Listened in on Congressman Lee Zeldin’s Telephone Town Hall meeting last night. It was not democracy at its finest. A town hall meeting is an opportunity for the elected to give a brief overview of what they are working on and to bring people together. Town hall meetings provide the public an opportunity to ask questions and to hear what their neighbors are concerned about. Town hall meetings are about dialogue. Some town hall meetings are more controversial than others. When people take the time to attend a meeting it is because they want to discuss something or learn something regarding an issue they are passionate about.
A Telephone Town Hall meeting is sterile - there is no excitement and there is little passion. Last night’s meeting hosted by Congressman Zeldin was no exception. The meeting, which lasted about an hour starting close to 7:15 and ending at 8:15, was boring. No doubt the Congressman wanted it that way and considers it a reasonable forum for him to speak with constituents.
Despite there being 9,000 plus people who participated in the meeting (according to Congressman Zeldin’s spokesperson Jennifer DiSiena) and despite Congressman Zeldin offering people the opportunity to ask a question by pressing *3, only twelve questions were addressed and there was no follow-up question from the audience. In addition to the twelve questions, the Congressman asked people to respond to five benign poll questions.
Callers were asked their questions in advance of speaking with the Congressman. Online comments after the meeting indicate that some callers were left dangling, waiting on the phone with no indication that their call would lead to a conversation with the Congressman.
Many left the call early. Not much passion.
For his part Congressman Zeldin answered the questions presented to him (sometimes longwinded) without follow-up from people who may not have been accepting his comments as an answer to the question. The Congressman talked of his support for the environment and defended his vote to allow companies to degrade the waterways in coal country. His defense was that an industry was involved and jobs were being lost. If this was a true town hall meeting someone would have jumped on it and perhaps questioned the Congressman on how diluting protection of water and the environment a bona fide health and safety issue is negotiable. Perhaps there would have been a question about Scott Pruitt becoming the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Pruitt is a staunch opponent of the EPA’s agenda having sued the EPA fourteen times. Perhaps a questioner might have asked about Scott Pruitt’s relationship with the fossil fuel industry or perhaps his desire to block the EPA’s “Clean Power Plan and Waters of the United States” rule.
There were questions about President Trump’s tax returns, transgender bathroom use, VA, ACA and more that would have benefitted from additional information gathered through public questioning.
We will never know if those questions would have been asked because the Telephone Town Hall was not a true town hall meeting. It was at best an appeasement of the masses who expect a town hall meeting. I did my job, I hosted a public event and I am always available for questions. Really?!
No, Congressman Zeldin, a Telephone Town Hall meeting is not the same as a Town Hall meeting which you are very capable of hosting. Many of your colleagues are hosting meetings. I get it that sometimes they’re pleasant and some time not so much. Not hosting a REAL Town Hall meeting is giving up on yourself, its sending a message that you are unable or unprepared to explain and yes defend your position.
Congressman Zeldin, it’s time for you to host a Town Hall meeting your constituents are entitled to one. For better or worse do your job!
Pat