The following questions are addressed to State Representative Jeremy Kalin with specific answers requested:
In the interest of open-ness in government, which we know you support, we solicit your response, Representative Kalin, to the following questions:
1) Do we remember correctly that you refused (only) the increase in per diem put through by the DFL Majority when you first entered the legislature?
2) If our memory in question number one is correct is it also true that you "donated" the increased portion of the per diem to a charitable organization or charitable organizations?
3) If the answer to question number one is in the affirmative are you still refusing the same amount of increase in per diem put through by the DFL Majority or have you changed your policy and do you now accept the increased per diem in the amount that you initially refused?
4) If you still refuse a portion of the per diem, as described in the previous questions, to which charitable organization or charitable organizations do you donate the described increase?
5) If you make a donation of the amount of the per diem increase to which you are entitled by legislative edict but "refuse" and donate that amount to a charitable organization or organizations do you list the amount of that "donation" as an income tax charitable contribution on your income tax returns?
You have requested that your constituents contact you if we have any questions and so we wait for your answers.
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14 comments:
I just spoke with Kalin. He said that he has never accepted the per diem increase, and still thinks that raising it was a bad idea. Therefore, he could not have "donated" any of the per diem increase, because he was never paid the increase; he pointed me to the votes on the House Floor to limit the per diem. I looked them up; he was one of only two DFLers to consistently vote with the GOP on this issue.
I looked at the Pioneer Press online database of per diem; Kalin is near the bottom. Curiously, what the heck were some of the Republicans doing raising hell about the per diem hike and then accepting the increase?!? Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Freedomwriter, if you want an answer from Kalin on an issue, you should email him. To be fair, I don't think posting on the county GOP blog constitutes "contacting" your state legislator. He's always answered my emails and those of my friends - even if he doesn't agree with us. I really respect that.
So, Anonymous, you are essentially acting as an intermediary telling the readers that we have to go through you to get simple answers to legitimate direct questions - some of which would require only a "no" or a "yes."
Are you his virtual "press secretary?"
If the Representative has time to discuss the questions with you it would not take Mr. Kalin any more time to respond directly to our stated questions.
A direct question merits a direct answer.
If the Representative can answer by way of an e-mail or through you as an intermediary he can answer just as readily to the blog where other interested persons (readers whom we don't even know) can read the answers and become informed.
In the meantime we renew our request for answers from Representative Kalin to the questions we asked and that you have conveniently side-stepped on his behalf.
Kalin is a public person. Anyone can appeal to him publically.
He can answer questions on this blog that anyone can read.
He also could answer the questions by posting on his own web site.
He doesn't need to answer privately via email.
What question or concern usually arises when a public figure - Mr. Kalin in the instant case - refuses to provide answers to legitimate questions posed by an interested constituent?
Perhaps reader can help.
The first thing that comes to mind is that the person is hiding something or covering up something. That's what I think of anyway.
Seriously, freedomwriter, email the guy. Ask your questions and paste his answer here.
If you don't choose to contact him directly, one can only assume that you want to catch him in some "gotcha" that doesn't really exist.
Posting something on a blog with maybe 50 visitors a day does not count as "contacting" your representative.
Better yet, call the Capitol. They'll be able to tell you whether Kalin accepted the previous per diem rate - $66 / day - or the increase of $77 / day.
It looks like someone else was interested enough to actually contact the guy. You should, too.
Otherwise, we can only guess that you are too afraid to get an answer that doesn't fit your made-up facts.
Don't hang your hopes, anonymous, on the fabricated assumption that Freedomwriter wanted to "catch him (Kalin) in some 'gotcha' that doesn't really exist."
If he (Kalin) would have answered the questions there would be no possibility or basis for a "gotcha" so that's a dumb assumption.
Kalin has already, by his refusal to respond to legitimate questions directed to him in a courteous request, proved who he is and has "got" himself - clearly a cunning and unworthy public servant.
Kalin has COVERED the "facts" with his refusal to respond but he has "UNCOVERED" who he really is - to repeat, "clearly a cunning and unworthy public servant" and his refusal will backfire on him.
Did you email him? It's easy: Rep.Jeremy.Kalin@House.mn.
If you didn't email him, then you cannot say that he didn't respond. Get over yourself, posting on an obscure blog does NOT constitute contacting your representative.
You - Anonymous - found "the blog" and you discussed with Kalin the questions to which I sought answer so "posting on an obscure blog" - your term Anonymous - provides no excuse for you nor for Representative Kalin to refuse to answer my questions.
So, clearly, the Representative has been "contacted" and refuses to reply so I accept that Representative Kalin does not want to give a response.
The "message sent" (the questions I asked Kalin in the blog) was the "message received" by Kalin - (You - Anonymous - say you "discussed" the questions with Kalin) and that clearly constitutes contacting (my) Representative - without any torture of the English language.
Which leads to the thought - "What is Kalin covering up inasmuch as he chooses to not respond to the legitimate questions posed by a constituent."
If a tree falls in the forest, does Rep. Kalin refuse to hear it?
I LOVE THIS BLOG!!!!!
If a tree falls in the forest, Rep Kalin probably chopped it down. To help the poor, no doubt.
Kalin wouldn't chop down a tree - he's an "environmentalist" you know!
And 13 "Comments" later Freedomwriter still didn't get answers from Kalin. Funny, Kalin can find the time to be at places to get his picture in the papers that he had nothing to do with but he can't take the time to respond to a simple blog that has been discussed with him by one of his supporters.
Kalin's new slogan should be "Putting Pictures Before the People!"
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