Congressman Mark Pocan

Well, thanks for the invite, Rachel.

Well, thanks for the invite, Rachel.

You know, the bare minimum you should do as a member of Congress is listen to your constituents. And Derek Van Orden, to the best of my knowledge, has never done an open public town hall in the over two years he's been in office.

You know, the bare minimum you should do as a member of Congress is listen to your constituents. And Derek Van Orden, to the best of my knowledge, has never done an open public town hall in the over two years he's been in office.

So I just thought people should hear from a member of Congress, especially if you're about to cut their Medicaid and their food assistance and education funding and parts of the Affordable Care Act. So we organized one at the edge of my district, knowing that across about seven minutes away was a city of 10,000 people in his district.

So I just thought people should hear from a member of Congress, especially if you're about to cut their Medicaid and their food assistance and education funding and parts of the Affordable Care Act. So we organized one at the edge of my district, knowing that across about seven minutes away was a city of 10,000 people in his district.

But Rachel, people from two hours away drove down from La Crosse and Tomah and Potosi and Platteville. People wanted to hear from a member of Congress. And if Derek Van Orden is not going to listen to his constituents, I felt at least I could lend an ear and make sure we're talking about what Derek's voting on. He's voting to cut Medicaid.

But Rachel, people from two hours away drove down from La Crosse and Tomah and Potosi and Platteville. People wanted to hear from a member of Congress. And if Derek Van Orden is not going to listen to his constituents, I felt at least I could lend an ear and make sure we're talking about what Derek's voting on. He's voting to cut Medicaid.

That's one out of three kids in Wisconsin, 55 percent of seniors in nursing homes. It's some really bad stuff.

That's one out of three kids in Wisconsin, 55 percent of seniors in nursing homes. It's some really bad stuff.

cuts for Medicaid was huge, right? That's health care, long-term care for people in Wisconsin, especially in rural parts of Wisconsin, like the third congressional district that Derek Van Orden supposedly represents is. Also, I think people are really concerned about Veterans Affairs, you know, in the VA hospital.

cuts for Medicaid was huge, right? That's health care, long-term care for people in Wisconsin, especially in rural parts of Wisconsin, like the third congressional district that Derek Van Orden supposedly represents is. Also, I think people are really concerned about Veterans Affairs, you know, in the VA hospital.

People, because so many people have been fired who are on probationary employment, that when you call, you can't always get an appointment right now. And that's starting to affect the service of health care. But But one issue that wasn't even part of that Republican budget bill that really rose to the surface was Social Security, Rachel.

People, because so many people have been fired who are on probationary employment, that when you call, you can't always get an appointment right now. And that's starting to affect the service of health care. But But one issue that wasn't even part of that Republican budget bill that really rose to the surface was Social Security, Rachel.

The reason it did is you got Elon Musk calling it a Ponzi scheme. You've got them cutting employees at Social Security, making it harder to get your benefits. But during the State of the Union, an awful lot of real estate was used by Donald Trump to repeat lies over and over and over again about people

The reason it did is you got Elon Musk calling it a Ponzi scheme. You've got them cutting employees at Social Security, making it harder to get your benefits. But during the State of the Union, an awful lot of real estate was used by Donald Trump to repeat lies over and over and over again about people

you know, over 110 years old, up to 360 years old, supposedly getting Social Security when, you know, even by law, they don't write a check to anyone over 115. And it's been disproven by two different inspector generals, everything he said. Well, that tells a lot of people what they're really after is Social Security. And I think the biggest set of questions we had on Saturday was about that.

you know, over 110 years old, up to 360 years old, supposedly getting Social Security when, you know, even by law, they don't write a check to anyone over 115. And it's been disproven by two different inspector generals, everything he said. Well, that tells a lot of people what they're really after is Social Security. And I think the biggest set of questions we had on Saturday was about that.

Yeah, I might stop back and visit next week with him. Indeed. Let us know.

Yeah, I might stop back and visit next week with him. Indeed. Let us know.

All right.

All right.