Emmer and Paulsen Following RNCC Playbook While Lewis Channels Trump

Photographic proof that Jason Lewis is correct —
“Well-oiled” activists targeting Minnesota homes

Since the August recess is just past it’s halfway point, it is appropriate to see what Minnesota Republicans have been up to … after all, this is their first “Trump Summer”.

In past years, the Republicans had a pretty simple task … remind voters that Barack Hussein Obama II (reportedly born in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 4, 1961) was the 44th President of the United States.
The playbook was explained by Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-WA-05) in her hometown newspaper,

Republican leaders who run the U.S. House of Representatives have instructed members to follow a “fighting Washington” strategy during Congress’ upcoming August recess, with detailed instructions on how to plant questions, “target invitations” and “frame the key takeaways.”

The GOP Recess Instruction Packet offered suggestions of issues and how to “play” the media and manipulate the audience.
For example,
— Events should feature a compelling backdrop (i.e. pipelines or a dam, etc.).
— Encourage your Member to visit a local business and partake in the production processes as much as possible – wear a hard hat, learn how energy production at that particular facility works, etc.
— Visit 2-3 gas stations and grocery stores to talk with constituents on the rising costs of gas and groceries.
— Try to ensure that all forms of agriculture in the district are represented with a visit (dairy, sheep, pigs, beef, orchards, vineyards, etc.)
— Select a health care provider with the same stance on the issue as your boss
— Lead several practice Q&A sessions with your Member in advance of the meeting – make sure to prepare him/her with any difficult questions that may come up.

That was during the Obama summers, this is the Trump Summer, so Members would want to make a special effort to promote “31 Reasons For Tax Reform”.

OK … so based on those instructions, how have the #MNTrumpTrio followed the guidelines ?

Well, one way to find out is to review their Twitter feeds … and that suggests that Tom Emmer likes the playbook.
Besides fifteen tweets promoting #31ReasonsForTaxReform, he offered eight “Congratulatory” tweets, seven tweets for his Skill Gap Summit, six tweets involving veterans, four tweets involving public safety, five tweets involving agriculture, and promoting various meetings and tours — Caribou Technologies, CentraCare Healthcare, ChildrensMN, Delta, Fischer House Foundation, Guardian Angels Elim Home Care, Kohls Land & Cattle, Living Well Disability Services, Mills Fleet Farm, Open Doors ER, Prosperity MN, Schiefelbein Farm, and Xcel Energy, just to name a few.
Congressman Emmer also tweeted twice about Charlottesville, and once each about the USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), Barcelona, Minnehaha Academy and Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center tragedies.

No doubt the RNCC is pleased with Tom Emmer’s performance.

Erik Paulsen also emphasized #31ReasonsForTaxReform with 21 tweets, and six tweets about various other pieces of legislation that he is promoting. Congressman Paulsen also tweeted about various “pop-in photo-ops” (for example at Cooper’s in Chaska and McDonald’s in Bloomington) — after all, #PhotoOpErik is his modus operandi. And there were businesses that he spent some time with — ABC Millwork, American Flexible Products, American Life Science Innovation Council, Fairview Health Services, Inbound Brew Co, Manheim Inc., Medical Alley Association, Minnesota Society of CPAs, MN Farm Bureau, Quality Bike, Relay Networks, Sears Imports, Twin Cities Habitat, etc.
Congressman Paulsen also tweeted seven times about the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center tragedy, three times about Charlottesville, and once each about the Barcelona, Minnehaha Academy and I-35 tragedies.

Clearly, Congressman Paulsen is on the defensive … projecting an openness but reviewing the tweets reveals that these are largely meeting with a lot of groups that have given him awards, campaign contributions or endorsements … but he is following the RNCC playbook.

Jason Lewis … well, Jason Lewis is Jason Lewis.
His “official” twitter account does not show a lot of activity.
Two retweets promoting the #31ReasonsForTaxReform campaign … a couple of tweets about legislation that he is pushing ( the Senate is reworking his H.R.1809 Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2017 and his H.R.2930 Drone Innovation Act of 2017 is in a House subcommittee backlog.)
“Representative” Lewis held an employee town hall meeting at Prime Therapeutics (one of his donors), sent a congratulatory tweet to Northfield’s Aurora Pharma for their new animal vaccines, held a meeting with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) of Minnesota supporters, and made a presentation to NFIB/MN the state chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business.
Congressman Lewis also tweeted once each about the Barcelona, Charlottesville, Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center, Minnehaha Academy and I-35 tragedies.

Yep, Jason Lewis is not following the RNCC playbook … but his campaign twitter account suggests that he is following the Donald Trump playbook.

