Give Trump a chance, says Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen at Taste of Morristown, March 6, 2017. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen at Taste of Morristown, March 6, 2017. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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By Kevin Coughlin

Activists, don’t hold your breaths. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11th Dist.) has no plans to host a live town hall meeting anytime soon. And he thinks you should cut President Trump some slack.

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen at Taste of Morristown, March 6, 2017. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen at Taste of Morristown, March 6, 2017. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

“Many people are angry because of the election results. They can’t get over the fact that their candidate didn’t win,” Frelinghuysen said on Monday, during a brief interview with MorristownGreen.com at A Taste of Morristown, a charity event.

“I think we need to give the President a chance,” he said.

Groups led by NJ 11th for Change have converged at Frelinghuysen’s Morristown office virtually every Friday since Trump took office, asking the Congressman to hold his first town hall since 2013.

While expressing respect for activists’ First Amendment rights, Frelinghuysen said the requests are coming from the “same people” every week.

He prefers the “civil discourse” of conference calls with constituents, he said.

“I quite like having 6- or 7,000 people on the line for telephone town hall meetings. I think they’re far more effective than what my colleagues are finding, where members of the public are shouting them down,” said the Harding resident, who was named chairman of the House Appropriations Committee after winning his 12th term last November.

Trump “did a pretty good job with the State of the Union address,” Frelinghuysen said. No one watching it could say he wasn’t presidential, added the Congressman, a critic during the primaries.

And as for the Trump Tweets that followed the speech? (Unsubstantiated wiretapping accusations against President Obama, gloating over Arnold Schwarzenegger’s exit from Celebrity Apprentice, etc.)

“He ought to let the Tweets go by the board,” Frelinghuysen said.

Activists plan to rally outside Frelinghuysen’s Morristown office at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, to protest a bill to defund Planned Parenthood.

MORE ABOUT NJ 11TH FOR CHANGE

 

17 COMMENTS

  1. Rodney,
    You may want to give Trump a chance, but few of us feel that way.

    You may be comfortable with Trump’s pettiness, hate-filled speech, and fear mongering, but we’re not.

    You may believe that he meant any of the wild promises he made but not any the hateful mean and racist beliefs he spouted, but we don’t.

    You may be able to overlook his lies, his greed, and incompetence, but we can’t.

    You may be content with the “elephant in the room” when it comes to Trump’s mental health as manifested by his behaviors like “condescension, gross exaggeration (lying), bullying, jealousy, fragile self-esteem, lack of compassion, and viewing the world as Us versus Them,” but we don’t nor do 26,000 mental health professionals. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-time-cure/201702/the-elephant-in-the-room)

    We’re not willing to give him a chance.

  2. Stop trying to normalize this fools behavior.
    Stop normalizing Racism
    Stop normalizing sexist
    Stop normalizing a lier
    Stop normalizing xenophobia
    Stop normalizing a traitor
    Stop!
    Where is your humanity!

  3. Give Trump a chance to do what? Give me one example of a common sense action that will benefit the majority of 3 million voters voters, who did not vote for him. Explain why, Rodney. How can you feel justified in supporting actions that will cost trillions of dollarsin order to spend the next century helping Russia dominate the world. Meanwhile, you want our country, yours and mine, to allows itself to become the least respected nation, after being the most respected nation for most of our history. You want me to give you and Trump a chance to do this. Sorry, I prefer to maintain my integrity.

  4. Maya Angelou has said, “When people show you who they are, believe them.” At this point, if you can’t (or won’t) see that President Trump is a mentally ill individual, then it’s you who is the obstinate one in this situation – not your constituents. I have certainly seen enough to know that President Trump has no clue about immediacy and severity of the climate crisis that worsens by the day, and the laws of physics aren’t going to wait until he – and you – get a clue and act responsibly. So we the people will simply act around you both because we aren’t foolish enough to believe that either of you could possibly provide the leadership we need in fighting the greatest of all threats. Meet us at the People’s Climate March in DC on April 29th if you decide to become part of the solution.

  5. Congressman,
    Being a pragmatist, I am over the “election results” so please, don’t insult my intelligence.
    I am frustrated with your voting record on guns, Planned Parenthood, and the release of Trump’s tax returns. I am frustrated that you don’t perceive this President as a threat to everything you and your constituents stand for. I am frustrated that you will not meet with us in person. I am frustrated, Congressman. I have never heard back from your office, having called numerous times over the years, not once. You don’t respond. It seems to me that you feel entitled to your office, which comes with health care and retirement programs and are out of touch with what your constituents need and what they believe in.

