His name is Ron Johnson, he comes from Wisconsin.
Rookie teaparty Sen. Ron Johnson, who took Russ Feingold's seat in 2010, has released his schedule of "mobile office hours" next week at several locations around the state (see below).
While Feingold made a point throughout his career of being personally available to constituents, Johnson has not. He's available mostly to conservative media and has only recently come out of his D.C. hidey hole.
In an Aug. 19 email, Johnson said:
This week, I announced that my staff would be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with my staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.
Notice that he doesn't say he'll be there or that these are town hall meetings while he's enjoying the recess. But if you show up and ask questions, word will get back to him, and hopefully, media will be at these events. Johnson is among the most conservative members of the 112th Congress and is No. 40 on Roll Call's new
Richest Members of Congress list with $8.18 million.
This is the man who calls the Affordable Care Act the "biggest assault on freedom in my lifetime." Some of the employees at his plastics company make so little that they qualify for the state's BadgerCare low-income health care program. And yet, Johnson has not opted out of the taxpayer-subsidized congressional benefit package. He's got the freedom to
not opt out!
Ironically and hypocritically, Johnson chose to make a rare public appearance last week at a low-income clinic in Madison to promote a program called Reach Out and Read. He read two books to children: "How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms?" and "Book! Book! Book!" The moral of the dinosaur book,
Johnson told the children, was "don't take shortcuts."
Simply hilarious, in that he owes his wealth to marrying the boss's daughter. He made his money the old-fashioned way. And in no small part, he owes his Senate seat to the company giving him $10 million in deferred compensation (
diaried by Joan McCarter) to enable his run for office.
One more note of hilarity before the schedule. You know how the right bashes President Obama for visiting schools to indoctrinate the innocent children with his virulent brand of Kenyan Marxist Leninist socialism and to apologize for America? The Isthmus news story notes:
Another reporter asked him what books he used to read to his children. Johnson said he loved to read his son Curious George books. But when his son got bored with those, Johnson said, "I actually started reading him the Wall Street Journal. Let's read about the harmful effects government regulations can have."
I wonder if he smiled when he said that. Self-deprecation isn't his strong suit, so I doubt it.
Here's the schedule. Be careful out there.
Monday, Aug. 22, 3-4:30 p.m.
Village Board Room, Germantown Village Hall
N112W17001 Mequon Road, Germantown
Tuesday, Aug. 23, 10-11:00 a.m.
DeForest Public Safety Building
305 E. Holum St., DeForest
Wednesday, Aug. 24, 1-2 p.m.
Hillsboro City Hall
123 Mechanic St., Hillsboro
Thursday, Aug. 25, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Public Conference Room, Mead Public Library
710 N. 8th St., Sheboygan
Thursday, Aug. 25, 10-11 a.m.
General Meeting Room, Marshfield Public Library
211 E. 2nd St., Marshfield
Thursday, Aug. 25, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Centro Hispano of Dane County
810 W. Badger Road, Madison
Thursday, Aug. 25, 12-1 p.m.
Library Board Room, Manitowoc Public Library
707 Quay St., Manitowoc
Thursday, Aug. 25, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
County Board Room, Calumet County Courthouse
206 Court St., Chilton
Friday, Aug. 26, 8-9 a.m.
Room 400, Green Bay City Hall
100 N. Jefferson St., Green Bay
Friday, Aug. 26, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Conference Room, New London Municipal Building
215 N. Shawano St., New London