Tag: Rep. Paulsen

GOP health plan is awful and Americans know it: Andy Slavitt

The following article by Andy Slavitt was posted on the USA Today website April 23, 2017:

Recess showed the public is engaged, knowledgeable and ready to hold lawmakers accountable.

Oscar Gronner

President Trump is in a big rush for House Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act by the time he reaches the 100-day mark on Saturday. This revives what for many Americans has been an agonizing process of watching their access to health care become a political football in the worst tradition of Washington dealmaking — secretive drafting, rushed votes, multiple closed-door sessions and minimal debate. Continue reading “GOP health plan is awful and Americans know it: Andy Slavitt”

Paulsen’s votes have little to do with his Earth Day persona

To commemorate Earth Day, my congressman, Rep. Erik Paulsen, posted appealing photo ops on social media and bland positive statements about national parks on his website.

However, his actual voting record bears no resemblance to the persona he creates online and in my district. Few are aware of his terrible record on the environment, as documented by the League of Conservation voters (16% lifetime environmental voting record).

Just this year he has already voted to repeal a regulation that protected thousands of miles of streams from coal mining debris, and to devalue federal lands to make them easier to sell off for sale, mining or development.

His constituents deserve a representative who presents himself honestly. Something doesn’t match — either Paulsen needs to stop dissembling or change his votes to match his public persona.

Jena Martin, Minnetonka
MinnPost, April 24, 2017

Killing the medical device tax hasn’t boosted jobs as Erik Paulsen claimed it would

The following article by Cory Zorwoski was posted on the CityPages website April 21, 2017:

The Minnesota Republican sometimes dresses as a surgeon while playing the role of a lawmaker who’s supposed to represent the people.

Zimmer Biomet, an Indiana-based manufacturer of artificial joint orthopedics and dental prostheses, has a BFF in Minnesota Congressman Rep. Erik Paulsen.

The tax took effect in January 2013. Its two-year respite started in December 2015.

Coming off his successful November reelection, Paulsen’s “first initiative” in 2017 was introducing legislation that would permanently repeal the tax. Continue reading “Killing the medical device tax hasn’t boosted jobs as Erik Paulsen claimed it would”

Erik Paulsen has 306,400 Reasons Why He Doesn’t Do Town Halls

The following article was posted on the MN Political Roundtable site April 19, 2017:

On March 29, 2017, the Paulsen For Congress Committee recorded two donations from COMCAST PAC … totaling $3,500.

A donation to political campaigns is not shocking … just read Ken Buck’s (R-CO-04) book Drain the Swamp: How Washington Corruption is Worse than You Think

Congressman Ken Buck is blowing the whistle on the real-life House of Cards in our nation’s capital. Continue reading “Erik Paulsen has 306,400 Reasons Why He Doesn’t Do Town Halls”

Families of disabled wait in vain in the rain for Erik Paulsen’s ear on healthcare

The following article by Susan Du was posted on the City Pages website April 19, 2017:


Residents followed their elusive congressman to a Bloomington Chamber of Commerce event in hopes of having a chance to speak with him. Paulsen ignored them.

While Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-Eden Prairie) headlined an exclusive forum hosted by the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday morning, some of his constituents stood outside, waiting for him in the thickening downpour.

Bearing signs asking, “Where’s Erik?” they say Paulsen’s office has ignored their phone calls and emails requesting a town hall to talk about healthcare.

In January, Paulsen voted to begin the process of repealing the Affordable Care Act before Congress had come up with a replacement for it. House Republicans’ proposed alternative eventually failed to get enough votes. Continue reading “Families of disabled wait in vain in the rain for Erik Paulsen’s ear on healthcare”

Patients can’t go back to pre-ACA

I am twice a cancer survivor.  With my first diagnosis in 1999 and my second in 2001, I felt lost.  I couldn’t see what the future would hold.  My fears lessen as time passes and my treatment has been successful, but a new concern has emerged.  I now have a pre-existing condition that health insurance companies used to claim made people too risky to insure.

The Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, prohibits such discrimination and implemented many other positive patient protections, that often get lost when we talk about its downsides. The ACA isn’t perfect. But cancer patients and survivors cannot afford to return to a time when insurance is unaffordable, coverage is inadequate and their treatment is at risk. Continue reading “Patients can’t go back to pre-ACA”

It’s time for a real town hall meeting

Thanks to John Mallo for posing questions to Rep. Erik Paulsen; my hope is that we have the opportunity to hear or see thorough answers to these questions, and not by way of “phone” town meetings. Constituents like me would like to meet with him, perhaps in a real town hall meeting. It’s an important part of what it means to be a democracy.

I would like to add questions about an additional area of concern:  health care legislation. Prior to the withdrawal of the Republican proposal (which I assume Paulsen would have voted for*) his position was:  “After many years and countless stories of patients facing skyrocketing premiums, losing their health care plan and not being able to see their doctor, we are replacement Obamacare with a plan that will lower costs and give patients immediate relief.” Continue reading “It’s time for a real town hall meeting”

Congress just made it easier for ISPs to sell your personal information

The commentary by the Editorial Board to the Star Tribune was posted March 31, 2017.  We wanted to make certain the people in CD3 are aware of this vote, and the fact that Rep. Erik Paulsen voted for the bill, for allowing internet providers to sell our personal information without asking us:

Before the public could even figure out what was happening, the Republican-led U.S. House and Senate acted with uncharacteristic speed to repeal Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules that would have protected consumers’ personal information from the all-seeing eyes of their internet service providers, or ISPs.

While health care, the budget, climate change, the deficit and countless other issues linger, Republicans moved in quick lock-step to ensure that provider giants Comcast, Verizon, AT&T and others can collect your most personal information without permission and then profit from its sale to third parties if they choose. Continue reading “Congress just made it easier for ISPs to sell your personal information”

Selling Out Consumers

For the record, Rep. Erik Paulsen voted for allow the sale of this information.

The following article by Ernesto Falcon and Karen Gullo was posted on the U.S. News and World Report website March 31, 2017:

Congress sold Americans’ privacy to already wealthy internet providers.

Congress’ vote to roll back vital broadband privacy protections opens the door to a host of opportunities for your internet service provider to profit from invading your privacy. Continue reading “Selling Out Consumers”

No Meaningful Comment from Rep. Paulsen

The following letter to the editor was submitted to the Minneapolis Star Tribune February 19, 2017, but not published:

This newspaper’s effort to solicit meaningful comment from Congressman Paulsen (February 17, A Taxing Challenge for Paulsen) was disappointing. It failed to substantively illuminate the congressman’s ‘big’ goals, challenge his misplaced loyalties, and contest his doublespeak. Most troubling though was allowing Paulsen to rewrite history.

The opening sentence states that ideal circumstances are at last in place for Paulsen “to finally accomplish the big goals that have driven his political career.” And his goals are … ? After 8 years, his district is still trying to learn what his ‘big goals’ are. His struggle with ‘juggling the polarizing priorities’ of the President, party loyalty, current roommate, and big businesses may generate sympathy, but not from constituents that he was elected to represent. Paulsen’s expressed support for “increased tariffs and border taxes” on one hand and support for free-trade policies on the other was doublespeak. The article failed to call him on this dichotomy. Dual positions may serve his multiple masters but not his district. Continue reading “No Meaningful Comment from Rep. Paulsen”