  6. Sure the town hall calls work for Rodney. He gets to agree with the callers on the phone regarding (for example) his thoughts on Planned Parenthood, the EPA, the ACA, etc., then disconnect the caller and move on to the next question, giving no one a chance to point out that his voting record absolutely doesn’t support his answers. Rodney – don’t think you are so slick – we all recognize your tactic.

  7. Rodney Frelinghuysen received 58% of the votes in the last election and won by a margin of over 64,000 votes. If everyone was so appalled by the job he is doing, where were you and all your friends on Nov 8? Where was the anger and outrage in the days, weeks, months and years leading up to Nov 8, 2016? That said, he should meet with his constituents in a setting that allows productive and respectful dialogue on issues and concerns of the day.

  8. Congressman Frelinghuysen: Your comments are so insulting. When you say, “Many people are angry because of the election results. They can’t get over the fact that their candidate didn’t win” — that is not what this is about. This illustrates that you are deeply out-of-touch with your constituents.

    Can you now please hold a public, in-person meeting asap so your constituents can ask you questions about the things that are concerning them, and just listen and respond to us as human beings? For example, the GOP’s proposed replacement for the ACA that was just announced today — It raises many questions and concerns, and it is your duty as our Representative to engage in a real dialogue with us, and share your views and plans. Those “surprise” telephone town halls are not an acceptable substitute. You may find them convenient, but they are disrespectful to your constituents because they are held at an inconvenient time for many; not widely publicized in advance; and most importantly not open to everyone. Also, I have been on one of those calls recently and I can tell you firsthand that is not conducive to a true dialogue, open communication and exchange of ideas. Can we please get together in a room with you, and have it live streamed so those who can’t be present in-person can still participate? (Like what was done with the NJ 11th for Change-hosted town halls.) The rest of us have busy days, too, however we make time to schedule things that are important. This is a very important issue, Congressman. Thank you.

  9. Dear Rep. Frelinghuysen –

    I am scared. No, I am abjectly terrified. Yesterday Donald Trump announced a budget that will increase ICE deportation centers by 550% percent. He will increase the military budget, increase prisons, but slash everything else. In effect, his budget creates a military state with actual concentration camps for people who have done non-violent crimes, with state-run slavery.

    And you are perfectly fine with that.

    The rollback of the Affordable Care Act will cost the country and states billions in dollars, leave millions uninsured and lead to millions of job losses.

    And you are perfectly fine with that.

    You have signed on with a madman who is supported and advised by white supremacist hate groups, a man who has sold this country to Russia for his own self-aggrandizement.

    *And you are perfectly fine with that.*

    You are losing support in your constituency not because of fictitious paid protesters, but because when we needed support and leadership, you were literally nowhere to be seen. Who do you represent, exactly, Representative Frelinghuysen? Not me. Not the people of Morris County who ask you to have the decency of facing us directly to answer our questions. We need you and you have failed us. In your desire to die ten dollars richer, you have sold your entire constituency out.

    We are not fine with any of this.

    Sincerely but without regard or respect,

  10. “Many people are angry because of the election results. They can’t get over the fact that their candidate didn’t win.”
    Let me tell you something Congressman. This has nothing to do with Republican vs. Democrat. This has everything to do with a President who is pointedly dishonest, corrupt and incompetent stripping away American values while putting more money in the pockets of his corporate buddies at the expense of average Americans everywhere. We are your constituents and we are sick of your blatant support of this Administration. You are barreling down the wrong side of history on this. It hasn’t escaped us that your soundbites don’t align with your voting record; we are taking note and we are not going away.

  11. “Give him a chance”?

