Kline Can No Longer Abide By Public Town Meetings

John Kline (R-MN), plans to have his first tele-town hall (set for this week). For those not knowing how this robo calling system works, it's just like a town meeting but without meeting or without being open to the public, or without encouraging of or acceptance of different opinions, or even without having to listen but it does collect personal information. Sounds like what we've come to expect from the GOP! Obviously the fall out from those disgusted with John Kline now limits his ability to hold open meeting.

Kline called the program "a tremendous opportunity to get in touch with potentially thousands of constituents." He noted that traditional town halls "have become partisan battlegrounds," and because the phone calls can be made any time, it limits organized opposition and disruption. Indeed, if a constituent becomes disruptive during his or her question, the congressman on the other end can simply click them off.

Hat tip: Minnesota Republican Watch has a great write up on this:

"Like a controversial CD recently produced by the Republican Party of Minnesota, the Tele-Town Hall collects personal information from participants" ..."Will constituents who receive these political calls be told that their personal responses to these questions will be recorded and linked to their telephone number and other personal information? The people of the Second District deserve to know just how Kline plans to use the personal information he collects from voters targetted by this system."