Letter to the Editor: Listening to Everyone

Yesterday I read that Laurel Hauser, Sturgeon Bay City Council Alderwoman, is sponsoring Listening Sessions and wants especially to talk “with people who may feel differently than I do…” and “I’d like to hear varied perspectives.” I believe this is what is desperately needed in our country today!  

If only this perspective would be expressed on the national level!  Instead we have elected members of Congress who are afraid of their constituents and refuse to meet with them. There are hundreds of us who live in Door County who have tried to get a meeting with Representative Gallagher – he refuses to meet with us. He refuses to talk to us. He refuses to listen to us. He has refused to come to town hall listening sessions. I have participated in his phone “listening sessions” where the residents are actually listening to him talk. The four or five questions allowed in a one-hour session are previewed by his staff and I have never been given the opportunity to ask any questions.

We are residents of Wisconsin who pay taxes and are volunteers! In fact, we pay Mike Gallagher’s salary. You would think he would feel some obligation to listen to “varied perspectives?” All of the same can be said about Senator Ron Johnson…he too refuses to listen to residents of Wisconsin who pay his salary. In a democracy elected representatives are supposed to represent everyone in their district or state, even those who may not have voted for them nor agree with them.

All I can say is that maybe Laurel Hauser will be an example to both Rep. Gallagher and Senator Ron Johnson of what a public servant should be doing? I hope so. We can look to the future and ask future candidates how they plan to listen to their constituents and then vote for the candidates who have a plan to listen to everyone!

Judy Brodd

Sister Bay, Wis.