    No, Mr. Frelinghuysen. I don’t owe it to Trump to give him a chance.
    So far, he has appointed multiple cabinet members who either don’t have a clue about their department or actively want to tear down the departments they have been tasked with guiding.
    He has turned back the clock on multiple legislative protections to the environment and for consumers–each one of the changes benefitting big business at the expense of our clean air, clean water and our pocketbooks.
    He has twice instituted a ban on people from predominantly Muslim nations with NO PROOF that this action will have any benefit for Americans.
    He wants to cut funding for the NEA, and PBS among other worthy programs but wants to waste at least $20 billion dollars building a stupid wall that will not protect anyone.
    He has continued to run his businesses and enrich himself in violation of the emoluments clause (since so many foreign governments are patronizing his businesses)
    WITHOUT ANY PROOF, he has accused a former president of a felony and now is demanding that Congress investigate his spurious claims
    This is just a partial list of things he has done in the six and a half exhausting weeks since he has become president. Give him a chance? To do what? Further ruin our country’s reputation, our environment, our consumer protections?? What is he doing to make life better for the average American? Don’t tell me he hasn’t had a chance. He had a chance to do all the damage I listed above. His time could have been spent on creating a good infrastructure and jobs bill which would have benefitted ordinary Americans. Instead, he is Tweeting and golfing.

    I don’t owe him a chance.

    And for you, who have voted in lockstep with every single horrible piece of legislation he has wanted, I don’t owe you a chance, either. If you are unwilling to listen to your constituents and continue to insult us by pre-judging our willingness to be civil and refusing to meet with us, we don’t owe you, anything, either. We sent you to Washington, but you serve at our pleasure, not the other way around.

  12. Sir, the condescending attitude you show towards us, your constituents, is saddening. Yes, we keep coming back. Because you do not address our concerns and fears. While your phone town halls are “effective” for you, they do not allow your constituents a real opportunity to talk with you.

    You ask us to give Trump a chance. I ask you to take a moral stand against a person about whom you once said “You can’t be president if you insult 52 percent of the population.” He lies outlandishly, slanders our former president, insults our allies, appoints unqualified people to his cabinet, refuses to reveal his tax returns…. and yet you remain silent.

    While I don’t always agree with your decisions, I have respected that you are a politician who takes his job seriously and responsibly. Trump is not. He is the polar opposite of what you have spent your entire career building, and does not deserve your support.

  13. Representative Frelinghuysen – Since you will not speak to us, you have no right to speculate about who we are or what our concerns are. We are not vague nor party-driven. We are regular suburban residents who are specifically horrified and frightened by the hate-filled agenda unfolding before our eyes. We are angry about backroom deals between billionaires and Russia. We are angry about Russia interfering with our election. We are angry that Citizens United allows corporations to buy not only influence, but cabinet jobs. We are terrified of what will happen to public education if funds are siphoned off and given to profit-making schools. We cannot simply wait and see because the GOP is rapidly putting forth fascist executive orders and bills to dismantle 50 years of progress that has helped the planet, the poor, and those too often cheated or discriminated against. The agenda is cold, greedy, self-serving, hate-filled and lacking all compassion. This is what we’d like to talk to you about. About our fears for our fellow Americans and our children’s future on this delicate planet. Just admit you have no answers to justify the agenda. You don’t care who gets hurt by this frightening agenda, if not actual treason and destabilization of the world. Please meet your constituents in an in-person Town Hall and be a real Representative.

  14. I find this response from my Congressman insulting. I think he is still adjusting to a very new political landscape following the 2016 election; many people (like myself and numerous neighbors and friends) have “woken up” to the fact that we must pay attention to how we are being represented. What he is seeing at his office and on his phone lines is not a small group of extremist activists, but a lot of people who, despite their previous apolitical inclinations, realize that precious things are endangered by this administration: clean air and water, access to affordable healthcare, equitable public schools, reproductive choice,and in a very real sense our standing as a just and kind country. We are concerned citizens; his job is to represent us. Instead we find our concerns dismissed as “sour grapes.” Time to find a representative interested in actually tepresenting us, not his party bosses or defense contractor donors.

  15. the “same people” every week…

    That’s rich. When it’s not the same people, we’re accused to bringing people in. When it is the same people WHO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT, we’re sore losers? How’bout this, Rodney; we’re your constituents and we want a representative who actually represents us. Come listen to our concerns and stop phoning it in.

  16. “Many people are angry because of the election results. They can’t get over the fact that their candidate didn’t win,” , the only thing this pathetically boilerplate Republican response is missing is the false accusation that all protesters are paid.

    That Frelinghuysen is lauding Trump’s hour of seeming sanity on Tuesday after the world has moved on only points out that he’s been ensconced in a comfortable congressional bubble for far too long.

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