decision to hold four town hall meetings this week across Iowa ’ s 1 st Congressional District and why his staff was prescreening attendees to ensure they actually lived within the district ’ s boundaries. “ Some would make the case that you represent all Iowans … shouldn ’ t all Iowans have a voice at the table or at least have the option to ?” Scheinblum asked . “ I don ’ t represent all Iowans — I represent the First District of Iowa, ” Blum said . “ That would be like saying , ‘ Shouldn ’ t I be able to, even though I live in Dubuque, be able to go vote in Iowa City during the election because I ’ d like to vote in that district instead ?’” “ Would you still take donations from a Republican in Iowa City ?” Scheinblum asked . Blum smiled , stood up and removed his microphone. “ This is ridiculous . This is ridiculous . He ’ s just going to sit here and badger me, ” Blum said as he walked away. Scheinblum stayed seated , asking Blum to come and finish the interview . Blum headed for the door and waved him off . “ Would I take donations ?” Blum said. “ Wow . ”[/center]DUBUQUE , Iowa — An Iowa congressman walked out of a television interview on Monday , declining to explain why his staff is prescreening constituents who plan to attend his town hall meetings this week . A few hours later , Rep . Rod Blum ( R - Iowa ) showed up at his town hall meeting where most of the prescreened audience screamed at him . It was a rough start to a recess week for Blum, a second- term lawmaker representing a swing district that voted narrowly for President Trump last year after supporting Barack Obama in 2012 . Blum is a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who initially declined to support the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act but ultimately voted last week for the American Health Care Act. The way Blum struggled Monday night to explain his vote — through the loud boos of rowdy, impolite and infuriated constituents — is just a narrow sampling of the the growing concern and confusion caused by Republican plans to revamp the nation ’ s health- care system. But it indicates the difficult balancing act many Republican lawmakers from swing districts will need to strike as the complex debate continues in Washington . Blum said that the bill had been improved to his liking , but he agreed with constituents upset about the rush to pass it . He called the legislation “ Trumpcare ” several times during the town hall meeting, but in an interview with The Washington Post called it “ Obamacare 2 . 0 ″ and admitted that the bill doesn ’ t repeal the current health- care law. “ This isn ’ t a repeal and replace . This is Obamacare 2 . 0 . We ’ ve probably changed 10 , 20 percent of the bill is all , ” he said in the interview . Footage of Blum ’ s combative television interview aired just before the town hall meeting started. The reporter , Josh Scheinblum , asked Blum about his decision to hold four town hall meetings this week across Iowa ’ s 1 st Congressional District and why his staff was prescreening attendees to ensure they actually lived within the district ’ s boundaries. “ Some would make the case that you represent all Iowans … shouldn ’ t all Iowans have a voice at the table or at least have the option to ?” Scheinblum asked . “ I don ’ t represent all Iowans — I represent the First District of Iowa, ” Blum said . “ That would be like saying , ‘ Shouldn ’ t I be able to, even though I live in Dubuque, be able to go vote in Iowa City during the election because I ’ d like to vote in that district instead ?’” “ Would you still take donations from a Republican in Iowa City ?” Scheinblum asked . Blum smiled , stood up and removed his microphone. “ This is ridiculous . This is ridiculous . He ’ s just going to sit here and badger me, ” Blum said as he walked away. Scheinblum stayed seated , asking Blum to come and finish the interview . Blum headed for the door and waved him off . “ Would I take donations ?” Blum said. “ Wow . ”
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Re: Iowa Congressman Walks Out Of A TV Interview And Into An Angry Town Hall Meeting by capatainrambo: 1:32pm On May 09, 2017 |
Blum raised more than $ 1 . 8 million during his
2016 reelection campaign . His top two donors
were out - of - state entities: A PAC controlled by
Rep. Mark Meadows (R - N . C . ), chairman of the
House Freedom Caucus and the conservative Club
for Growth . His next three most generous donors
were Iowa - based companies , according to Federal
Election Commission data reviewed by the
nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics .
