Vern Buchanan needs to hold a real town hall meeting | Letter to the editor

Once again, Rep. Vern Buchanan met with a group of friendly supporters in the local chambers of commerce gathering on Monday, June 17, while other constituents were left outside, asking for an open and accessible, well-publicized town hall (“As Buchanan talks economy and Trump at private event, protesters demand he go public”, June 18, 2019).

Why is it so difficult for Rep. Buchanan to respond positively to our requests? The Herald article quotes him as saying the best way he can be a representative is to “go out and listen”, and then noting that’s why he does “so much with emails and surveys and other things.” But emails and surveys are monologues, not a dialogue like a real town hall would be.

He is not listening to the full range of his constituents, only to those fortunate few who are invited to events such as the one held Monday afternoon.

It’s time for Rep. Buchanan to do his job, for which we as taxpayers are paying him.

Deborah L. Pierce

Bradenton