Cogressman to Visit My Office

[cwalner]

I received an email yesterday from my local HR rep that we will be receiving a VIP visitor on monday, congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Burton)

I did some (very minimal) research on him (just the wikipedia entry that I linked) and so far do not like what I see.

Issues with the congressman:

Per wikipedia, he is a political voice for the debunked myth that mercury in vaccines causes autism.

Despite a reputation as the "biggest skirt-chaser in the Indiana legislature" and having fathered a child with a state employee at around the time he was first elected to congress, he campaigns as a family-values conservative.

He has sent a letter to the Indiana AG urging to join in the lawsuit against the recently passed HCR bill. (not an inherent issue, but I do personally support this legislation).

Issues with my company inviting him:

Due to the visit, we will be required to dress buisness professional (shirt and tie for men) despite typically having business casual dress code. This is the first time this has happened in my 12 years with the company, and I no longer own a dress shirt (that fits) or tie and will have to buy them just to go to work this day.

The office has a policy against discussing politics in the office. I find it odd to invite a sitting politician (who is probably just beginning his campaign for the mid-terms) when such a policy is in place.

The company has asked for questions to be submitted through HR to be asked of the congressman during his visit, so I doubt controversial questions will be allowed



For the above reasons I am a bit upset that we are having a politician visit at all, specifically a politician with whom I have the mentioned concerns. I don't like the idea of not speaking out, but I do need this job and fear that being overly aggresive about it could have consequences.

Any suggestions for how I should handle this visit.

[Thunder]

did he vote for health-care reform? no?

then fart in his face. :)

[headscratcher4]

Let the local press know that the questions employees can ask the Congressman are being screened and that is odd...considering Burton that Burton was likely condemnatory of Democrats back in the health care debate for not facing town halls. When they talk about "socialism" how much more "socialist" can you be than have the questions you ask of public officials screened and censored? Anyway, I'll be the local paper or TV stations might be interested in why Burton is afraid to face real, unfiltered questions.

[Madalch]

Call in sick.

[cwalner]

Let the local press know that the questions employees can ask the Congressman are being screened and that is odd...considering Burton that Burton was likely condemnatory of Democrats back in the health care debate for not facing town halls. When they talk about "socialism" how much more "socialist" can you be than have the questions you ask of public officials screened and censored? Anyway, I'll be the local paper or TV stations might be interested in why Burton is afraid to face real, unfiltered questions.

The problem with that is that I am not certain that it is Burton who chose to screen the questions. Based on past experience with visits from corporate execs, this is SOP for this office to avoid having us rabble embarrass management in front of thier 'guests'. I don't want to criticize Burton to the media for something when there is an equal, if not greater, likelyhood that this was initiated by the managers here without his knowledge.

[cwalner]

Call in sick.

It is something I am considering

[Lurker]

The problem with that is that I am not certain that it is Burton who chose to screen the questions. Based on past experience with visits from corporate execs, this is SOP for this office to avoid having us rabble embarrass management in front of thier 'guests'. I don't want to criticize Burton to the media for something when there is an equal, if not greater, likelyhood that this was initiated by the managers here without his knowledge.

I'd do it anyway. If Burton is not to blame then he can make that claim and perhaps even do something about it when he visits.

We once had a Governor visit my place of employment. No questions, just a tour and speech. He went on to become the first governor of the state to be charged and convicted of a crime while in office.

[cwalner]

did he vote for health-care reform? no?

then fart in his face. :)

Sorry, Parky. While such behaviour may be socially acceptable in NYC, such an action would not be tolerated in Indy.
Here, I would have to arrange to bring in a cow to do that for me, and I don't want to deal with all that hassle.

[cwalner]

I'd do it anyway. If Burton is not to blame then he can make that claim and perhaps even do something about it when he visits.

We once had a Governor visit my place of employment. No questions, just a tour and speech. He went on to become the first governor of the state to be charged and convicted of a crime while in office.

