Voinovich Update: Priorities and Visitations

I have several sources who feed me stuff but prefer anonymity. The reason why a source wants to remain a blank varies: Sometimes it is the subject; sometimes the source just doesn't want publicity. At any rate, I shall call this source MADISON...I think he makes some sense, let's see if you agree.

MADISON asks if it is unreasonable to expect that your elected officials visit each county they "represent" at least once a year. In Ohio, that means 88 visits. After all, the record for the last 5 to 6 years shows the Senate in session only 105 days per year. 105 days plus 88 day visits (two counties a day which would afford two visits per year to each county) would only take 193 days per year. Figure in the weekends (104 days) and holidays (12 days) and two weeks of vacation (10 days) and a 'public servant" would still have 46 days a year (nearly 7 weeks) to take care of other business.

We start with this bit from WYTV News:

A representative of the senator's office set up shop in the Trumbull County administration building Friday afternoon to meet with citizens and elected officials about their concerns.

George Brown, from the senator's Cleveland office, says it is Voinovich's goal to have a representative in each of the state's eighty-eight counties at least once a year.

Brown says he hopes to be back in the area in the next few months.

I don't think staff meetups are what MADISON had in mind... In fact, I can assure you that it isn't because MADISON sent along this link to an Economic Times piece that I think illustrates what George Voinovich finds to be more of a priority than meeting with constituents:

FARIDABAD: Haryana Health Minister Kartar Devi has appreciated the gesture of US based NRI for getting a multi-speciallity hospital set up at village Banchari in this district and has assured him of cooperation of the State Government in the smooth functioning of the hospital.

Devi was speaking at a function organised at village Banchari last night to dedicate the 55-bed multi-speciality hospital to the people of the area. The hospital with facilities for 24-hour intensive care unit and emergency trauma services has been set up by Ohio based NRI Rajesh K Soin in the memory of his father.

Kartar Devi said that it was heartening that the family of the NRI did not forget the motherland and provided a hospital for the people of the area.

Haryana Power Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala said that there were very few people who set up hospitals, schools, dharamshalas and temples and name them after their parents to commemorate their memory.

Member parliament, Avtar Singh badhana complimented the Soin family for such an initiative "which would serve the society in a big way and said that the Government would provide all assistance to the family in case they plan to set up a medical college in the area".

Senator of Ohio George Voinovich, who was also present on the occasion, was all praise for the Soin family and said that the hospital would prove a milestone in the area.

Earlier, Rajesh Soin said that this hospital would be expanded as a 200-bed hospital in future. He said that there was a plan to set up a nursing training centre and a medical college in the area. He said that he had set up the hospital not to earn profit but to provide medical services to the people round-th-clock at an economical rate.

The prominent persons who were present at the inauguration of the hospital included a few Congressmen from the US like Mike Turner, Phill Gingrey, Rob Bishop and Steve Pearce.

Emphasis added.

Voinovich will take time to visit a hospital in India, but won't come visit with local voters. If that doesn't show you where Voinovich's priorities are I don't know what else does.

NOTE TO ROB PORTMAN: I've heard this story from several sources (and no, MADISON was not one of them) that whenever anybody mentions that Portman might run against Voinovich in the primary, Voinovich laughs and says that Portman can't do well above Columbus. Rob: Keep doing those rubber chicken dinners, my friend. While we may not agree on any number of issues (namely pork), you would be a vast improvement over The Crying Man, our Senator RINOvich, the "deficit hawk" who spends taxpayer funds like a drunken sailor in a brothel.

NOTE TO MIKE TURNER: I noticed you went to India too... I hope you are actually visiting with your constituents...