When a constituent later asked Blum whether he
would decline to take out - of - district campaign
donations if he ’ s barring out - of - district Iowans
from attending his town halls, he demurred .
“ This is an official event as a congressman , this
isn ’ t a political event — so when we ’ re talking
about contributions coming from outside the
district , that ’ s a political thing , ” he told the crowd.
That sparked a wave of boos.
Blum continued : “ The Democrat opponents I ’ ve
ran against the last two cycles have far outraised
me both those cycles , and more of their money has
come from outside the district than mine . ”
About 1 , 000 people showed up Monday night at
Dubuque Senior High School to hear from Blum,
62 , a former software executive who once coached
high school basketball in the gymnasium where he
spoke . His son , Taylor Blum, is honored on the
walls of the gym for scoring 1 , 202 points as a
member of the basketball team .
With his wife and daughter in the audience ,
people in the prescreened crowd shouted at Blum
throughout the evening , complaining that he
started late, that he didn ’ t immediately start
answering questions about health care and that he
said that his district offices are open and eager to
deal with constituent concerns .
“ You ’ re never there !” one woman shouted.
Eight volunteers checked in constituents as they
arrived , while staffers ushered them upstairs to
the gym . At least four police officers — including
the police chief — stood watch . Blum’ s staff
banned constituents from waving handwritten
posters or campaign signs , so local Democrats
distributed red and green sheets of paper. They
instructed the audience to hold up the green sheet
if they agreed with Blum; the red sheet if they
disagreed.
Asked about the TV interview , Blum said that he
had agreed to be interviewed by KCRG- TV during
a visit to the Dubuque Dream Center that assists
lower - income , mostly African American children
in the city . He added that the station also wanted
to interview his wife , Karen, about being a
congressional spouse .
“ Well, we get there and we were ambushed ; they
didn ’ t want to do anything on the Dream Center …
that became apparent very quickly , ” Blum said . “ It
was very apparent that he had an agenda. It’ s my
right to say that this interview is over. ”
Blum defended his decision to hold four town hall
meetings this week , noting that other GOP
colleagues opt to hold “ pop - up town halls ” with
little notice or small “ coffee town halls” with just a
handful of supporters .
Anticipating detailed questions about the health-
care bill , Blum had a copy of the legislation with
him on stage plus charts and graphs explaining
the changes .
“ This bill , Trumpcare — whatever you want to call
it — is about the individual market only , ” he said .
“ That ’ s 12 , 000 people in my district . Twelve
thousand people in my district . So if you ’ re in the
group health insurance program through your
employers , if you ’ re getting your insurance
through the group health insurance , nothing
changes. ”
“ That ’ s not true ! That ’ s not true !” people screamed
from the bleachers, waving the red sheets.
“ If you ’ re getting your insurance through
Medicare, nothing ’ s going to change . Nothing’ s
going to change, ” Blum said. “ If you ’ re currently
getting your health insurance through Medicaid
nothing ’ s going to –”
The crowd drowned him out as he finished his
sentence .
One woman complained that “ You voted on this
bill in a rush — there were no committee
hearings . This pertains to my life. This is not
democracy works and you know that . … What was
the rush?”
“ We did hold hearings , ” Blum told her . “ I always
said the process was bad. It was rushed . It was
rushed and there should have been hearings . And
we should have had an open amendment process ,
which we should have . And I was highly verbal
about that . I told the president the very same thing
— that we should not rush this, we should try to
make it bipartisan and try to get Democrats on
board . ”
More red sheets. More boos.
Dallas Knapp , 22 , a local college senior , had asked
Blum about his television interview . He was still
shaking off the adrenaline after the event . |
Re: Iowa Congressman Walks Out Of A TV Interview And Into An Angry Town Hall Meeting by capatainrambo: 1:33pm On May 09, 2017 |
Re: Iowa Congressman Walks Out Of A TV Interview And Into An Angry Town Hall Meeting by capatainrambo: 1:34pm On May 09, 2017 |
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