Thomas H. Kean’s “telephone” town hall Wednesday night included no one asking questions on the phone.
Instead, an aide read submitted questions and the CD-7 congressman answered them. There was no give and take, and, of course, no surprises.
Kean, who has been in office since January, 2023, has been criticized for not holding “live” town halls, or for that matter, engaging with the public and press.
Some of the questions posed tonight were challenging – more challenging than ones I heard at a similar event a year or so ago. However, the question and answer session lasted a mere 30 minutes or so.
One of the more pressing topics of concern these days is the future of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
These are perennial concerns, but more so now. After all, Elon Musk has called Social Security a “ponzi scheme.”
Kean pledged his support for all three programs.
He was asked if he backs allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, which is now happening for some drugs. This was a key part of the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed in 2022 when Democrats controlled the House.
Kean sidestepped the question, but he did say that he opposes the power of middlemen – Pharmacy Benefit Managers – to help set prices.
On some questions, Kean’s answers deviated from the Trump agenda.
He said he was pro-choice and that he would oppose a national abortion ban. He also said that climate change is “real,” but that he opposes off-shore wind in New Jersey waters. He also said he supports the SNAP program or food stamps for qualified individuals.
Kean began the session talking about Donald Trump “restoring common sense” and a sharp drop in illegal border crossings.
On foreign policy, he reasserted his support for Israel and the safe return of hostages.
The congressman said nothing in his opening statement about Ukraine, but was asked about it.
Using his strongest language of the evening, Kean called the Russian invasion illegal and said Vladimir Putin is a “war criminal.” Those are not things the president is likely to say.
Kean said he’s confident the administration is working hard to bring about peace.
As for Musk and his work. Kean supported the elimination of waste and a need for efficiency. No shock there.
But, like an astute politician – regardless of party – he said he doesn’t want federal cuts threatening initiatives he wants to see in the district, like new sidewalks in Summit and helping police in Byram.
Kean University recently participated in a ‘Townhall’ event, but without fielding live questions from attendees. The event, which took place on campus, was meant to provide an opportunity for students, faculty, and community members to engage with university leadership and discuss important issues facing the institution.
However, many attendees were disappointed to find that they were not able to ask questions during the event. Instead, questions were submitted in advance and selected by moderators to be answered by university officials.
This decision to not allow live questions has sparked criticism from some members of the Kean community. Many feel that the lack of live interaction undermines the purpose of a townhall event, which is meant to be a forum for open dialogue and discussion.
In response to the backlash, university officials have stated that the decision to pre-select questions was made in order to ensure that all topics could be addressed in a timely manner. They also emphasized that there are other opportunities for students and community members to engage with university leadership, such as through student government meetings and open office hours.
Despite the controversy surrounding the townhall event, Kean University remains committed to fostering transparency and communication within the campus community. Moving forward, it will be important for university officials to consider the feedback from attendees and find ways to improve future townhall events to better meet the needs of all stakeholders.