I would guess Blagojavich, but I hardly beleive that he was the first in Illinois

[headscratcher4]

Lurker is right. That it might not be Burton's rule is exactly why to do it...he could push the company to allow free questions...why should the company care? But if you are going to allow questions...as opposed to just a walk through tour...than screening them seems wrong to me. I would hope that were so for Burton as well. Is Burton your congressman? If so, I'd also contact his office and ask, seriously, what he is afraid of?

[Lurker]

I would guess Blagojavich, but I hardly beleive that he was the first in Illinois

OH my goodness you are TDaft. ;)

[daenku32]

Hey, another Hoosier.

Our state does have some very staunch Republicans. Not at all surprised if your company management are supporters of Burton. I'll be moving later this year and might end up in his district. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to vote against him (or maybe I should run against him...since I'd be an unemployed college student anyways).

I suppose if you value your job more than ideology, probably call in sick or just stay in your cube the whole time.

[cwalner]

OH my goodness you are TDaft. ;)

Ok, I'm daft, but with the recent spate of gubanatorial scandals, I thought most managed to resign before actually being charged with a crime. the two that come to the formemost of my mind are NY and NJ, but as I said, I thought both resigned before they got formally charged.

[cwalner]

Hey, another Hoosier.

Not quite. My company closed down our Las Vegas office two years ago and consolidated it with the one here in Indianapolis. I currently live and work in Indiana, but I do not quite consider myself a Hoosier just yet.

[Gangularis]

Why not contact HR and voice your issues with a politician coming when there's an HR policy of "no politics" ??

[Alferd_Packer]

Ask him if he thinks President Obama is a natural born citizen.

[quarky]

Perhaps a foxy co-worker could be induced to set him up for an inappropriate sexual advance with a recording device hidden?



oops.

Not ethical.
But either is calling in sick.

Perhaps you could actually get sick?

[WildCat]

I would guess Blagojavich, but I hardly beleive that he was the first in Illinois
Hell, Blago wasn't even the first of the 2000s.

3 of the last 5 Illinois governors went to prison.

Maybe Thompson and Edgar just weren't caught.

[Juniversal]

Ask him how he feels being a shill for the NWO. :cool:

[Tsukasa Buddha]

I say people please (I would always say that anyway no matter the issue :p ).

It's not like you could change his mind with a question, and even if you did he's a blood-sucking politician and wouldn't change his vote unless the polls went that way.

[Magyar]

Well, I guess my first question is - Could there BE a legitimate reason for a politician to come to your work place? Like is your employer involved in trying to with a contract or get serious funding for something or other. While I have issues with all of that, as our system is, this is a legitimate thing for a business to do and in this situation they want to put their best foot forward.


Now you may not be privy to such going on in the company depending on your position there. But given the policies spelled out in your HR handbook ( you do have this right?)
regarding dress and politics it is a valid question you can address with HR. If you KNOW that this not that case with 100% certainty well, most cell phones have video now as well as just audio recordning capabilities and such things speak volumes in a law suit.

Unfortunatly though, I think that this is one of those situations where the only way you can come out of this without any potential ramifications is to shut up and take it.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Any suggestions for how I should handle this visit.

Point and laugh.

[cwalner]

Well, I guess my first question is - Could there BE a legitimate reason for a politician to come to your work place? Like is your employer involved in trying to with a contract or get serious funding for something or other. While I have issues with all of that, as our system is, this is a legitimate thing for a business to do and in this situation they want to put their best foot forward.


Yes and no. Our office is an account services center. we handle existing accounts, and are not involved with the contracting of new accounts. My company does contract with various levels of government, but our office does not handle any accounts contracted with the federal government (but we do handle many state and local government accounts)

The best guess that somebody has posited is that they are planning on transferring a group from an office in Colorado to us. The congressman may be pimping this as creating jobs in in district (leaving out that they are not new jobs only jobs taken from somebody else's district). Also the high estimate that I have heard is 40 positions, so not that big of item (IMO).

Because of all this, it would make much more sense if we had a visit from a state legislator or even our governor, but not a US congressman.

[Redtail]

Any suggestions for how I should handle this visit.

Just before he comes to the area where you work, get everyone in your area to do the Safety Dance. Try to time it so he comes in on...