You know … playing the “Trump is the victim” card …

Let’s look at Lewis most recent tweet

You can almost hear President Trump words — “You also had some very fine people on both sides” — in Lewis’ comment “Not all of these folks behave this way–but good to see the facade finally being lifted on the ones who do.

The article cited includes the comment “This is a well-oiled, very much activist plan to disrupt the democratic process,” Lewis said.

Well … as noted above, there is “a well-oiled, very much activist plan” that has been going on for over a month (July 13) … funded by Norm Coleman’s Congressional Leadership Fund … going door-to-door promoting Erik Paulsen re-election. Congressional Leadership Fund has pledged to spend $100 million over two years to try to keep the House under GOP control. Coleman’s super PAC has already opened 15 offices in priority districts across the country, with 15 more to come by the end of the year.

So, you ask the question, what’s the difference between some clean-cut kids knocking on your door telling you the great things that Erik Paulsen is doing for you versus 19 people, some in wheelchairs, voicing disapproval of cuts to Medicaid that they fear Jason Lewis will support ?
They are both invading your privacy, right.
(Funny thing, you may have added your telephone number to the National Do Not Call Registry but unfortunately, political organizations and survey companies are exempted. So, yes, they can invade your privacy by calling you.)

Was this a smart strategy by the folks that wandered onto to Congressman Lewis’ property … definitely NO.
Congressman Lewis is the victim and has just found himself a great cash-raising issue for his re-election campaign.

Was it right to go to his home ?
Well, that depends upon who you ask … as reported in March 2008, radio personality Jason Lewis had an interesting answer when asked about listing the home addresses and home/work telephone numbers of anti-war activists (highlights below) :

I can’t be held accountable for what citizens might come up with. If you want to let this guy know you think he’s a bum, that’s up to you. I’m just saying that people ought to know his name, because he’s the guy, the ringleader, in Veterans for Peace and all this, that literally are censoring veterans.
Well, the problem with these protesters–the problem they’ve got is, they entered the public arena. They are out there.
So he is now a public person, and hence he’s going to take the slings and arrows just like he hands them out. Long overdue, to be sure.

That was 2008 .. and an anti-war protester was deemed to be a “public person”.
This is 2017 … and Congressman Lewis by seeking this elective office must be classified as the “public person” at least according the Supreme Court in its New York Times Co. v. Sullivan ruling.

Watching the video, the folks that visited his home had wanted him to hold an open-to-the-public town hall — which he has failed to do. Congressman Lewis opines that town hall protests are “orchestrated from afar to recruit people in the district who are anything but objective or the average constituent.”
Apparently Congressman Lewis did not read the McMorris Rodgers’ GOP Recess Instruction Packet which encouraged Town Halls advising “House members are told to use so-called “ringers” in getting the discussion moving their way: Invite at least 3-4 people with whom the member already has an established relationship. This will strengthen the conversation and take it in a direction that is most beneficial to the member’s goal.”

Gosh, it sounds like the FOX News article that Jason Lewis tweeted could use a little updating

The left has copied the guerilla operations used by Republicans, as deep-pocketed groups fund protesters who, after failing to obtain meetings at taxpayer funded offices, now are forced to visit the houses of congressmen to protest their lack of “town hall” meetings.

Lewis’ comment “This is a well-oiled, very much activist plan to disrupt the democratic process,” raises the question of WHY does Congressman Lewis publicize so few of his meetings ?
There is no doubt that Lewis’ stance on the issues has increased activists participation — the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network has logged in 19,000 new activists in the first six months of this year while the American Diabetes Association estimates that it has 15,000 new patient activists. Ya gotta wonder if the American Cancer Society could get a meeting ?

What was the issue that brought these visitors to Lewis’ home — don’t cut Medicaid.
Funny how Congressman Emmer has been able to met with a variety of groups — ChildrensMN, Guardian Angels Elim Home Care, Living Well Disability Services, Open Doors ER — who now doubt expressed concerns over proposed cuts to Medicaid.
The House Republicans have proposed steep Medicaid cuts — $834 billion over ten years. And who would that impact ? Well, Medicaid covers over 76 million Americans, including two-thirds of all nursing-home residents and 40% the nation’s children.
The video of the folks speaking at the Lewis’ residence cited stories of their families and themselves of what these cuts could mean ( were these paid actors … maybe … maybe not … but the stories they told are real.)

Despite moving away from town halls, Congressman Lewis said he still meets people “every single working day,” at hospitals, businesses, universities and elsewhere — well, from his twitter feed, his “every single working day” sure indicates that he has plenty of time for a open-to-the-public town hall event … he can bring his own ringers … set the topics … and control the time.
Ya gotta wonder if he did that, would anyone have ever thought of visiting his home ?

Ya gotta also know that smile on Jason Lewis’ face is because he knows he knows how to play the “victim” card and get paid for it.

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