Just shook hands with Senator Feingold!

[ewagner]

I went to his listening session in Marshfield. I'm more impressed than ever with this guy. He doesn't dodge the hard questions (re:Assault weapons ban; he voted against it) He has a firm ethic that he brings onto the Senate floor with him and votes according to his (and incidentially mostly OUR) principles.

Learned something I didn't know: Feingold says he carries with him a document that was signed by Bush from October 2001 in which the names of 45 countries where Al Queda has activities is named. Guess what country isn't on that list...THAT'S RIGHT ...IRAQ!

I told the Senator that I'd be helping out in the campaign in Central Wisc.... He said that' music to his ears.

This guy is a true progressive.

[Bushfire]

1. Did you ask why he's stalling on co-sponsoring S1980?

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:SN01980:@@@P

Without fair elections, all other issues are trivial.

[ewagner]

2. There was a huge

line behind me so I tried to be courteous...BUT I did give his aide the written card concerning BBV. So at least he got the message.

[Lefta Dissenter]

3. Hey, Ewag!

I'm going to tomorrow's session in Cottage Grove. How many people were at yours? Was there enough time for everyone to ask whatever questions they had, or do I need to narrow my little list of questions down to one?

This should be mandated for all Senators and Representatives, and, now that I think of it, for PRESIDENTS, too! Yes, mr. bush, you must visit every county that you represent at least once a year and answer the citizens' questions. HA, he'd probably jump off a cliff.

edit: well, I guess I shouldn't talk on the phone while posting, I now see your comment about the line behind you. So is it not run like a town hall meeting - more like a reception line where you ask questions? I want to hear what everyone else asks! GOOD REMINDER, though, to put questions on paper to hand to the aide (not that I couldn't give them to my son, of course)...

[ewagner]

5. I actually counted

the people in the room. It was over 100 but there was a lot of coming-and-going of medical staff. (Pagers going off all the time).

Questions were submitted and given to Russ who would call the name and the person would ask the question. It appeared that there was still a stack of people wanting to ask questions when they finally broke up the conference. It lasted a little over an hour.

I weaseled my way up to the stage as soon as the conference was over and managed to get close to the front of the line to see the Senator. There were a lot of lab-coated docs behind me with legal pads and scribbled questions/points so I didn't want to take up too much time.

I'd suggest pinpoint one or two key points to write on the cards. I'll bet you get a better turnout than we did!

[eyesroll]

4. What was his reasoning for voting against the assault weapons ban?

Guns is really low on my issues list, but I thought it was interesting that he voted against it.

(He did say he and Wellstone had a running bet going -- who would be the lone "no" in a 99-1 vote the most often.)

[ewagner]

6. He said

that's he believes that the right to have guns for hunting, self-defense etc is clear and that people have a right to own guns.

He said that in his listening sessions he talked to a lot of rational people who explained to him that the assault weapons ban was almost impossible to enforce and was really a "phoney" bill. (If I recall, he did use that phrase but my memory is slipping right now)

btw: He said that the "listening sessions" also gave him the insight necessary to vote AGAINST the No-Child-left-Behind law....he said it's the leave no child untested law. He was one of only 10 to vote against it. Not quite 99-1 but getting there.

[sybylla]

7. WOO HOO, ain't he sompin?

I went to a fundraiser for Sen. Feingold last night up in Abby and at first thought when I saw your post that maybe you had been there and I missed you. He gave a great speech and highlighted the points you mentioned and a great deal more. It was nice and informal with about 50 people in attendance. He is so easy to approach and talk to. He was there for about an hour and then went across the street to a local restaurant for supper. As it turns out, a large bunch of us local Dems went to the same restaurant and he stopped over to our table a couple of times during the evening.

He is a great man who makes most other dems look like Repubs by comparision.

[ewagner]

8. I was looking for ya!

Didn't know about the Abbotsford thing.........

We DUers haveGOT to get together!

[sybylla]

9. Agreed.

I didn't know about the Marshfield thing today or I would have been there too.