We can dance! We can... "Oh... Hi..."

(Granted you will need a lil person for the full effect.)

[jayh]

While there are lots of fun suggestions here.. I hope you have the good sense to just keep your mouth shut. This is not a free speech venue, you're not there on your own or representing yourself. It's not like you went to a public forum and chose to challenge him there. You are on your employer's turf, and you are representing (unwillingly, perhaps) your company and co-workers.

There are times to speak out, and times not to.

[Spindrift]

Due to the visit, we will be required to dress buisness professional (shirt and tie for men) despite typically having business casual dress code. This is the first time this has happened in my 12 years with the company, and I no longer own a dress shirt (that fits) or tie and will have to buy them just to go to work this day.


Buy the ugliest and cheapest tie you can find. Try Goodwill. Or go with a clip on.

Perhaps someone in management is a big donor, that could be the reason.

Wasn't Indiana run by the KKK in the 1920 or 30's?

[Fishstick]

Serve sushi. Point out the sushi contained more mercury than all of the vaccines combined.

[Lurker]

Ok, I'm daft, but with the recent spate of gubanatorial scandals, I thought most managed to resign before actually being charged with a crime. the two that come to the formemost of my mind are NY and NJ, but as I said, I thought both resigned before they got formally charged.


OH I Only said what as a leading statement. No insult intended about the TDaft part.

[Lurker]

While there are lots of fun suggestions here.. I hope you have the good sense to just keep your mouth shut. This is not a free speech venue, you're not there on your own or representing yourself. It's not like you went to a public forum and chose to challenge him there. You are on your employer's turf, and you are representing (unwillingly, perhaps) your company and co-workers.

There are times to speak out, and times not to.

Totally agree, but a tip to the newspaper is fine as they would not use your name. But I would imagine this sort of question editing at corporate events is par for the course.

[cwalner]

While there are lots of fun suggestions here.. I hope you have the good sense to just keep your mouth shut. This is not a free speech venue, you're not there on your own or representing yourself. It's not like you went to a public forum and chose to challenge him there. You are on your employer's turf, and you are representing (unwillingly, perhaps) your company and co-workers.

There are times to speak out, and times not to.

Agreed. I am staying silent (not hard, since already close to lunchtime here and I have not seen him come around yet).

I just felt frustrated about it and needed to vent so posted here for some release/sympathy.

[cwalner]

OH I Only said what as a leading statement. No insult intended about the TDaft part.

ok, I really am being daft. I completely misread your earlier post as 'OH' being an interjection not the abbreviation of Ohio :o

[cwalner]

Buy the ugliest and cheapest tie you can find. Try Goodwill. Or go with a clip on.

Perhaps someone in management is a big donor, that could be the reason.

Wasn't Indiana run by the KKK in the 1920 or 30's?

I got a shirt and tie for about $30 (Burlington Coat Factory). not bad, should I actually need to wear it again sometime soon.

I doubt that's the issue. And I would be really pissed to find out if the company gave any money to any political campaign as a corporate donation, seeing has they did not have enough money to grant cost of living increases for the last two years.

I don't know about it being run by the Klan, but they did have a strong presence here, and in some communities still do. I even stopped doing business with a local game store because the owner was overtly racist.

[cwalner]

Well,

The congressman has come and gone, and most of us did not even get a chance to see him. Apparantly, he came in for a lunch with the managers and left. According to one manager, who was at the meeting, he pretty much talked about how much the HCR bill will cost us and that they should vote for him.

Now this upsets me for a couple of reasons.

1) I had to shell out $30 and dress up for a guest that never even toured the facility.

2) It was clearly part of his mid-term re-election campaign despite a very clear 'no politics' policy at the office.

The fact that he expressed his opinion regarding HCR, which differs from mine, does not in itself bother me except as it fits into item 2 above. I am also beginning to rethink my previous response to Spindrift, regarding one of our managers being a donor. The way this was handled seems to be more of a 'thank you' for a donation than a true campaign event (small private lunch rather than addressing a large number of constituents)