"I will listen... Town halls don't require courage, just the ability to respectfully share, value, and listen to diverse opinions. My opponent has avoided public forums since his first term, but count on me to serve and communicate at a standard this district hasn't seen in several years." – Dr. Bob
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Although there are no formal written roles and duties of a member of Congress, a Congressperson has four assumed duties and responsibilities:
Legislative and policy work — Draft and introduce legislation
Constituency servant — Help constituents solve their problems
Education/Communication — Articulate and take positions on issues; educate and inform constituents about legislation
Representative — Represent and advocate the district's and constituents' interests
In addition to those duties, they have:
Political and campaign work
Press and media responsibilities
Administrative and managerial work
All of which are usually done working six-seven days a week for 60 - 70 hours each week.
Dr. Bob is committed to improving communication and constituent engagement. Unfortunately, this is where our current Congressman fails. But, it's where Dr. Bob will excel.
"Not all Congressional duties are in Washington," said Dr. Lorinser. "The work begins on the ground, at home, and face-to-face with citizens. This process is important to me. Any Representative who genuinely cares about the opinions of their constituency needs to make themselves available."
Dr. Bob will:
Employ mobile staffers from various political backgrounds with different areas of expertise; who know the area, live in the district, and understand rural Northern Michigan issues.
Encourage staff to travel and meet constituents in the community without the expenses and burdens of a limited office. (The current district offices' inaccessibility is a common complaint among residents.)
Ensure staffers are easy to reach and readily available at regularly scheduled open office hours in every county. They will explain, educate, and lead; they will listen and follow.
Join staff in visits to small businesses, schools, non-profits, manufacturing plants, and trade/labor councils.
Have local staffers play integral roles in D.C. and work on policy and legislative issues. His Deputy Chief of Staff will be based locally in the district.
Use social media, press releases, texting, e-mail, surveys, and a daily web blog to communicate and inform the public, including upcoming votes, and notify citizens of his positions before voting. Dr. Bob's communication team currently responds promptly to serious questions from citizens in comments and private messages, and these efforts will be enhanced – not curtailed – during his term.
Dr. Bob shares citizens' frustrations that Rep. Bergman does not partake in town halls. His last was shortly after he was elected in his first term. Dr. Lorinser will enthusiastically commit to town hall meetings and ensure each is publicized and open to the public, unlike his opponent.
"Unfortunately, my opponent doesn't participate in any type of open public engagement," said Dr. Lorinser. "That's not leadership. It doesn't matter if you're progressive or conservative; you deserve someone who will listen to you, respect you, and strive to represent everyone to the best of his abilities.
"Town halls don't require courage, just the ability to respectfully share, value, and listen to diverse opinions. My opponent has avoided public forums since his first term, but count on me to serve and communicate at a standard this district hasn't seen in several years."