I was so glad to see so many young people at the Hagedorn town hall forum this past Friday. I came to bear witness, and this is what I heard. 

The question I chose was to ask Hagedorn is why he voted against the Butch Lewis Act. Mr. Lewis is a Vietnam War veteran who worked for 40 years as a Teamster Union truck driver. Mr. Lewis retired and fought up until his death by stroke to save the pension funds of his fellow workers. 

The act is a rehabilitation for multi-employer pensions by way of a trust fund, which would provide low-interest government-guaranteed loans to be paid back over 30 years.

Affected workers include truck drivers, food service workers, coal miners, auto workers, construction workers and others. They are facing a 50% to 75% cut in pension checks and possibly losing all if nothing is done.

Minnesota GOP Congressman Stauber voted for the Butch Lewis Act as he said not to do so would be unconscionable. 

Hagedorn voted no to the act, claiming it would be “fiscally irresponsible.” He also dishonestly stated the pension funds were mismanaged. Not true. The cause were the losses from the severe recession and fewer union workers to pay into the pension fund for current pensioners.

Hagedorn reported there would be a compromise. I asked Hagedorn was he working on a compromise as not to do so was driving up rescue costs at $750 million a month?  He said a compromise was up to the Senate. Of course that would be Moscow Mitch.  Hagedorn is not at all interested in himself or having his extensive staff to start work on a compromise.

If we cannot trust Hagedorn to vote to rescue pension funds, how can we trust him to vote for Social Security retirement funds. Not likely.

Ted Hinnenkamp

Albert Lea