Manzullo hears constituents' passion, anger at town hall meetings

The issues may have changed since town hall meetings across the country last summer occasionally descended into near chaos, but the passion - and sometimes anger - over what's happening in the nation's Capitol remains very much alive, U.S. Rep. Donald Manzullo found that out Friday during a series of forums with his McHenry County constituents.

While the debate over health care reform dominated similar town hall sessions a year ago, Manzullo heard about a far broader range of topics - ranging from immigration to employment, and education to term limits - Friday during his stop at Algonquin Village Hall.

If there was one common thread among the issues, it was a general unhappiness with how the federal government was addressing them.

"I think you're hearing a total disconnect between the people in this room and the people in Washington," said Crystal Lake resident Brett Leifer, one of about 35 citizens at the forum. "Not only do they think they're better than us, but they think, as we cling to our Bibles and guns, that we're crazy."

Manzullo, a Republican from Egan whose congressional district includes most of McHenry County, said he understood the anger and, in many instances, thinks it's justified.

"People are very upset and they feel, rightly so, that their government has abandoned them, that the people in Washington are out of touch," he said.

Immigration garnered the most attention Friday, with many voicing displeasure with the federal government for not doing more to curb the tide of illegal immigrants flowing across the country's southern border.

"If we reverse (the flow), I believe we're not in this financial crisis," Grayslake resident Michael Carbone said. "We're Americans, and we want to help people, but we want to do it the right way. Right now, there's no leadership on this."

Manzullo agreed, and sharply criticized the Obama administration for its decision to sue Arizona over its controversial immigration law.

"Isn't that outrageous?" he asked. "Instead of sending border guards, they're sending lawyers."

Manzullo said the government needed to focus more of its attention on creating jobs instead of programs that only lend a helping hand to people in bad circumstances.

"You can try all the programs you want to help people make loan payments, but if they don't have a job, it isn't going to make a difference," he said.