It's convention season for the GOP which means new leadership within the party is taking form. The eight congressional districts have been holding their conventions over the last several weeks as they lead up to the State Central Convention to be held on April 16th.
Representing the 2nd Congressional District (CD2), Congressman John Kline has served in the US House of Representatives for nearly a decade. A 25 year veteran of the US Marine Corps and senior aide to both Presidents Carter and Reagan, Kline has received numerous medals for his service to the country. Kline's speeches at conventions in the 2nd Congressional District usually result in standing ovations, flashing cameras and accolades from those who take the mic before and after him. This weekend's convention took a slightly different turn and appeared to have taken the congressman by surprise.
In recent years, Kline has come under the Tea Party microscope for votes relating to spending beginning with HR1424, the $700 billion TARP bank bailout program. Libertarian and Campaign for Liberty activists have challenged Kline in blogs and in private circles for a few years now. On Saturday, some activists took their frustrations directly to the congressman.
As Kline entered the auditorium to take the stage for his speech he was given a handful of open letters signed by members of the CD2 delegation.
The letter reads:
Congressman Kline,
We expect more from a representative. We want the John Kline who claims to be a defender of the Constitution, not the John Kline who votes for TARP, the Patriot Act, Cash for Clunkers, Real ID and socialized prescription drugs for medicare.
Now our nation teeters ont he edge of bankruptcy and possible hyperinflation and you withdraw your support of auditing the Federal Reserve. You also voted for two continuing resolutions that continue to fund government with money we do not have. Now you stand in favor of a paltry $60 billion cut in federal spending. (Less than 4% of just the deficit in the current budget.) Whether you shut down the government or not the cuts aren't even close to what is needed. Our kids can't afford to future you are giving them.
Mr. Kline, we need you to be a leader not just vote how the party leadership tells you to vote. If you can't do this we will find someone else who better represents us.
The congressman began to read the letter aloud among a small crowd that had formed at the entrance to the auditorium. He froze when he realized it wasn't a letter of commendation but rather a letter putting him on notice. He proceeded to toss the letters in the trash.
A few people standing around him were visibly and vocally upset and fished the letters out of the can. One shouted, "Hey! I signed that. You need to read it!"
During his speech to the CD2 delegation a few moments later Kline was clearly flustered. He was heckled a few times, presumably by the same activists who signed the letters. His remarks centered around President Obama's budget plans, or lack thereof, and asked the crowd to support the Republican alternatives.
Kline used a large projector to display a graph depicting the differences in the President's plan versus what Kline considers a better plan, as stated by the Congressional Budget Office. The graph showed the projected US deficit with a baseline of $0 in spending overages. A red line screamed across the screen in an upward motion denoting billions in deficit spending, obviously the Democrat's plan. A green line remained practically flat across the screen representing the Republican plan. The chart projects data to the year 2080. Neither the Democrat plan NOR THE REPUBLICAN PLAN reach the $0 in deficit spending by that year, according to the CBO.
Michael Neitzel and Kris Broberg, who call themselves "just a couple of concerned citizens," prepared the letters and distributed them at the convention.
"I got involved a few years ago because I started paying attention to Kline's voting record," said Neitzel, "It probably really started for me around the time of TARP."
Apparently Neitzel and Broberg are not alone. By the end of the convention there was a large stack of signed letters on a table in the foyer.
When asked if he plans to do this type of thing again Neitzel replied, "We've had a lot of positive feedback. We hear from Republicans, Tea Partiers, and activists almost every day asking how they can make a change. I've even heard from true conservative Republicans that there may be a few people willing to challenge Kline in a primary. That's a good thing."
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